Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman- captures a life full of struggle and disappointment for an aging salesman. According to Michael Spindler "At the time of this play selling became a pervasive activity, some 38 percent of whom were mobile salesmen- (202). In Act I, Willy Loman is a Sixty-year-old salesman who returns home one night from a sales trip, unable to concentrate on his driving. His wife, Linda, is worried about him, and encourages him to find a job where he does not have to travel anymore. Willy is determined to ask for a better job, but is unsuccessful. However, by the time we reach the end of this play about a man named Willy, we have learned how consumerism and the struggle for success have destroyed such a troubled man.
In selling, the presentation of personality is all-important, since the salesman can best sell his product by impressing the buyer, by winning his confidence and trust, by making himself likable, by selling himself. A salesman, like Willy is not concerned with some objective achievement but with the creation of a pleasing personality that will be saleable. Since Willy seems to see himself as a commodity, he tries to experience others in the same way and assess their worth according to their success in the market. Willy's life has been dominated by two images of success: that of Dave Singleman which has direction, and that of Ben which returns at crucial moments to highlight Willy's sense of insecurity. We are offered a glimpse into Willy's family history of social change in America, from the pioneering father who drove his wagon and horses, to the elder brother who gained a fortune in the great outdoors, and finally to Willy who according to Steven Centola "Becomes hemmed in by the towering blocks of the modern big city- (33). .
Willy protest near the beginning of the play that "the competition is maddening-(1893). Willy it is evident, is not tough enough for the business struggle while Ben is.
