The first theme of conflict in the playis the American Dream versus happiness and wealth. Willy was engrossed by the elusive American dream that encompassed success and notoriety.He believed that wealth and power were so important, that they could be attained by talk and good-looks. On the other hand, in his quest for his fantasies, he distanced those that were closest to him. Towards the end of his vocation he was compelled to manage his fizzled wanders and the outcomes his skewed convictions and dreams had on his life and family.

Another conflict that presents itself in the play is the conflict of dreams and the reality, that is what we perceive ourselves to be, and what we actually are. Willy, committed himself to an idea of success that he would never achieve as a salesman. He saw himself as a succesful salesman although he was nothing more thana mediocre sales person. Willy disillusioned his son too on the same basis. He told his son that he would succeed in algebra by getting himself liked. At the end of the play, we see reality dawning on him. Willy moans the loss of vision of his son. He believes that his son would have been a great person. He was now refering to his son as a thirty-four-year-old adolescent who doesn’t keep a job and still sleep in their old bunk bed (Miller & Sinclair, 2011).

References

Miller, A., & Sinclair, I. (2011). Death of a Salesman. Appleton, WI: Insight Publications.