In the story “The Death Of A Salesman” written by Arthur Miller explains a play about a delusional salesman named Willy Loman. He wishes to fulfill this unrealistic American Dream while having a dysfunctional family that does not fit into this standard of his expectations. Through trying to fulfill his American dream it is apparent that this can be derived from Willy’s alter ego.

For example, his alter ego is constantly trying to create this false reality or scenario of the American dream. He believes this is what he must do to fit the expectations of society. Willy is controlled by the influence of others and feels pressured by his family to be financially successful and have the perfect happy family in America. He convinces himself and his family of being this alternate character that is everything he is not. Willy tells his son “you wait, kid, before its all over were gonna get a little place out in the country, and ill raise some vegetables, a couple of chickens…..I’ll build a little guest house…..”

Here is a book cover of “The Death Of A Salesman”

He has a fixation on feeding false promises to his family and friends to feel as though he is meeting his expectations. He is controlled by the craving of attention and acceptance in society. Willy chooses to ignore the issues and major problems in his life such as his failing marriage, and his struggling adult children that aren’t meeting his standards of success. However, this fixation of being successful could be from his insecurity of being a failure and not meeting these standards that his brother had met. Rather than meeting his owns dreams of carpentry he is consumed by needing approval and acceptance that his brother Ben had. He begins to believe he is Ben himself.

In addition, to him not meeting these expectations this leads to his rapid decline in mental health when he is not capable of accepting the difference between a dream and his life. Willy struggles with debt and keeping up with his lies he tells when building his alternate self. He becomes consumed by his delusion and ends up ending his own life. In his suicide was just the beginning of him facing the reality of his own life and ending the life of his alternate self he created.