Willys life in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman can be summed up by Charleys one line, “When the hell are you going to grow up? ” (97) Willy’s spends his entire life in an illusion of a great man with both popularity and successful. Meanwhile, Willy displays many childlike qualities. Many of these qualities have an impact on Willy’s family. His two sons Biff and Happy pick up this behavior from their father. Willys idealistic and stubborn actions stem from a false sense of is importance in the world. Willy is like an impetuous youngster with high ideals and high hopes.
Children always save high hopes for their future, hopes of having great jobs and being rich. Willy believes he can achieve that kind of success by being a businessman. He thinks is he the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest is the one that gets ahead. (33) He avoids growing up by making excuses and avoiding obstacles. Like a little child, he wants everything his way even though other options are wiser. After recently being fired, Charley offers Willy a job.
Rather than financially securing his family, he allows his arrogance to prevent him from working for his friend. He convinces himself he is at the top of his profession. Willy does not get his way and challenges Charley to a fight after Charley told him to grow up. His childlike behavior prevents him from doing the logical thing. Willy, like most children, he thinks that he is more than he actually is. During the story, he prides himself on how well he sells, but when Linda calculates his sales and their debts, Willy reveals that he lied about how well he sells.
He also thinks he is very popular and many people will be at his funeral, but when the times comes, no one is there to pay their respects. Like a child, he believes the world revolves around him. Willy Loman is a child trapped in a man’s body. He makes excuses and lies to prevent himself from doing better. The self-assurance he holds blinds him from reality, trapping him in an illusion. When he finally realizes his mistakes, like a child, he runs from his problems thru death rather than grow up and face them.
