Day 122 in MIT Sloan Fellows Class 2023, Choice point 4 "Death of a Salesman"
About story
This is an overview of story from ChatGPT.
"Death of a Salesman" is a play written by Arthur Miller, first performed on Broadway in 1949. The play tells the story of Willy Loman, an aging salesman who is struggling to make ends meet and whose career is in decline. Throughout the play, Willy grapples with feelings of regret and failure, as he reflects on his life and career, and tries to come to terms with his own mortality.
The play is divided into two acts and several flashback scenes. The first act takes place in the present, as Willy is struggling to keep his job and provide for his family. The second act takes place a few days later, as Willy's mental state deteriorates and he becomes increasingly delusional. The flashback scenes explore Willy's past, including his relationship with his sons and his own experiences as a salesman.
"Death of a Salesman" is often considered a commentary on the American Dream, and the ways in which it can be elusive or even destructive. It is also a powerful examination of family relationships, masculinity, and the human experience of aging and mortality.
Good dream or bad dream?
We didn't dive into the detail of this point, but this story contrasts two people's personalities.
Willy's dream
- Well-liked
- Climbing stairs
- Win
- Money
- Authority
- High reputation about himself and family
Charlie's dream
- Hard work
- Achievable
Prof Turco shared the following point of view.
Dreams sustain us. They inspire us. They impel us to grow, evolve, and expand. Our capacity to dream is part of what makes us human. Yet unexamined dreams can be toxic to our lives if we’re not careful. When our dreams are disconnected from who we truly are and what we truly value, they can torment us instead of nourish and inspire us. And throughout our lives, we encounter multiple dreams that we may feel compelled or tempted to embrace—some come from our parents during childhood, some come from our peers and partners, some come from our professions and employers and schools, many float around in the culture at large. One of life’s great challenges is find our way through all that and to the dreams that will serve us; to the ones what will sustain us.
The balance between ambition and reality is really important.
There are a couple of my thoughts.
- Having a dream, especially a challenging dream is a great ingredient for humans.
- However, such an ambition cause hard competition and you may become a loser.
- You should figure out the meaning of losing as well. Losing is not the end of life.
- Failing to achieve your dream does not necessarily mean being unhappy. You can be happy by losing the competition as well.
Willy's personality
Willy Loman, the main character in "Death of a Salesman," is a complex and tragic figure with a variety of personality traits. Here are some of the key characteristics of Willy's personality:
- Delusional: Willy is prone to delusions and fantasies, often imagining conversations with people who are not there or embellishing his own achievements and importance.
- Insecure: Willy is deeply insecure about his abilities as a salesman and as a father, and often seeks reassurance from those around him.
- Prideful: Despite his insecurities, Willy is also very proud and resistant to admitting his failures or weaknesses.
- Desperate: As his career and finances decline, Willy becomes increasingly desperate to provide for his family and hold onto his job.
- Guilty: Willy feels guilty about his affair with a woman named "The Woman," and the way he has treated his sons over the years.
- Confused: Willy is often confused and disoriented, particularly in the second act of the play, as he grapples with his own mortality and struggles to distinguish between past and present.
Overall, Willy is a complex and tragic character who embodies many of the hopes, fears, and failures of the American Dream.
Everyone may become "Willy," not to such an extent but to some extent.
He has a very controversial character and tends to go back to his past because it is more vivid.
He rarely accepts diverse values and sticks to his own value and his ideal world.
He asked his family to chase a similar dream as he did and disrupt his family as a consequence.
He is a victim of American economic growth and bias from successful people.
Everyone really loves Willy except for one person. Willy himself.
He was extremely lonely and could not rely on someone. (Linda really supported him, but not authentically)
That's why, when he recognized his son really loved him and disclosed his reality, he decided to kill himself.
It is a really tough tragedy to watch, but I strongly recommend watching it to think about happiness, dream and life.
