AMERICAN DREAM IN ARTHUR MILLER’S DEATH OF A SALESMAN

Abstract

The research is concerned with American Dream in Arthur Miller’s Death of a
Salesman. The objectives of the research are to describe Willy Loman’s bad
attitudes and actions, describe Willy Loman’s good attitudes and actions in
achieving American dream, and to analyze the results of the American dream
pursuit in the story. The first theory that is used in this research is American value
to figure out Willy Loman’s bad and good attitudes and actions and the second
theory is American dream that is used to analyze the results of American dream
pursuit. While, the method of this research, the writer used descriptive method,
and for the technique of data collecting, the writer used document analysis. Then,
there are two approaches that are  used in the analysis namely sociological and
psychological approaches. In the research, the writer found the bad attitudes and
actions in the story of Death of a Salesman through the main character, Willy
Loman are maintaining his pride, manipulated by his thought, keeping on his
unreal social status, and pretending to be rich.  Moreover, the good attitudes and
actions in this story are working hard, initiative and full of ambition, getting of
opportunity, getting ready for the competition, and struggling for his family’s life.
Furthermore, the results of the main character in pursuing the American dream
also found in this story, that are losing the real identity of life, getting jealous of
the success of the other’s life, living in life of full the illusion and delusional,
being a stubborn man, being an arrogant man and the last ending with the
unhappy ending life. In conclusion, the main character, Willy Loman could not
reach his happiness of his life that is caused by his wrong perspective of his mind
about achieving the American dream. And he decided to end his life by suicide
himself to get the money insurance for his family.