However, Miller also explores the nature of success in Death of a Salesman through its dehumanizing effect on society; especially in relation to the character of Ben as he becomes someone the audience is unable to relate to as well as someone who becomes dehumanized through his search for success. “Never fight fair with a stranger”. Here Miller uses Ben to highlight on the false nature of success in post war American society. This is because as the business world became more competitive, aggressive and threatening; the people cared less about working in the community and more about gaining the ability to achieve their American Dream. The American Dream was the aspiration of the Americans of achieving a better, richer and fuller life, through the use of talent, intelligence and hard work. However, it is the same American Dream which created a sense of competition where everyone was trying to achieve the same thing and where everyone wanted to become successful by similar means. Miller explores this idea through the depiction of Willy and Ben’s relationship, since Ben does not have anytime for Willy and Ben does not share the ‘secrets of his successes’ with Willy. The only advice Ben is seen to give to Willy and his family includes the above quote and this depicts the society in Death of a Salesman to be cruel and pitiless. It suggests that if anyone wants to be successful in this ruthless world, they have to be brutal in their approach to others. This connects with Miller’s exploration of the nature of success to be dehumanizing, since the society forces individuals to compete with one another in order to strive for success. This seems false because a society cannot be successful, as a whole, if everyone is aggressive to one another since this will leave weaker individuals, like Willy Loman, unable to become successful. Here Miller explores the nature of success by showing that if everyone ‘Never fights fair with a stranger’ then there will certainly be individuals who cannot become successful due to the competitive society they live in.
On the other hand, Miller explores the true nature of success through the character of Charley. In the Death of a Salesman, Charley shows that success is when an individual is happy with their life, proud of what they have achieved and someone who is secure in their life through hard work and determination. “He was a happy man with a batch of cement.” Here Charley shows that Willy was truly successful, when he was doing what he was good at, which was building things. This shows Charley as a very realistic and decent character as well as a living example of how to make a relative success of one’s life. Charley is able to recognise that Willy is ‘living a lie’, even though Willy is unable to stop himself from delving deeper into an avoidable depression. This depression comes from Willy believing that he is a failure and that he cannot gain any meaning to his life except if he kills himself and lets his family enjoy the insurance money. Miller, through the use of Charley, shows that success is achievable for those who devote their lives to making the most of the natural skills that they have, for example, Willy’s craftsmanship skills. However, Willy devotes his life to selling, which is something he has no real skill in and so he is unable to become successful from being a salesman. This is why Willy is extremely unhappy as Miller shows that Willy has conformed to societal expectations of attaining success through working in business, even though Willy has no business-like skills that would ensure his success in this field. Miller explores the nature of success by showing that success is possible for individuals in post war American society, as long as they remain true to themselves along with being happy with what they have achieved. For example, Willy has a loving family, a happy marriage, he owns material possessions and he has natural craftsmanship skills, which others like Charley lack. So, in the eyes of some individuals Willy is successful and he has much to be happy about. Additionally, Miller uses Charley to illustrate the rewarding nature of success as Charley is secure in life with a son, Bernard, who is also a very honest and successful man.
Overall, through Miller’s exploration of the nature of success, we are shown that success has no real definition and that an individual can create their own success through the opportunities they face in life. In the society of Death of a Salesman, the nature of success is very harsh, materialistic and it does not allow everyone to fulfil their potential in life. Miller explores this idea through showing that in post war American society, only those in big companies and in big positions could become successful, and less important individuals in society, like the Loman family, are prevented from becoming successful. Therefore, Miller shows that the nature of success in the society of Death of a Salesman is demeaning and unrealistic as success should be available to all.
