Death of a Salesman and the American Dream.

Throughout the play the Loman's in general cannot distinguish between reality and illusion. Willy cannot see who he and his sons are. He believes that they are great men who have what it takes to be successful and beat the business world. On the literal level Willy very often lapses into a flashback and appears to be reliving conversations and situations that occurred years ago.

Willy is a man who is lost in the past and his mind is constantly tormented with the hopes and dreams he had years ago that have since fallen through. The only way he can live with himself is to live in a world of illusion. He as immersed himself and his family in a false sense of reality. Willy is ashamed that he is stuck in Brooklyn with a low- paying job and yearns for Ben's happy- go lucky lifestyle. Nonetheless, being Willy, he has to cover this fact up with lies. He also believes that all it takes to get ahead in the world is to be well liked. In reality, Willy is not well liked and he has a very hard time selling. Willy prepares to go see his boss Howard, to tell him that he does not want to travel anymore and wishes to have a job on the sales floor in New York. Willy has a long discussion with Howard, and finally Howard tells him that the firm is firing him. Willy is shocked. He delivers a long monologue about sales, and eventually Howard leaves the office minutes later Willy then leaves and walks down the street to Charlie's office. Willy and Charlie talk for a while. Charlie gives him fifty dollars so that he can go home to Linda and pretend it is his pay. While leaving the office Willy runs into Bernard and they talk a bit. Willy is in tears and asks Bernard what happened to Biff after his senior year. Bernard tells Willy, that after Biff went to go see him on a business trip he came back changed.

The Loman family is wrought with dysfunction stemming from these false dreams and hopes Willy has imbued in his sons. Biff and Hap has always been shown that a business career is the only way to achieve success. He wants Biff to be successful, and yet he is lost. He tells Linda, "In the greatest country in the world a young man with such-personal attractiveness, gets lost. Willy's definition of success similar to the life Hap lives is not valid. Hap does not understand or realize this, though. Biff, on the other hand has been living in the West on a cattle ranch enjoying a leisurely life. Biff is the son Willy focuses on the most, and Hap is always trying to get his father's attention. Biff has no respect for Willy. This lack of respect has caused Biff to dismiss his father and his wishes. Biff does not respect his father anymore because during his senior year in high school he went to visit his dad on one of his business trips at a hotel to discuss his not graduating. At that moment, he realized his dad was an unfaithful, dishonest, liar. His dad had been cheating on his mom and on top of all that, he gave the woman Linda's panty hoses.

Linda accuses Biff and Happy of deserting the family. She tells them that Willy is exhausted. That he has worked all his life for his boys, and now his sons have turned their backs. She tells them that he also talks to himself from time to time. She then shows the boys that Willy has been trying to kill himself he had fixed a hose up to the water heater in the cellar to suck gas. She revealed that his car accidents were no accident. Biff tells his mother he had no idea and that he will try his best to please Willy and make do. Willy lives on false hopes so Hap and Biff come up with a scheme about starting a sporting good business to cheer dad up. Biff tells Willy that he is going to see his old boss Bill Oliver to try to get a loan. Willy is thrilled. He starts going back in the past and talks to Ben about his life insurance money and how it will give biff the start he needs to be a success. Biff sees Willy outside talking to himself he knows realizes that his whole family is a lie. Biff goes outside to confront his dad and to tell him that he is leaving in the morning and never to return. Aafter the argument is over Ben appears to Willy and says "The jungle is dark, but full of diamonds. Willy tells Ben that Biff will finally realize how much he is loved when Biff sees all the hundreds of people at his funeral. Willy gets in his car and drives to his death. At the funeral only Biff, Hap, Linda, Charlie and Bernard are present.

Willy believes that a man can be "worth more dead than alive." Charlie, always the voice of reality tells Willy, "A man isn't worth anything dead." Willy lost at trying to live the American Dream and the play can be viewed as commentary about society. Willy is a man who has worked all his life by the machinery of Democracy and Free Enterprise and was then spit mercilessly out, spent like a "piece of fruit."