The main characters of these two plays, Willy and Walter, both are facing difficulty reaching their goal in gaining financial security for their families. Though they are from different plays at different times with different opportunities, the factors that affect their dreams are very similar. Willy and Walter are financially challenged because of their difficult backgrounds, far-reached dreams, and lack of support of families.
Background is an essential factor in shaping one's character, and thus his likeliness to succeed. Willy and Walter both are from poverty and have lost their fathers at a young age. “All [Willy] remember is a man with a big beard...” (Miller, 48) when talking about his dad. Although Willy still had his brother as a role model and Walter had his mother to look for guidance, the loss of a father is still crucial because the lack of a definite idol has made it difficult for both to determine the path that would lead to success. Not only that, the plays say little about their education and experiment background, which probably add to the list of factors to why both failed in accomplishing their dreams.
Furthermore, the dreams that Willy and Walter set for themselves can sometimes be seen as unrealistic and beyond reach. Being a business owner is what they want to attain, but because of limited resources and opportunities, this has never been achieved. Walter often talks to his son about how he is going to “…make a business transaction that's going to change our lives.” (Hansberry, 108) and be an executive. But this is the after war era of WWII, and during this time period, it is unlikely that a black man will rise to the rank of a CEO. On Willy's side, even though it's reasonable that he could become a store owner providing the fact that he is a salesman with some experience in this field, he too lack the resource to start a business.
However, the most critical cause to these men's failures is the lack of support from family. While Walter receives opposition from his mother and sister in investing in a liquor store, Willy is involved in a conflict with his sons because he cheated on his wife. When Linda informed Biff and Happy that Willy “has been trying to kill himself” (Miller, 58), this proves that depression has drained Willy of any hope in managing a business. This also applies to Walter since he's always out drinking and nearly lost his job because he was looking for alternative source of support.
Some may disagree and argues that Willy and Walter are different because Willy has good friends and contacts, while Walter does not. Charlie is a good friend and neighbor that always help Willy out and Willy's made good contacts with customers on his road trips. This would make it a lot easier for Willy to start a business with all the connections that he has. Walter, on the other hand, got cheated by his partner who took away all his investment money and robbed him of his hope. Therefore, Willy and Walter are inherently different.
Even so, it holds true that Willy had friends to help him maintain his family's financial needs, but they did not participate in aiding him with pursuing his dream. Near the end of his career, Willy was working on commission and most of his old customers are all gone and during this time, Charlie has helped him out by lending him fifty dollars every week to pay the bills. But this does not necessarily make Willy and Walter different because it does not prove to help Willy attain his dream. Not to mention that maybe when Walter get to Willy's age, maybe he would have found a good friend and made many contacts as well.
Willy and Walter both have trouble achieving their goals due to difficult background, unrealistic dreams, and lack of familial support. Even though these two men has very different opportunities, it do not prove to affect the factors that would determine their success. It should be realized that no matter how different two individuals maybe, they would both share something in common because we all have an effect on one another in this circle of life.
