Death of a Salesman- Koski

Award winning playwright, Arthur Miller, addresses both familial crises and issues regarding American national values, in his piece the Death of a Salesman. Miller incorporates infidelity, financial troubles, suicide and depression, and complicated relationships, in addition to many other topics in the short production. Many of the themes and conflicts included in Death of a Salesman are apparent today. Thus making Miller’s work applicable to current audiences. 

In the beginning of the play, we are introduced to an elderly, and apparently frustrated, salesman, Willy Loman. Throughout the play, the audience learns Willy is chasing his American Dream, in his sixties, despite the changing world around him. For example, Willy bought his house during a simpler time. He mentioned growing vegetables in the back yard and tying a hammock between two trees in his front yard for his boys. Yet when he gets home from his failed business trip, he reminisces about earlier days and expresses his annoyance with the changing world around him: “The street is lined with cars. There’s not a breath of fresh air in the neighborhood. The grass don’t grow anymore, you can’t raise a carrot in the back yard… There’s more people! That’s what’s ruining this country! Population is getting out of control…” (Miller 17). This increasing population and possession of material items actually defines Willy’s idea of the American dream. He is in constant competition with his neighbors, and along with the rest of middle class America, to define success as the things they own. Willy proclaims, “…The competition is maddening…” (Miller 17). Today, this theme is even more present with the revolution of technology, especially in America. “How Greed Outstripped Need”, a piece published on the American Psychological Association website, states “…American corporate capitalism—the highly competitive economic system embraced by the United States…—encourages materialism more than other forms of capitalism, according to a study by Hebrew University of Jerusalem psychologist Shalom Schwartz, PhD.” (Azar 30). This increasing demand for material items left many families in a state of financial trouble, both then and now. 

Another relatable issue is that Willy works very hard and is earning virtually no pay. Before he is fired, he is working solely for commission, and at his age, traveling to sell is nearly impossible. Willy becomes reliant on his wealthy neighbor, Charlie, to loan him enough money to pay his bills from week to week. Comparatively, throughout the last decade, the economy in America has taken a hit. Many affluent families suddenly found themselves struggling, middle class families could barely put meals on the table, the housing market had taken a massive blow, and inflation had reached an unbearable high. The New York Times evaluated the effect of the recession on families in relation to the recent census. The analysis revealed that “During the recession, economic well-being worsened for families with children,” said Jamie Lewis, a demographer in the bureau’s Fertility and Family Statistics Branch who helped write the analysis. “Even after the recession officially ended in 2009, these measures remained worse than before it began.” (Roberts). Willy feared leaving his children with nothing, just like his father had done to him. He wanted to leave behind an estate for his boys and a legacy for himself. In the midst of his constant scrambling to do so, he engulfed himself in a flame of lies, allusion, and self-deceit. Consequently, to put an end to these things, Willy believed the only out was suicide; furthermore, in doing so, he believed he’d be helping his boys by entitling them to money from his life insurance policy. 

Miller seamlessly incorporates many serious familial issues apparent both then and now. He addresses infidelity, depression and suicide, and complicated family relationships. Throughout the piece, Willy recalls his affair with “The Woman”. There’s a particularly emotional scene when Biff catches his dad with the woman in Boston. “Biff: Dad… Willy: She’s nothing to me, Biff. I was lonely, I was terribly lonely.” (Miller 120). According to the Truth About Deception, “…roughly 30%-60% of all married individuals (in the United States) will engage in infidelity at some point during their marriage” (Facts and Statistics About Infidelity). Furthermore, Linda, Willy’s wife, is conscious of Willy’s suicide attempts. She mentions to Biff “He’s been trying to kill himself… the insurance inspector came. He said that they have evidence. That all these accidents in the last year—weren’t—weren’t—accidents” (Miller 58). According to the Suicide Awareness Voices of Education, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. for all ages. Additionally, according to save.org there is one suicide for every four attempts in the elderly. Lastly, Miller incorporates the strained relationship between Willy and Biff. After Biff catches his dad cheating, their relationship dynamic changes completely. Biff stops feeding into the lies Willy tells about his success. Biff stops wanting to live out the future his dad has expected from him from the time he was young. “Biff: You fake! You phony little fake! You fake! Overcome, he turns quickly and weeping fully goes out with his suitcase. Willy is left on the floor on his knees.” (Miller). Stephanie Coontz writes for the U.S. Society and Values, Coontz claims “…when parents minimize conflict, family bonds can be maintained.” Today due to technology and changing values, families are facing new issues minute by minute. 

In summary, many of the issues Miller confronts in his piece are relevant even in modern America. The themes of infidelity, depression and suicide, and complicated relationships are still evident in many modern families. Many Americans struggle to overcome similar issues to that of the Loman family during the 1940’s. Furthermore, Miller’s focus on national American values, such as the stereotypical idea of the American dream, gives his piece admirable depth. Death of a Salesman will remain applicable into the near future, audiences will continue to understand and relate to many of the problems incorporated within the plot. For this reason, Miller remains a famous and respectable playwright, with many awards and critically acclaimed pieces under his belt.