Death of a Salesman 767of her children, because each one died before they
were one day old. When Goody Osburn is accused
of witchcraft, Mrs. Putnam knows it must be true
because three of her children died with Goody
Osburn acting as her midwife: “I begged him not to
call Osburn because I feared her. My babies always
shriveled in her hands!” (47).
In addition, activities that are not considered
“normal” by society were also cause for concern.
This leads Mr. Giles to mention his wife, who
enjoys reading books. He is unsure of what she’s
reading, but he knows it’s not the Bible; therefore,
he wonders if she could be involved in witchcraft.
Many personal problems are considered related to
supernatural forces, as well. In this way, there is no
individual responsibility. One can admit “the devil
made me do it” and be forgiven as long as they set
their sights back on God.
The trials become a battle of personal sin. The
men and women accused of witchcraft who confess
are given a reprieve as long as they name other
witches before the court. Those mentioned are
brought in to confess, and the cycle continues. The
irony is that those who do not confess devil-worship
are the ones who are hanged for their sins. The
repentant “devil-worshippers” (who are lying) are
saved, and the honest condemned. In the end, John
Proctor refuses to give a false confession so that he
can keep his personal integrity.
In Salem, there is no such thing as hidden, or
personal, sin. Every disobedience is noted and many
times a confession is posted on the church door. The
problem is that, while town members are hanging
the innocent, they are blind to the accuser’s true sin
in that she is guilty of an affair.
Erin Brescia
miLLEr, arTHur Death of a Salesman
(1949)
Willy Loman is the tragic hero of today. Over-
worked, underpaid, and nearing the brink of insan-
ity, the final days of this unsuccessful salesman are
chronicled in Arthur Miller’s classic play, Death
of a Salesman. Through the Loman family, Miller
portrays the idea of family, success, death, and, most
prominently, the American dream.
As the play opens, Willy’s behavior has become
increasingly unsteady, and his wife, Linda, informs
her sons, Biff and Happy, of his recurring suicide
attempts. With the return of his sons, Willy again
finds hope in their future successes. At Hap’s urg-
ing, the boys decide to open their own business, and
while Biff attempts to secure their loan through an
old boss, Willy visits his own employer, requesting
a weekly salary and a local position that would not
require him to travel. Both meetings are unsuccess-
ful: Biff realizes that his previous successes were
delusions created by his father, and Willy finds
himself unemployed.
With nowhere to turn, Willy determines that
he is worth more dead than alive, and that his life
insurance policy will ensure a bright future for his
two boys. He desperately wants their respect and
assumes that, when they see everyone who knew
him attending his funeral, they will realize their
father was “well liked.” In reality, his family members
are the only attendees. At the conclusion, Biff notes
that his father had the wrong dreams and should
have chosen a career he loved. Hap, however, vows
to carry on the legacy of Willy Loman—proving to
the world that one can succeed—so that his father
will not have died in vain.
Erin BresciaThe american dream in Death of a
Salesman
One of the most pervasive themes in Arthur Miller’s
play Death of a Salesman is the American dream, and
the happiness and success that it brings. The issue in
this work is not the dream itself; the problem lies in
the fact that Willy Loman’s vision of the dream is
skewed. To Willy, the dream is not achieved by hard
work and determination, but by being “well liked.”
In a flashback, Willy and his sons are conversing
when a neighbor, Bernard, arrives to tutor Biff in
math. Bernard reminds Biff that failing math will
keep him from graduating. Biff is more concerned
about football than academics, however, and Willy
does nothing to deter the behavior. When Bernard
leaves, Happy and Biff tell their father that Bernard
is “liked” but not “well liked.” Of course, according
to Willy’s vision of the American dream, his sons
have a better chance to succeed in life than Bernard