death of a salesman

[luk3tm]

could anyone tell me the main themes in death of a salesman. I checked sparknotes already but the only one they show which actually seems to have some significance is the American dream, do you know any others that you could support with relevant evidence?

thanks

[akimatsu123]

some important themes are:

- the american dream (this is the big one, everything almost ties into this)

- the entanglement of past and present (Willy subsitutes his failures of the present with successes/hopes of the past)

- denial (willy, as well as his family's inability to accept the truth)

- deception (quite self explanatory)

- regret/self-doubt (most obvious in Willy's recollections of his brother Ben)

- consumerism (car, refrigerator, etc. that symbolizes Willy's need appear wealthy/well-off, but note that they keep breaking and puts more pressure on him financially, almost in a downard spiral)

- power (Willy vs. Howard - Howard is his boss, but Willy is his senior, so much so that he was the one who named Howard. Happy vs. Bosses - Happy sleeps with his bosses' women almost in a need to "conquer" and prove his masculinity. Overall, the Loman family does not deal well with being inferior, and that is what leads to their eventual ruin)

some motifs:

- the flute (self-doubt, associated with recollecitons of his father and successful brother)

- the car (Willy's recollection of the powerful, masculine Cheevy vs. what he actually drives)

- the Woman (she gives Willy his ideal image of himself - funny, successful, well-liked)

- seeds (Willy's need to "leave something behind")

just some off the top of my head. i hope this helped. this was actually good review! haha