"Death of a Salesman" and Motifs

While searching for relationships to an in-class text, I uncovered a few motifs that recur over the course of Arthur Miller's play, "Death of a Salesman." These ideas play a crucial role in the development of characters and their relationships with one another. As the characters grow and interact, the plot unravels according to their actions and contact with one another. Two of the most influential motifs in the play are denial and the American dream. Both of them can be seen in the development of Willy, the father in the Loman family, and Biff, one of his sons.

The Lomans as a family live in constant denial. Willy Loman lives in fantasy world where he achieves ultimate success that he had always dreamed of as a child. In his head, he is "well liked" (21) and a renowned man in the business world. Willy often returns home bragging, having "sold a nice bill there" (19), further emphasizing and defining his natural ego. However, his optimism and false confidence live a short life. His wife, Linda, is the voice of reality, reassuring him that he has not succeeded through subtle comments that are not too direct. She may remind him that the payments on the mortgage or household utilities have left them "a little short again" (51) in terms of money. Willy also accepted a donation from his neighbor Charley, treating it as a paycheck for his efforts. Throughout the play, he experiences reality and quickly tucks his head away from the truth, hiding in his dreams of denial. This also applies to Biff, his son. Biff, as seen by his father, is useless. He is a 34 year old man who still does not have a stable job. He believes in happiness over wealth and patiently waits for fate to come, denying his failure. However, near the end of the play, Biff breaks down and accepts his failure, claiming that he is "[a] buck an hour" (98). Denial is clearly a recurring theme throughout the story and is merely a product of the family's differing interpretation of the American dream. The American dream is also a motif in the story, and is responsible for the family's numerous disputes. Having associated success with wealth, Willy is discontent with his son's laid-back, calm approach to life. He calls him a "lazy bum" (8), claiming his inability to make money is the source of his failure. Biff enjoys the safety of simplicity and happiness in leisure, which is his idea of the American dream. These two, controversial interpretations lead to conflict within the house and the development of both characters. As seen in the text, both denial and the American dream serve unique purposes in the progression of Willy and Biff.