Psychological Criticism

In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, the various behaviors of the characters, as well as their mindsets play a vital role in the overall plot. The main character, Willy Loman, is a prime example when examining the text from a psychological perspective.

To start, it is clear Willy Loman is mentally unstable. Willy is constantly switching back and forth between reality and memories. He is unable to stay in the present and drifts off into flashbacks. For example, when Willy becomes angered at dinner with his sons, he becomes caught up in his past memories and mixes them with the present when he says, “No, no! You had to go and flunk math…BIFF: What math? What’re you talking about?” (79). Clearly, Willy struggles trying to live in the present and is conflicted with his haunting memories of the past. As Willy drifts into the past, he uses it as a means of escape from his current problems. Willy’s state of mind and inability to focus on the situation at hand make it hard for him to correctly discern how to deal with his problems. As a whole, Willy’s disorientations reveal how troubled he is inside.

Furthermore, when Willy and his wife talk in the beginning of the story, he tells her, “Suddenly I realize I’m goin’ sixty miles an hour and I don’t remember the last five minutes.  I’m – I can’t seem to – keep my mind to it” (4). During the course of the story, it is evident Willy’s mind is not healthy. His outlook on life and the decisions he makes are drastically affected by his current state of mind. While not yet mentally ill, Willy is unsteady and needs to resolve the problems affecting his wandering mind and lingering memories.

When analyzing Willy’s behavior, it is first important to note the time period of the piece: the late 1940’s. While it may seem a minor detail, it is crucial to understanding the reasoning behind Willy’s actions. The “American Dream” was an ideal during this time. Everyone wanted a perfect family, a big house, a car, a good job, and lots of money. Willy idolizes this idea of being successful. The time period and the idea of living the “American Dream” greatly influenced Willy’s pursuit. This is known as the sociocultural perspective. Willy’s rich friends, family, and booming society push him to work hard to achieve the same success. For example, when Willy is fired from his job and goes to get money for his insurance from his friend Charley, he is offered a job. Miller writes, “WILLY:I—I just can’t work for you, Charley. CHARLEY: What’re you, jealous of me? WILLY: I can’t work for you, that’s all, don’t ask me why. CHARLEY: You been jealous of me all your life, you damned fool! Here, pay your insurance” (70). Clearly, society plays a role in shaping Willy’s outlook on his life. He refuses to take a job from his friend if it means working under him. It would be an embarrassment, a slap in the face, if Willy was forced to work below his successful friend. Just as the sociocultural perspective states, Willy’s circumstances and behaviors are affected by his culture.

            Death of a Salesman’s Willy Loman’s struggles in life are a result of his unstable mind and manipulation by society.

Quote & Question for "Death of a Salesman"

1. What is the significance of the symbol of the stocking in this scene? Is there any significance in the stockings being related to the two women in Willy's life?

*The woman talking to Willy*
THE WOMAN: You just kill me, Willy. You kill me. And thanks for the stockings. I have a lot of stockings. Well, good night.

(later on)

(Linda is sitting where she was at the kitchen table, but now is mending a pair of silk stockings.)

LINDA: Just mending my stockings. They're so expensive...
WILLY: I won't have you mending stockings in this house! Now throw them out! (25).

Dear Journal,

For my New Year’s Walk, I went to the cove by my house. I sat on the beach, as well as walked the trail from my house down there. I saw that so many of the trees were bare, and I realized how cold it was. I went down there in the late afternoon. I also saw that the sun set a little later than usual, just by a couple minutes, but not as early as it was a week ago. Winter was very apparent down at the cove since there were no bright flowers or blooming trees. I understood though that soon spring would come, and the seasons would begin to change all over again. I know it will all happen so fast.

      This New Year’s I reflected on how fast time goes. It’s already 2016 and I’m really not sure how that happened. It’s pretty crazy to me that just a day ago was 2015 and now I have been plunged into the year I have always been waiting for--my graduating year. My nature walk reminded me that things change. There is always another season around the corner, making change inevitable. I’ve never been someone who enjoys change, so the many new and different changes coming ahead in the new year make me a little anxious. Not because I’m nervous or anything, just because I like how things are. I don’t want things to change. With this mindset, I thought about what I saw on my walk to the cove. If everything stayed the same, it would be winter forever. The sun would never stay up past 6pm, the birds would never come back after leaving for winter, Christmas would get annoying since it would be Christmas 24/7, you could never wear shorts because it would be too cold, and where I live would be pretty ugly since nothing new and green would grow. I realized that although change is inevitable and I sometimes wish it wouldn’t come, it isn’t always bad. Sometimes no change makes things boring and has us wishing for a change.

Although 2016 is full of changes, I am going to approach it with a sense of excitement of what’s to come. Although I do wish things could sometimes stay the same, I am so very ready for the change ahead, just like the trees will be so ready for some blossoming leaves and flowers in the months to come. And although I’m sad Christmas is over, and I’ll be returning to school way too soon, I have to keep in mind that I must get through this to get to the change. If I went straight into the next “season of life,” I would be far from ready. So I have to power through for now, and work my way to the coming changes and new seasons of life. The nature I saw during my walk only reflected this idea.

 So, as I sit and write this after coming back from my chilly walk, I feel more optimistic and excited for the future. I’m ready to work hard for now so that I will be ready for the new, coming seasons.