English Grade 12 - Death of a Salesman essay assignment

English Grade 12 - Death of a Salesman assignment - Essay Example He puts no stock in the moral values of honesty and hard work and thus lays the groundwork for his own failure. The major causes of Willy’s death were his own illusions, wrong values and the shattering of his false dreams. Willy is at the bottom of the social ladder in a capitalistic world. although he loves physical work like gardening and building things he refuses to become a carpenter believing that such work is lowly and being a salesman is better paying and more praiseworthy. When Biff suggests that the Lomans should be â€Å"mixing cement on some open plain, or ... be a carpenter,† Willy replies that, â€Å"your grandfather was better than a carpenter.† This clearly shows that Willys illusion of greatness got in the way of his happiness. He is unhappy because the work he enjoys doing is beneath him and he is no good at the work he does (sales). To cover his false ideals Willy develops the belief that if a person is popular and attractive, then all doors will automatically be opened for him. When he was young, he had met Dave Singleman a salesman who according to Willy was highly successful. Singleman was so popular that he was able to make a living merely by staying in his hotel room and calling buyers. When Singleman died, buyers and salesmen from all over the country came to his funeral. Willy has made Singleman his ideal and wishes to become as popular and successful as him. He creates an illusion of success for himself and these illusions replace reality in Willys mind. He tells lies about how well liked he is in all of his towns, and how vital he is to New England. In one of his flashbacks he tells his sons â€Å"You take me, for instance. I never have to wait in line to see a buyer. â€Å"Willy Loman is here!† That’s all they have to know, and I go right trough.† This is a clear indication of Willy’s belief in his own lies, and his inability to