Social Issues

• Miller examines the idea of the American Dream in his play and questions his society’s notions of what constitutes success, failure, freedom etc.
• At the heart of the American Dream is the belief that ideals such as equality and freedom are available to all and that prizes such as material wealth and property ownership can be won by anyone willing to work hard to achieve them.
• Miller does present us with successful characters in the shape of Charley and his son, Bernard, men who work hard and live happy, respectable, dignified lives.
• However, through the Loman family, he also shows us how destructive this dream can be.
• Willy and his sons judge success on personal popularity (being “well-liked”), initiative and self-reliance.
• Each of them exaggerates their success and, as a result, loses sight of reality, a realisation which strikes Biff in Act 2:“

  I realized what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been. We’ve been talking in a dream for fifteen years.”
• Miller shows how ruthless and cruel a capitalist society can be, only seeing worth or value in those who can make money. 
• He also explores the effects this has had on American family life.
• Despite decades of loyal service, Willy is fired by Howard when he is no longer an asset to the company.
• Willy comes to judge his own worth in purely financial terms, the value of his life insurance policy, and decides to kill himself in order to be of material worth (twenty thousand dollars) to his family.
• The spotlight is also shone on family life (the relationship between husband and wife; the influence of a father on a son) in order to expose the reality (the tensions & conflicts) behind the idealised versions of American family life celebrated in the adverts and radio/television shows of the day.