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Death of a Salesman

 

            
             The theme of illusion versus reality is very prevalent throughout this play.
             indulgent of this lifestyle is the main character Willy Loman. His whole life is based on the .
             illusion that he is successful because he is well-liked and good looking. He raises his two sons .
             on this premise and feeds it to them day after day. Willy is a dreamer. Willy grades his life on .
             the success he has as a salesman. He expects his sons to follow in his footsteps as well. Biff is .
             his main concern. Willy looks at Biff to be the one who shines in the business world. "Be liked .
             and you will never want-.(Bedford p.1836) Willy tells this to biff while they are talking about .
             school. The reality is that Willy is not well-liked and not successful but he still tells himself .
             every week that he'll "knock em dead next week-. Willy says, "I'm the New England man. I'm .
             vital in New England-. Willy is not as vital as he thinks. He says this to impress his boys. .
             Willy's dreams and illusions also get in the way of having a normal family. His illusion that Biff .
             will become a great businessman interferes with the father son relationship. Biff believes that .
             what his father tells him is true and later in life realizes that Willy has formed Biff's values and .
             they are not the values Biff believes in. Willy sees himself as one of the founding fathers of the .
             company he works for and helped name the man who is now his boss. His boss sees his role .
             differently and soon Willy is without a job and just can't understand it. "When Willy sees how .
             his illusion of being well-liked is not true, it kills him and ends his emotional life-.(Nadi) At the .
             end of the play, Willy's illusion that if he were to die and Biff received the insurance money, .
             everything would be better. In reality, the family now has to grieve with their loss and Willy was .
             left making yet another bad decision. Willy lives in a life of memories of when he talks to his .


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