Death of a Salesman
Kayla Hurley, Maia Gatie, Aisling Hickey
“Be liked and you never will want” pg. 21
Being well liked is something that Willy Loman has always wanted. The idea of being well liked by friends, family, coworkers, and his customers is the holy grail of his American Dream. Willy was a salesman, a job in which being well liked is the primary goal. If a salesman can not satisfy his or her customers, they cannot succeed in the workplace. In today’s society, being well liked is something that everybody wants. People get paid to post pictures on instagram and post on facebook. The amount of followers a person has defines who they are.
“A hundred and eight, sixty eight. Because we’re a little short again” pg. 53
College loans and rising cost of colleges: students are graduating from college with more debt and fewer job opportunities than ever before. Debt is something that every college student must face at some point in their life. In Death of a Salesman, Willy is constantly looking for money from other people and needs to borrow from his neighbor. Willy is in debt and has to borrow from his neighbor Charley. The increasing competition caused him to lose his job. Fewer jobs are available for people who are coming out of college and so more debt, and less opportunities for young people.
“Biff Loman is lost. In the greatest country in the world a young man with such-personal attractiveness, gets lost” pg. 6
Parents misguiding their children/children failing to live up to parents’ expectations is a common theme in Death of a Salesman. Biff is called a lazy bum by Willy constantly. Willy brings up Biff’s imperfections frequently, and even brings up Biff failing math in high school.
“Population is getting out of control. The competition is maddening!” pg. 7
There is not enough work for working people. Difficult to pay mortgages, rent, get jobs, and keep jobs. More and more jobs are becoming harder to get. Less available for the working man. This theme is super relevant in Death of a Salesman. Willy acknowledges the population rising, creating less opportunity for people to find and keep a job.
Works Cited
"11 Facts About College Debt." 11 Facts About College Debt. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2016. <https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-college-debt>.
"How Wanting 'Likes' on Social Media Is Killing Our Capacity for Actual Joy (Infographic)." Entrepreneur. N.p., 13 Mar. 2015. Web. 19 Jan. 2016. <http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243924>.
Miller, Arthur, and Gerald Clifford Weales. Death of a Salesman. New York: Penguin, 1996. Print.