FREE ESSAY ON DRUG FOR SANITY IN DEATH OF A SALESMAN

DRUG FOR SANITY IN DEATH OF A SALESMAN

English 204
Professor Tidwell
1 October 1999
Willy Lowman's Drug for Sanity
No one's life can be classified as "normal". Everyone has conflicts that they have to
eventually deal with. People do in fact deal with these personal conflicts in different
ways; some take it easy some take it hard. Some ignore the problem as long as possible
and some deal with it right away to get it out of the way. In Death of a Salesman, Willy
Lowman's technique to his problem solving leads to severe consequences. Willy never does
anything to help the situation; he just escapes into the past to happier times when there
were few problems. He uses this escape as if it was a drug, and as the play goes on, this
drug becomes dangerous, leading him to his death.
The first time Willy is seen dazing off into the past is when he discovers Biff arriving
home. The conversation between Willy and Linda reflects Willy's disappointment in Biff
and what Willy thinks he has become basically a bum. After failing to deal with his
feelings, he escapes to a time when things were better for his family. It is not uncommon
for one to think of better times at low points in their life in order to cheer them up so
that they are able to deal with problems, but Willy Lowman takes it a step ahead. His
stubbornness to accept reality is so strong that in his mind he is placed back in time to
relive one of the happier days of his life. It was a time when no one argued. Willy and
Linda were younger, the financial situation was less of a burden, and Biff and Happy
welcomed their father back home from being on a long work trip. 
Ruci 2
Willy's need for the "drug" reassures himself that everything will turn out okay and that
his family will be happy once again like it was in the past. 
The next flashback occurs during a discussion between Willy and Linda. Willy is depressed
about his inability to make enough money to support his family, his looks, and his
personality. " My God if business doesn't pick up, I don't know what I am going to
do!"(1808) is what Willy said after Linda figures out that they are in fact in debt. Then
he blurts out without letting any reply to his comment, "I'm Fat..Foolish to look at"
(1809). In doing this, once again he gets a flashback and the woman who he is in fact
having an affair with visits him. Her purpose is to cheer him up. She does so by saying,
"You do make me laugh..And I think you are a wonderful man" (1810). That reassures him
and the woman leaves. Once again, Willy gets out of his hardship by using the past.
The next day when Willy is fired after finally asking his boss if he can be relocated, is
when his next trip to the past occurs. During this episode of the play, which is very
dramatic, a flashback hits him once again. This time maybe the biggest flashback 
Willy has ever experienced. He is brought back to what might be the happiest time in his
life. Biff was going to play at Ebbet field in an All- Scholastic game. At this time,
Willy could not be happier for his two sons. Willy's dependence of his flashbacks is
becoming greater and he can not be sane for much longer. Too much of anything, even a
good thing can become a bad thing. This is about to happen in his next flashback, when
this time it doesn't help him out it just hurts him.
Ruci 3
In this flashback, he is brought back to one of the most disturbing times in his life.
It's the day that Biff had discovered his father's mistress while visiting him on one of
his trips to ask him to come back home and negotiate with his math teacher. You now learn
why Willy and Biff are so tense with eachother and why things will never be the same.
Throughout the play, the present has been full of misfortune and hardships between the
family. The past for Willy on the other hand, to him is filled with joy and excitement.
The question at hand is when is, the turning point between the joyous past and the
unfortunate present. Now that the event is revealed and Willy is out of good memories to
return to, things change. Willy in his lifetime uses his joyous memories as a drug to
cope with the misfortunes of the present. The way he overuses his vivid imagination is
sad because the only thing it is good for is enabling Willy to go through one more day of
his piteous life, full of bitterness, confusion, depression, false hopefulness, and a
feeling of love which he is trying very hard to express to his sons who seem reluctant to
accept it.