Anthony Chacon
Mrs. Ferrrar
ENC 1102
Death of a Salesman
The sales market is full of competition not only of salesmen but of various products and
companies. To be a successful salesman requires: self-motivation, responsibility, knowledge,
ethics and personality. “…The salesman motif is in some great part metaphorical: we must all
sell ourselves, convince the world of a person that perhaps we only wish we really possessed”.
(A. Miller salesman in Beijing 1894). From what Arthur Miller states I agree, from the play
“Death of a Salesman”. Willy was always selling and he had to always sell himself. On my
opinion Willy had passion for selling and it was within his true personality to be a salesmen. On
the other hand, although his father had pressured him ever since High School to enter the
business world. I believe that Biff has always been trying to convince his father, of him
possessing a businessmen attitude. His pressure for his son’s and an extremely fragile selfesteem is dominantly present in Willies character.
Willy has a personality of a salesman, but possesses a really fragile and inconsistent selfesteem. He was outgoing, funny and was fluent in speaking. From what his flashbacks told of
him he desired to always be well liked by others and strives for other people’s approval of him
and what they thought. “Willy cannot be characterized as having a low self-esteem… Kernis
emphasizes on fragile self-esteem. He would no doubt argue, Willy has fragile self-esteem.
Willy’s self- esteem is defensive: He presents himself to his sons in a deceptively positive light”
(Jessica L. 57). I also share the thought that Willy did have a high self-esteem because he
thought of himself big and great. Although he owned a house, in reality he really was a failure,
compared to his thoughts and goals he hoped for. “Willy’s self-esteem is also contingent and
highly dependent on feedback from his employers, sons and mistress (Ribikoff 2000). Finally,
Willy’s self-esteem is unstable, ranging from extreme arrogance to, at times, desperate self-pity”
(Jessica L. 57). I have felt the ranging of Willy’s mood many times in the book. Sometimes he
feels like a total winner and achiever; When he narrated that people respected him, admired and
remembered him. Also that his son was not like the others that Biff and Happy will achieve
greatness. On the other hand. He then felt Sad and unhappy, because of his sons and that he has
not achieved his dream.
I believe that Willy wanted to steer Biff into his way of life, even though he had not
succeeded. Willy did not care about the happiness of Biff but what he desired. “If Biff was happy
out West and Willy is aware enough that he likes working with his hands…” (Stephen A. 547)
Willy would always give advice to Biff, when he was in high school. Even though the advice
may be controversial to be right or wrong, it definitely pressured Biff to becoming a
businessman, which in the end he reveals to his father that he dislikes the business branch.
“… Biff is a lazy bum! … there is one thing about Biff—he’s not lazy” (A. Miller) Willy has
contradicting thoughts about Biff. Willy introducing Biff to becoming a businessman in my
opinion is what slowed him down and that is why lost himself. His father was so upset into
changing Biff I believe made him lost, unsure of what he really wanted to accomplish and not
know what the world is really about
In conclusion I was able to understand many of the characters, since my parents and most
of my family are on the business and sales in Peru. Though my mom does not want me to be in
the business, she advices me to achieve a higher education. Willy demonstrates much of a fragile
self-esteem, he in my opinion has a kind of a “bipolar” attitude and he easily breaks. Willy I
believe is in part of why Biff has failed in many ways and is lost. Pressuring him in many ways,
but not permitting him to become what he wants.
Work Cited
Arthur, Miller. Death of a Salesman. 1915. Text. Literature.
Caywood, Clarke and Laczniak Gene. “Ethics and personal Selling: Death of a Salesman an
Ethical Primer. August 1986.. Web. Jstor
Jessica L. Tracy and Richard W. Robins. “Death of a (Narcissistic) Salesman.
2003. Web. Jstor
Lawrence, Stephen . “The Right Dream in Millers Death of a Salesman”.
April 1964.Web. Jstor