At other times, you will feel like Willy is overreacting. Sometimes, you will want the boys to behave well. There is also a generation gap between Willy and his sons apart from over-expectations. She is scared someday Willy might take his life out of frustration and she is extremely concerned about the way Willy forgets things and keep mumbling to himself. Rather, she acts as a bridge between her husband and her sons. His wife, Linda is his biggest support who doesn’t take offense in what he says. Sadly, Biff is none of it and this breaks Willy apart. For not being the “great” Biff, who is the greatest baseball player, academic overachiever, and the most successful businessman. Times over, Willy lashes out at Biff for not being good enough. Biff is the only one who realizes that the whole family lived in the lies and tries to face the truth. The more he indulges in the illusion, the harder it is for him to face reality. Willy has dreamed of success his whole life and makes up lies about his and Biff’s success. This is the side that this book is willing to show. In fact, not just sales, most of the professions in the modern world of capitalism are disposable and ungrateful jobs. His life has been limited by finances because he is merely a salesman who is not of much importance to capitalism. Willy is trying to live the great American dream which keeps him frustrated, yet he can’t stop living it. He seems particularly invested in Biff and making him the greatest salesman the world has ever seen. His wife thinks he is about to take his life. The story starts with Loman’s palpitating state as he talks to himself, forgets things. Death of a salesman: A classic, The Minireads The premise of the book The drama is centered around the Loman family’s economic struggles and his dream world which is filled with hopeless dreams. The book carries the disappointments and griefs and a 60-year old man, Willy Loman who is tired, yet not retired from achieving the American dream. Miller had been a vocal critic of the cultural and economic myths of American capitalism. Why? Discover more in the post!ĭeath of a salesman was written in 1948 by Arthur Miller in a small studio built in Roxbury, Connecticut. This book did not disappoint and it made me feel the same way reading Karl Marx does. as I hadn’t read a play in the last few months. I finally took a plunge to buy the book considering it is short and a play. I had heard about his book, “Death of a salesman” quite a few times and it constantly appeared as a suggestion on Amazon. Arthur Miller is a new author that I have discovered this month.