Death of a Salesman

“Why am I trying to become what I don’t want to be … when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am.” *** I need a moment to process things in time for the commentary due on Monday that I have yet to write. But oh my. This was such an impactful read about the pitfalls of the American dream and how fatal expectations imposed on others can be.

actually like this more after i reread for some reasons ?

** spoiler alert ** A tale relevant to modern society Death of a Salesman is a tragic take on the materialistic approach many of us take in life, where all that matters is money and our standing in society, and how it ultimately leads to Willy's downfall. His chase for money and being like the people he looks up to creates disturbances in his family relationships, health and his mental state. His internal conflicts and his regrets surface so starkly to his daily life that he's not able to live in the present, talk properly to the people he's with, which further contributes to the degradation of his relationships. It's even more depressing that even his death does not work out according to plan, because Biff, who Willy always wanted to come out as a "number-one man", goes on to do what he wants to do, contrary to his father's wishes. The story is an interesting juxtaposition of how our love for family and our material pursuits can lead to toxic results. Towards the end, I'm left with a few questions in mind. What made Billy kill himself? Was it to really bootstrap Biff's career, or to finally get noticed by society for doing something heroic of sorts, or a bit of both? Needless to say, either of the two don't work out. Another thing I continue to wonder is if Happy is consumed by the same desire for status and riches, or if he's moving forward with "The Loman Brothers" because he actually wants to ensure that his father didn't die in vain. Only thing I have against this book is that it takes the pursuit of money in too negative a way. That being said, characters like Biff also give us courage to do what we want, and make us understand that the promise the pursuit of riches make might not be not worth it. It's a book which doesn't relate solely to the "American Dream", but also to the hypocrisies of the society, in so distressing a manner that I almost cried towards the end.

Most definitely a thought provoking classic, disillusioning and somewhat hard to follow as the past and present gets foggy, a story about conformity and consumerism that is sad but real.

3 stars because I didn’t feel like I could fully grasp this enough, 112 pages only; however it is the kind of book you go back and reread a few times at different stages in your life. I plan to watch the play and come back to my annotations and see if I perceive this differently in future times.

Why am I trying to become what I don’t want to be … when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am.

I'd rate this 3.5/5 stars. It was an interesting read.

Good. Poor father

A well written and thoughtful examination of what feels like the way we fail ourselves and our children. Willy Loman had such high hopes for his eldest son, (as he could make nothing substantial of himself) he seemed unable to accept that his son couldn't live up to any of them. And because of that so many secrets were kept within the family, things not only hit a breaking point but Willy himself seemed unable to deal with these emotions that caused him lots of stress.

Fist-clenchingly, frustratingly heartbreaking.

At times a somewhat struggled to follow the narrative of the protagonists transition from past to present but ultimately this story was extremely well executed. The characters were rich and profound. The ending was devastating. Perhaps there's a little bit of Willy in all of us.

great play, I couldn’t get attached to the characters

Excellent play. Beautifully written. Gives you a strong turmoil of emotions. For pity and sadness to laughter and shock. Would love to watch it.

I cried. Ok, I cry a lot, but this play was great. Willy Loman is SO real. Flawed, idealistic, trapped by his dream and ambition. I don’t think he was delusional, but rather just a common man crumbling under the weight of society’s and his own expectations. The American Dream is so elusive. The extensive foreshadowing and even the title make Willy’s death unsurprising, but it is tragic all the same. Miller’s depiction was so honest and raw, that’s what made his writing so powerful. Other thoughts - peaking in high school - mid-life crisis? - fixed mindset? (allowing yourself to be defined by failure) - plight of the middle class - proud but powerless - comparison is the root of all evil? *cough* Ben and Charley - the inability to reconcile dreams with reality; “the gap between what they might have been and what they are” (Christopher Bigsby) - entrapment (apartment houses, - Bartleby for the 20th century? corporate ladder/prison? A cog in a machine - consumer culture - who is the true underdog? - Linda makes the last payment when Willy dies - did Miller intend this to be tragic irony? What is the jungle? Willy had the audacity to hope, but ultimately his hope undoes him.

This was good, but longer and more confusing than I originally thought. I recommend it, but especially if you enjoy this time period or the idea of the American Dream, like me.

4.5

men are a disease

Violent and cruel.

After reading this book for school and having to analyse it so much I still cannot find any sympathy for Willy loman

The themes represented are fairly good but in General I just don't particularly like it

What happened to the American Dream? It came true, pal.

I didn't love this because I had to read this for school, though I did appreciated how the book explored the concept of the American Dream.

i really liked this! the beginning was a little boring but it picked up midway through act 1 and definitely got more intense. Arthur Miller's message gets across loud and clear- it's an exemplary critique of the American dream and of capitalism. the play is also the perfect example of expressionism in my opinion (I am obviously no expert). it also because of this that I recommend watching the movie (Death of A Salesman, 1985) simultaneously while reading the book. that provides a complete picture, especially because of how significant and symbolic expressions, tone, setting and music is in the play.

this was so bleak

What a powerful play. I've taught it to many students, and they don't seem to like it until we start picking it apart and showing just what Miller is saying and analyzing the incredible way he is saying it. Then some come over to my side and think it's a great play. I think the play deserves to be read closely. Hopefully it will reward those willing to do that. I know it has been rewarding for me. I still think of not only the tragic story but also the narrative style and technique.