Throughout the play, we learn that Willy has obviously made a wrong decision about his career and the fact that he never realizes this is the tragedy in the story. Willy thinks that since he can still conceivably work when he becomes eighty years old that a salesman job is the best vocation he could ever want. All, all wrong,” and furthermore when Biff says, “He never knew who he was. We learn this when Biff says, “He had the wrong dreams. After Willy dies, Biff realizes that his father should have worked out in the open, where he could truly be free.
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Willy is not a salesman at heart, he is happiest when he is working with his hands and Willy never realizes this. Willy Loman did not become part of the American Dream because he does not follow his own dreams. Willy’s dream is focused entirely on being successful and popular which in itself is wrong. Biff knows that his father’s ideas are wrong and all Biff wants is to enjoy his life and for his father to be happy. Willy thinks that as long as Biff has some money to start out with he will find it easy to become successful. We learn this when Willy says “Can you imagine that magnificence with twenty thousand dollars in his pocket? ” (Movie). Even in the end Willy still believes that the only thing Biff needs to be successful is some money to start a business. Willy has delusional ideas about the American Dream. Willy’s wife Linda realizes this and conveys these thoughts to her sons when she says “He drives seven hundred miles, and when he gets there no one knows him anymore what goes through a man’s mind, driving seven hundred miles home without earning a cent? Movie). Although he has lost his ability to sell, Willy continues to believe that as long as he works hard good things will happen to him and his family. He neglects the needs of his family and chooses to remain in the mindset that as long as he is well liked he will achieve success. Success is an important part of the American dream, but Willy puts too much importance on the need to achieve success. This is easily illustrated when Willy says ” It’s who you know and the smile on your face! … and that’s the wonder, the wonder of this country, that a man can end with diamonds here on the basis of being liked! ” (Movie). Willy believes that the only things that are important in life are the successes that he achieved and the amount of friends that he made. Willy Loman’s dream is an adaptation of the American Dream. “The American Dream” is the basis of American culture although some ideals at the heart of it seem incorrect. If people work their entire lives to achieve something that they can enjoy at the end of their life, they will miss the entire journey in between. Many times this is simply not the way things work out. They believe that as long as they put something into civilization, at the end of their lives they will receive something in return. People can work their entire lives thinking that they are contributing to humanity when in fact they are not. The problem with this dream is the theory at the basis of it the fact that success is not assured, but if people work for their dreams they will eventually achieve them. People all over the world desire to immigrate to America because they have heard of this “American Dream” and they want to be a part of a country that makes it seem so easy to make a fortune. The problem is that not everyone wants these things. The American Dream is supposedly what everyone wants to end up with a family, a house, a car and a well paying job. Furthermore, what lies at the heart of the American Dream is the desire to achieve wealth and power based on one’s looks and appearance rather than the value and quality of their work. The basic principal behind the “American Dream” is the belief that if people have an aspiration and they work for it they will achieve their dreams. Death of a Salesman focuses on this dream and analyses the dreams significance in the American social order. The American Dream ” is a term used to summarize the basic ideals held by the American public. Willy never becomes part of the American Dream because he tries to become successful and wealthy rather than spending his life doing something that would bring him and his family joy. This is the big mistake that Willy makes in his life and in the end he never overcomes it. He chooses a career that will make him money, but not much, rather than a career that he will enjoy. Willy never becomes part of the “American Dream” because he never follows his true dreams and aspirations.