American Dream Willy Loman Essay Research — страница 2

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the end Willy still believes that the only thing Biff needs to be successful is some money to start a business. We learn this when Willy says “Can you imagine that magnificence [Biff] with twenty thousand dollars in his pocket?” (Movie). Willy thinks that as long as Biff has some money to start out with he will find it easy to become successful. 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’s dream is focused entirely on being successful and popular which in itself is wrong. Willy Loman did not become part of the American Dream because he does not follow his own dreams. Willy is not a salesman at heart, he is happiest when he is working with his hands and Willy never realizes this. After Willy

dies, Biff realizes that his father should have worked out in the open, where he could truly be free. We learn this when Biff says, “He had the wrong dreams. All, all wrong,” and furthermore when Biff says, “He never knew who he was.” (Movie). 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. 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 does not think about what he himself wants to do, he thinks more about what others have done and then wants to achieve the same heights they have. Willy is never content with just being himself; he always has to be

something better. This is evident when Linda tells Willy “be happy right here, right now. Why must everybody conquer the world? You’re well liked, and the boys love you” (Movie). Willy never listens to his heart and because of this, he follows the wrong dream. Willy was never really a part of the American Dream. In the end, we see Willy’s foolishness for killing himself. Willy has too much pride to take a job from Charley and would rather end his own life than work under his friend for money. Willy thinks he is helping everyone by giving them his life insurance money but everyone would rather have him still alive than the money. Striving for his dream of becoming well liked and successful leaves Willy with nothing that will make him happy. In the end, Willy’s dream ends

up being for Biff to achieve everything that he himself could not achieve. Willy’s plan backfires though when Biff chooses the opposite of what Willy wants and leaves the city to try to find out what will make him happy. In the end, Willy’s obsession with the American Dream is his undoing. Willy never really becomes part of the American Dream because he never understands what he needs to make himself happy.