Willy credits his employment choice to Singleman and goes on to explain how Dave is a skillful salesman (Miller 81). .
And he was eighty-four years old, and he'd drummed merchandise in thirty-one states. And old Dave, he'd go up to his room, y'understand, put on his green velvet slippers-I'll never forget-and pick up his phone and call the buyers, and without ever leaving his room, at the age of eighty-four he made his living. And when I saw that, I realized that selling was the greatest career a man could want. .
(Miller 81).
Dave Singleman symbolizes Willy's complete dream of success, as Gordon declares (as std. in French 276). Singleman's highly appealing personality overflows into his insatiable appetite for his work, which enables him to gain a wealth of "fame and fortune"(276). Willy, however, fails to grasp the realization that Dave Singleman devotes years of dedication to building his clientele in order to become a successful businessman. Craving for success, Singleman exhibits the accomplishments, which Willy Loman longs to achieve. .
Willy's father is another symbol illustrating success. Traveling with his family across the United States selling hand-made flutes, Willy's father "ventured into a pioneer's wilderness with no security or assurance of success" (276). Even though the death of Willy's father occurs at an early time in his life, his father's accomplishments remain firm in Willy's mind. Taking pride in his own craftsmanship and talent, allows Willy's father to achieve prosperity in selling his flutes. Since his father sells a product that he personally loves and admires, he reaps monetary benefits, as well as self-satisfaction, unlike Willy, who sells someone else's product. Even though Willy displays expertise as a carpenter, manual labor, in his distorted mind does not represent a position of distinction. Furthermore, Willy wishes to follow in his father's footsteps by demonstrating success in the business world, since he feels that being a salesman is prestigious.
