Willy Loman belives that the only thing you need to achieve success is to be well-liked. He says on page 33, "Bernard can get the best marks in school...but when he gets out in the business world...you're going to be five times ahead of him...[T]he man who creates personal interest is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want." In this scene, he continuously cuts off Bernard, seeing him as an irritant, rather than someone determined to help his son. Willy argues that the teacher could never flunk Biff becuase from Willy's perspective, Biff is a stapping, well-liked young man. In the end of the book, when Willy gets fired, he simply can't wrap his head around the expendable nature of his possition. Willy still values the past, but old history is irrelevant in capitalistic business, so in one swoop, his entire view of the American Dream is shattered. Watching people like Charley and Bernard-the people Willy sees as people who should not succeed in business-reach success, while Willy struggles to pay his bills, finally pushes him over the edge. Death of a Salesman depicts the unraveling of Willy's view of individual opportunity.
Arthur Miller believes that you must reach the American Dream through your merits. Though Willy saw Bernard as a weasily dweeb, it was Bernard who presented a case to the Supreme Court in the end. Charley, also a weasily dweeb, doles out the ultimate humiliation to Willy by not only offering him a job, but by also lending him money so that Linda can think that Willy is still bringing in income. Willy is so proud that he cannot bare to acknowledge Charley knew all along the real definition of individual opportunity. Biff had the opportunity to not fail out of school. He easily could have taken tutoring from Bernard or attended summer school, but he passed it up. Miller believes that everyone has the opportunity to achieve the American Dream, but if you do not sieze it, you will be left behind.
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I think you bring up several good points. I especially like the idea that as all Willy thought to be true was revealed to him as false, he became more insane and then decided to stop living in a world so adverse to his beliefs. I also like your statement that "old history is irrelevant in capitalistic business." This is very true. The cruel realm of business holds no time for sentiment. I thought that Miller was totally opposed to the idea of individual opportunity, but after reading your post, I think your idea makes more sense. Miller has Charley and Bernard succeed and essentially accomplish the American Dream. He is simply showing that Charley and Bernard are successful because they worked hard. They did not rely on good looks or personality.
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