Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman"

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that "Death of a Salesman" is a tragic story about a man who is anything but a success; he is a coward because he cannot face his faults and his failures. The author believes that Willy is a coward because he tries to end his life due to his belief that he had so many troubles, and he thinks his family will benefit if he kills himself. The paper concludes that Willy is not a good example of Clarke's statement; he is a liar, does not take charge of his life in a positive manner, is not brave, and does not follow his conscience.

From the Paper:

"Clarke's statement about bravery does not apply to everyone, and Willy and his family are good examples of that. Not everyone can be brave, and not everyone can stand up to their failures and their faults. It takes a truly brave person to recognize they have been a failure, and to go on trying to better himself or herself. Willy could not do that, and he even tells Ben that. Ben says, "It's called a cowardly thing, William. Willy: Why? Does it take more guts to stand her the rest of my life ringing up a zero?" Yes, it does take more guts. It takes more guts to face your failures and learn from them. Willy did not have to guts to face his failures, and so, he thinks money is the answer for his family when really he was all they wanted."

More papers on Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman":

• Comparison Essay # 147487 : "Miller's "Death of a Salesman" and "The Crucible"
• Analytical Essay # 120692 : "Is "Death of a Salesman" a Tragedy?"
• Analytical Essay # 148958 : "Willy in "Death of a Salesman"
• Analytical Essay # 134620 : "False Materialism in "Death of a Salesman"

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