Explain the role of a concept of the American Dream plays in act 1 of Miller's "Death of a Salesman" (405 words)

What is the American dream? Whether it is a family working together towards one common goal, or a single woman working her way up the ladder, in a sense it is all the same dream. Regardless of the goal one works towards, it all comes down to success. Success includes getting ahead at work and school, and the goal of attaining wealth, power, and prestige. Without success why would anyone want to do anything? You …

…fail in his job and in everything around it. The American Dream will be extremely failed by him, if he doesn't recognize the reality. So I think the success belonging to the American Dream is a tragic thing in Death of a Salesman. In fact that Willy Loman wants to reach it, he fails in all important topics of the American Dream. He thinks it gives him power, but the American Dream destroys him completely.