Death of a Salesman Group

Question:

crazygirll29
crazygirll29
Student
Community / Jr. College

Give your own opinion about what kills Willy in "Death of a Salesman".

In Miller's play "Death of a Salesman."

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Posted by crazygirll29 on Tuesday February 3, 2009 at 7:47 AM and tagged with characters, death, death of a salesman, willy.

Answers:

  1. parkerlee
    parkerlee Teacher

    Willy commits suicide so that his family can collect the insurance money afterwards.  He has no other way to provide for them, his "luck" has run out, and he sees no other way to be able to meet their needs. In this respect, Willy chooses and is responsible for his own death, especially since this was his own idea and he didn't seek the advice or "help" of anyone else in coming to this decision.

    In another way, though, Willy is a victim of society and the American "get rich quick" mind frame of the time. Up until the very end, Willy truly believes that a bit of luck and personal "pizzaz" will surely lead him to the success he has been striving for. He is hopelessly optimistic and optimistically hopeless in his presumption. When reality comes crashing in, Willy can't accept his limitations and evident failure and opts for the "exit door" as his only way out. Was he a coward? Was he courageous? This is for the reader to decide....

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/death-salesman/

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    Posted by parkerlee on Tuesday February 3, 2009 at 8:10 AM