Death of a Salesman Essay

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The reader develops sympathy towards the main character Willy Loman because, he struggles with the ideals that American society has placed on everyone. The reader can relate to his since of failure because the American dream is really only a dream and is impossible to obtain if you measure your success by what American society has put forth. Willy is the protagonist of the play, he is unable to face the truth about himself and how others view him. He falls into the commonly conceived idea that if one is popular and well-liked by the masses then he will be successful in life. The reader can sympathize with this way of thinking because it is an idea that has been instilled with in all of America’s youth and continues to shape America’s social ladder, the more popular you are the cooler you are. Many readers can relate to Willy because he was not very popular at work, such as many students were not wildly popular at school. In order to believe the he and his family are success, he lies to himself and lives in a world of illusions. He is convinced that he himself is wealthy, popular and that his sons are content and successful. This portrays the character Willy as mentally deranged person who people naturally feel sympathy for , the reader then begins to pity Willy’s deranged personality. Willy Loman is also a tragic figure because he blames the world for his downfall, when he himself is largely to blame . He is fired from his job because he lied to his boss and longer

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