“IS WILLY LOUMAN’S FAMILY RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS SUICIDE?”

“Death of a Salesman” is a novel about Willy Louman trying to achieve the ‘American Dream’. The American Dream is based upon a person attaining all that he may want from life that being mostly material things, the perfect family and being famous. Willy grew up with that idea in his head and often forced it into his sons’ mentality. Willy had seemed to be going through some emotional battles of his own. Dejectedly he succumbed to them when he committed suicide at the end of the story. Many have wondered if Willy Louman was pushed to commit such an act because of his family. There are three reasons as to why this may be so. First of all, Biff and Happy were not men who had accomplished much to make their father proud of them. To add to that, Linda was supportive but for the wrong reasons, lastly, they all had Willy focusing on the idea of being in the ‘American Dream’. These three points will now be investigated.

First of all, Biff and Happy were not men who had taken their lives and accomplished something good of themselves. Biff had a future and poured it down the drain. He was a star athlete with a scholarship who more focused on his fans than on what was more important for him which was his schooling. As a result, he ended up being a ‘bum’. He had no job, no family of his own and not even a name to call himself. Willy was very proud of his son and often tried to make him known through his son’s accomplishment when he was younger. Instead if Willy being a good father and encouraging his son in the ways that would make him successful, he allowed him to do as he pleases. Willy did not play a good part in molding Biff’s future. Even though this is true, Biff was a young man of health, strength and full understanding. It was no excuse that Biff could not have become a better man. Biff had his future in his hands but he chose to be lazy towards it. Now, Biff regrets it since it comes a time now when Willy needs him most. Willy is tired and has entered the elderly stage. It would have been difficult for him to provide fir his family at this time. Happy was younger than Biff and so too he had a good future. Happy was too interested in always trying to get Willy’s attention. This in turn made him weak in the sense that he did not have his own goals. Happy was more of a daddy’s boy than Biff was. He did not make an effort in even trying to do it big on his own. This is clear because Happy is still residing in his parents’ household. Having two adult sons and them not making something of themselves would have made any father ashamed and miserable. This is what occurred with Willy.

Secondly, Linda was supportive but for the wrong reasons. She often seemed victimized by the way Willy speaks to her. She does not seem to share the same level of authority with him. Willy treats her as if she is unimportant. He may seem to taking Linda for granted. Linda is a graceful woman but in certain times she does not know when to stand up for her self. She also supports Willy in everything that he does and does not give her own input on how things should be gone about in the household. Linda is afraid to face reality just as how Willy is too. She knows in her heart that Willy is unhappy and that something out of the ordinary is about to occur. She closes her mind on these issues. Linda does not want to be realistic with Willy. She also knows that he is tired and cannot do much like before. Linda is a mother but her motherly traits seem to be in hiding when it comes to her sons. A mother is usually there to encourage her children and also to guide them when they are doing wrong. Linda does not do any of these to neither of her sons or Willy.

Lastly, The Loumans are aware of how much Willy values the ‘American Dream’. They all know that it is something which is hard to attain. It is even impossible. Instead of them taking time to recognize it’s impossibility and encouraging Willy to do so. They turn a blind eye towards this. All Willy needed was a bit of a wake up call. His family was too preoccupied with their lives to take time to see that their Willy Louman was struggling. They were to persuade Willy to face reality and be satisfied with the little in which he already had.