Success and "the American Dream" in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman; The approach that Willy Lowman and Charley, his neighbor, took to success & "the American Dream

In Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, two very different approaches to success and "the American Dream" were presented. Willy Lowman presented one approach, and Charley, Willy's neighbor, showed the other. Willy's idea of a successful man was always of a "well liked" and "personally attractive" man. He repeatedly remarked to his sons, Biff and Happy, that because they were popular and good-looking they would have bright futures. He tells them to "be liked and …

…it, and Charley told him that he does not have to talk about, "he's gonna do it". This phrase sums up the difference in Willy's and Charley's approach to life. All Willy ever did was talk about the exaggerated success of his and his son's lives. Charley and Bernard spent their lives working and becoming successful. They did not have to boast or exaggerate. To them "the American Dream" was working to accomplish their dreams.