Many reviewers and critics believe that this play is criticizing the nature of capitalism and the American way of life? How Miller doespresent capitalism, materialism, and or consumerism in his play? Introduction:

I have chosen Arthur Miller’s play ‘Death of a Salesman’ written in the year 1949. This play is a tragedy about the differences between a family dreams that are based in New York and the reality of their lives. The play is a sarcastic attempt on the American Dream and of the materialistic approach of American society of 1940s lately. The play’s storyline describes Willy Loman, a mediocre male, flop gentleman who attempts to hide his averageness, failures and disappointments behind delusions of magnificence as he strives to be a successful individual.

‘Death of a Salesman' is a classic novel with a themethat is applicable to our modern day’s world. It’s a harsh critique on American capitalism. The audience gets aware of the idea of materialistic approach that is very well written by the writer Arthur Miller. This novel when played awarded with ‘Pulitzer Prize for Drama ‘ in 1949 and ‘Tony Award for Best Play’ and three times ‘Tony awards for Best Revival’. (Biography.com, 2015)

The story revolves around Willy Loman, an old salesman that returns early from a sales trip as he crashed multiple times and was unable to drive. His wife understands his situation suggests that he should ask his bossto give him a local office job at the company’s office in New York. Whereas Willy imagines that getting the new job is a sure thing since he (erroneously) sees himself as a valuable salesman. Willy Loman has two sons Biff and Happy who are grownup and Biff has recently returned home from working as a farmhand in the West. Willy an optimistic and materialistic father thinks Biff could easily become a rich and successful man but is wasting his talents and needs to get on track. Willy used to have flashbacks in the night and starts talking to imagined images as if they were real people. The family got worried on his condition which they conclude is due to struggling financial condition of family. The family had limited time for each other, boys busy in their hang out with other girls and Willy worried about their hand to mouth situation. He thinks the next night that his greatest contribution towards his son’s success can be if he commits suicide. That way, Biff could use the life insurance money to start a business. So kills himself in a car crash. But the things never occur the way he wanted. Very few individuals attend his funeral and his elder son tries to see through his family’s lies and wants to become a better man who is honest with himself. Regrettably, his younger son Happy wants to be just like his dad. (Miller, 1949)

Gottfried reviewed Arthur Miller’s work and considered him delivering a powerful drama to the stage for decades with such masterpiece work. This novel Death of a Salesman to some extent similar to his voluminous life story and shows his materialistic approach and optimism with stunning details. The novel can be acclaimed as a compulsively readable. (Gottfried, 2003)

An American dream is becoming difficult to achieve as mentioned by two-thirds of the American citizens. The play directs us to the point that appropriately for the young families it is becoming hard,they have more financial insecurity and poor quality public education.It was found in a survey that more than one in three Americans feel that they are not living the American Dream and nearly half think it is unattainable for them. (Longley & Longley, 2015)

The writer in this novel scrutinizes the American Dream vie depicting conflicts in the Loman family. Willy Lomancharacterized as the disheartened, having big dreams but ending in a no job and a very ordinary life. Who tried to transferhis dreams to his elder son Biff while on the other hand, the younger son Happy becomes the dreamer after his father. This character shows lust for success and hunger for money without putting efforts. He wanted a quick reward with very less efforts.

The American Dreams makes individuals to believe in greatness to reach for the stars, but the writer scans the issue in audience mind: What if we don't have the abilities to be the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates? Should we become Biff, by accepting our limitations and being content with "ordinariness?" Or should we become Happy that is reaching for sky by hook or by crook? The issue that writer looks has become very relevant today as it was in his time in 1940s. It is believed there are less opportunities today than four or five decades back, the American Dream is alive and understood by many. Both individual dreams and the collective Dream move the Americans forward, and the entrepreneurs produce through obstacles, state-of-the-art companies like Google, Amazon and Facebook result. (Jones, 2015)

References:

Biography.com,.N.p.