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Version vom 17. Dezember 2019, 17:49 Uhr

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Is it true that Willy Loman is a victim of his own misconception of the “American Dream”? Well, on the one hand, I think that his life was hard because of his bad financial situation and the fact that he failed in life. On the other hand, it is his own fault that he failed. His idea of the American dream is to be fame, rich and liked. He just wanted to have success to be liked and powerful and not to do his own thing to be happy. I mean, I think it is important to do your own thing without caring what others think. Willy was caring a lot about the opinion of the population. That is the reason why he got sick in the psychical way. He stressed himself out a lot because of his frantic wish to be successful and he cares too much about the others opinion. To add, he saw others like Charlie as a competitor and he was jealous of them because they had the success he wanted. Instead of working hard for success, he was only dreaming about what he could catch. He remained in one place, so to speak, and did not involve. All in all, I think the question is whether Willy was his own victim of his misconception to answer yes, because he lost the thread, focus on wrong aspects and never really started fighting for his dreams. He lived in his dream world and his life passed him by. In that time his fellow human beings like Charlie have involved, which he couldn’t cope with and put himself under even more pressure.

1

Willy Loman is the main caracter of the play "Death of a Salesman", where he commits suicide because he failed to achieve the " American Dream". In the following I am going to comment on if Willy is a victim of his own misconseption of the " American Dream". One aspect is that, Willy thinks that to be loved by everyone and to never want anything is the intention of the "American Dream". He is not carying about the original values, that would not have lead him into commiting suicide, but to live in freedom. On the other hand one can say that the "American Dream" has changed so much through the years, so that the old values, such as freedom and healthyness, have become uninportant. The values are replaced with materialistic things and to be popular and well liked. Finally I have come to the decision, that not only Willy has the misconception of the "American Dream" but the whole society. I also think that the wrong values of the society and the change of the "American Dream" made Willy the victim and lead hin into failing and commiting suicide.

10

The question that is touched upon here is if Willy Loman is a victim of his own misconception of the” American Dream” is difficult to answer because there are several positive and negative aspects which have to be considered.

Firstly, it is important to consider the fact that Willy always tries to be liked and popular. Additionally, he thinks that personal attractiveness leads to professional success. This shows that Willy concentrates on what other people think about him. Therefore, he turns to be a man that pretends being someone he is not, what becomes clear when he feels lost and not accepted although he thinks he is really famous as salesman. In context to that it is pointed out that he does not focus on the value of being happy and satisfied with his family and life. Another point is that he keeps on working for his dream of wealth and materialism richness altough he is not able anymore. That underlines the fact that he lives in his dream world and is not realistic enough to accept the circumstances. In addition to that Willy is mentally unstable what is caused by the pressure of being the number one and overburden with the desire of being rich and successful.

On the other side you also have to take into consideration that Willy is a member of the working class what refers to the fact that is not very rich but tries to make money to support his family. It is possible as well that he does not want to disappoint his famliy members and keeps on working although he is not able anymore. In addition to that you should keep in mind that his sons do not support him in the financial way that much, what leads to the aspect that he is forced to keep on working to care for his and Linda`s life. Another point is that he is and was surrounded by successful people for example his brother Ben and his friend Charlie, what supports the pressure under which Willy suffers and destroys himself. Finally, he is catched up in the trap of exterior circumstances that he cannot escape from because the concurrence is growing and the business world of salesman is a rough competition in which he finally does not fit anymore. That leads to the aspect that he gets more desperated and maybe also disappointed in himself that he could not fulfill his goals.

To sum up, I am of the opnion that Willy is mainly a vicitm of his own misconception of the American dream which is being well-liked and successful. I think the main reason for his failure is not absolutely his vision of the American dream but that he does not realise that the way of pretending of being someone he is not, is the wrong one and that he cannot change the outward impacts but his way of handling the situation. Because if he realise that he could be happy with what he has he would not transform in the state of abandoning.

23

The question is if Willy Loman is a victim of his own misconception of the "American Dream". This topic is a big discussion, but there are some points for and against it.

The first aspect is that Willy's goal is to be liked and popular, because he thinks it will bring him success. That is why the opinions of other people are important for him. Furthermore, he pretends to be someone who is not. For example that he thinks that he is a famous salesman. Moreover he cares more about materialism things than to have a happy life with his family. On addition he keeps to achieve his materialism goals eve he can not. It shows that he has a wrong illusion and he is not realistic which leads to the fact that he lives in his dreams. In addition to that he is mentally unstable.

On the other side he earns the money to support his family even he is not rich and a man of the middle class. Another point is that he has no other choice, because he has to care for the life of his wife and his own, because his sons do not support him very much. And maybe ho does not want to disappoint his family. Moreover, he is surrounded by some successful people like Charlie or Ben, which puts pressure on him and makes suffers him. Finally, there are concurrences about the business as a salesman. It is difficulter for Willy to stand out which makes him desperated and lost.

All in all, Willy is a victim of his own misconception of the American Dream shows the point that he wants to be popular and successful. In my view is the reason for the failure is wrong vision of the American Dream, because he thinks more materialistic and has an unstable mind. And he does not realise the happieness he has.

15

It is a difficult question if Willy Loman is a victim of his own misconception of the „American Dream“, because there are a few positive and negative aspects on both sides which have to mentioned to understand his situation.

On one side Willy’s dream was being popular and rich. For him it was success to be liked by many people and in addition getting much money. This way his only goal was to reach his dream and as consequence he pretended to be someone else, he lives in his own little world where he is popular and successful in his business. In the real world he is truly lost and without a solution. He does not value his family and being happy he thinks happiness comes with being popular. Because he until now he did not reach his dream he keeps on fighting and while doing this he forgets that he maybe is too old to do so and goes over his limits. This leads to Willy being mentally confused and him crashing the car over and over again. The pressure is too much for him and he gets unstable.

On the other side Willy maybe only tries to support his family by still working and trying to earn more money. He is a member of the low class and struggles to survive and to support so they will not be disappointed in their husband and father. He is also too proud to ask his sons for financially support and he does not want to hold them back by asking for money or help. He wants them to achieve his dream because he cannot do it. Willy’s role model was a salesman too but he was very popular and Wily tries to do the same this way he choose the job as a salesman and hoped for a great future. But the bills are getting more and more and the salesman business in not how it used to be for someone like Willy it is difficult to keep up with the new generations.

All in all one can say that Willy is a victim because this dream leads him into his dream world. He lives in the past and does not realize it he cannot change anything and is absolutely lost and mentally unstable because he followed the wrong American Dream which means being successful and popular.