Death of a Salesman
...an. Was Willy a victim of modern American society, or did he simply lack the morals and ethics to achieve success and happiness? Willy Loman is a victim of the American capitalistic machine, as evidenced through his frequently ambivalent attitudes concerning the importance place on pride and being well liked, as well as the self delusion he displays in his affair and many other aspects of life. One of the many false, contrived attitudes contemporary America instills in its citizens is a very fierce pride, in which they cannot accept criticism and are blind to reality. Willy Loman took such a pride in his work, claiming himself to be “…vital in New England” (Miller 14), and concurrently viewed himself as a failure. Although Willy “…was wonderful with his hands” (Miller 138), he saw any profession in carpentry or construction as an inadequate measure of success, although he...