Firstly, I will be focusing on the most central character in the play, Willy Loman. Miller presents the theme of dishonesty through Willy very early in the play. Willy lies about his job to most people including his family. He lies about his earnings to Linda “I did five hundred gross in Providence and seven hundred gross in Boston.” We later find out in the play that this is a lie and that he doesn’t earn as much as he made out to be. This shows to the reader that Willy himself knows that he is failing and relies on these lies to give a false impression of his earnings and keep the family happy in the mind that they are financially secure.
Willy also lies to Linda. We find out in the play that Willy is having an affair with an unknown woman. He doesn’t let Linda know this as she knows it will hurt her so he continues to love Linda, “You’re my foundation and my support, Linda.” In this case Linda doesn’t know anything about the affair and continues to love Willy. This lie makes Linda look innocent and venerable.
Whilst Willy knows how he is cheating Linda. He also lies to the woman about their love after confronted by Biff. “They’re painting her room so I let her take a shower here.” Pg.94. This lie gives the effect that makes Willy look dishonest, again another example of how Arthur Miller presents dishonesty within the play.
In regards to his two sons, Biff and Happy, Willy tends to favour Biff. He knows that Biff steals but he refuses to believe this even when people tell him that he has problems. “There’s nothing the matter with him!” Also, Willy always wanted Biff to follow in his footsteps as a salesman and to become successful but it is Happy who has his ‘American-dream’ he has everything he ever wanted working on the ranch, but yet Willy doesn’t see that as success. “How can he find himself on a farm? Is that a life?” Willy’s opinions on his boys turn their relationships sour.
Arthur Miller uses Linda to present dishonesty in many ways. Linda lies to Willy about knowing about his suicide attempts. We find out this when Linda reveals this to Happy. “And behind the fuse-box – it happened to fall out – was a length of rubber pipe.” This gives the effect of Linda showing some superiority over Willy after Willy make Linda look feel feeble. She shows that she isn’t as naive as Willy thinks she is.
She conceals these things to Willy because she loves him and doesn’t want to hurt him. She also knows about Willy earning and that he is not making as much money as he makes out to her. “When he has to go to Charley and borrow fifty dollars a week and pretend to me that its his pay. “ She does this to Willy as she does truly love him, and knows that he cares deeply about Biff and Happy.
However, she knows that Willy doesn’t treat her well, but ignores this, even when Biff acknowledges her about this. “Stop making excuses for him! He always, always wiped the floor with you. Never had an ounce of respect for you”
Happy also represents dishonesty in the manner of his lies. Through the course of the play, most of Happy’s lies are directed at himself. He lies to himself about who he is and changes for others just to satisfy them. Happy sleeps with women a lot. However, he doesn’t enjoy this lifestyle and wants to change it. “The girl Charlotte I was with tonight is engaged to be married in five weeks.” However, he admits that at times he does like and he cannot control his actions. “I hate myself for it. Because I don’t want the girl, and still, I take it and – I love it!”
The language in the play also plays a crucial part in establishing the theme of dishonesty within the play. To illustrate this, I have picked two major scenes in which dishonesty is presented.
The first scene I have chosen is the early parts of Act One. In where Willy returns from work, and Biff and Happy are discussing their future. Immediately, the theme of dishonesty is presented in where Linda questions Willy on why he has come back from work so early. “Why? What happened? Did something happen, Willy?” Pg 8. This signifies that things like this have happened before and that she is questioning Willy. Linda continues to question Willy as he enters the house. “You didn’t smash the car did you?” and “Don’t you feel well?” Pg. 8.
Thirdly, it is the stage directions that also present the theme of dishonesty within the play. Within the play, the stage directions take place in the form of flashbacks and the motifs. The different motifs in the play reflect different themes and ideas. Some of them reflect lies and dishonesty.
Flashbacks are used in the play to show the audience other parts of the storyline which would not generally happen in the same order. The flashbacks are used during parts of the play to show the audience another part of the play. There are many flashbacks used in the play.
The flashbacks are used during parts in the play where Miller needs to reveal new information to the audience. This information usually includes lies and dishonesty. Lies that are revealed to the audience are shown from the beginning of the play. The first flashback occurs after Willy has come home and after Biff and Happy have talked about their futures. The scene then goes back to when Biff and Happy are a lot younger. Willy gives the boys a new punching bag.
Overall, the play provides a moral. This moral is that although white lies can sometimes be good, people should make sure that they don’t go too far. We can see this throughout the book through the language, stage directions, character and through the techniques of flashbacks and motifs.
Lies play a central part in the play as the story is based around lies and deception and without them there would not be a story. The lies are eventually given away and truth is revealed when the characters go too far with the lies. Also, the play focuses heavily on the idea of the American dream isn’t always possible and at times reality is better, although that isn’t what the characters in the play want to hear and refuse to believe it.
