Death of A Salesman Pride
Death of A Salesman - PrideThroughout the play “Death of A Salesman” by Arthur Miller, Willy Loman’s misguided pride leads to his tragic failure and lack of accomplishment. Willy’s pride and attitude cause him to brag constantly to his family and friends about his career. His pride also causes him to put a lot of pressure on his sons because he will not accept anything less than the best from his boys.
Willy’s attitude is a dangerous thing to himself and his family because his constant bragging gives his family and himself a false sense of who he is. Willy thinks that if you have money then you will be well-liked. To Willy, being well-liked is everything. In his way of thought people without money are not well-liked and if you are not well-liked then you are nothing. He thinks that he is well-liked but he is not. He even poisons the minds of his boys with the notion that being well-liked is everything. “Be liked and you will never want. You take me, for instance. I never wait in line to see a buyer. Willy Loman is here! That all they have to know and I go right through.”(Pg. 21). This leads to his failure and lack of accomplishment because Willy thinks his life is going somewhere and he gives the impression to Happy and Biff that their lives will go somewhere too. Willy’s world revolves around money, because money leads to fame, and fame leads to recognition. “That a man can end with diamonds here on the basis of being well liked.”(Pg. 65-66). Willy and Charley have a certain amount of respect between them. Willy does not like Charley all that much but he respects him because he has money.
” Well, I got on the road, and I went North to Providence. Met the Mayor.” (Pg. 18). Willy thinks that because he met the mayor of Providence he is a big shot and that he is important. Incidents like this make him think that he is a well-established man and salesman. Another example of this is the fact that he named Howard. He thought that it meant something special when it really did not. He took so much pride in the fact that he named Howard that he felt that Howard owed him something.
Things like this also cause Willy to create a fantasy world in his mind. Willy leads a double life, because in his mind he sees himself as one of the most important people in the “sales world” when in reality, hardly anyone knows who Willy Loman is. So he waits and waits and waits figuring that he’ll get a job or his pay will increase but it never does. His lack of accomplishment and failure also stems from the fact that Willy’s false pride causes him to think so highly of himself which in turn allows him to keep...
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