Some people say that the dead makes them who they are today. Despite how people feel about this platitude, there is little doubt that dead ones have a great effect on the living. A common theme in literature, the power of the dead, best exemplifies this influence and it is a powerful theme in both Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun and Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman; the deceased greatly influences many characters in these plays. Both plays have much in common, with themes of dreams, ambitions, family, hardship, and especially death. In both, the expired has such an instrumental power in both creating the dreams and ideas of the main characters; and, if it is not for them, these dreams and ideas would probably not exist.
With a title of Death of a Salesman, it is no surprise that death and the departed play such a paramount role in the play; one example of such a departed is Ben. Ben, Willy's rich brother, is, to Willy, the epitome of success and the paradigm of prosperity. Early on, it becomes clear that Willy not only aspires to be like Ben, but also wants his children to be like him. Ben plays such a monumental role in Willy's life that even after his demise, he constantly appears in Willy's fantasies: “Why, boys, when I was seventeen I walked into the jungle, and when I was twenty-one I walked out.And by God I was rich” (Miller 48). A powerful quote by Ben, this is what Willy wants to happen to him and his kids. He wants to be rich, successful, and loved by all, like his brother Ben.
It is so significant of a quote that Miller employs repetition and has Ben say it again. The second time around, Willy explicitly states that that is the sprit he wants to imbue into his children. Willy's infatuation with wealth and triumph can be attributed to Ben and Dave Singleman, a salesman that left a deep impression on Willy.
Possibly more influential than Ben, Dave Singleman is the salesman Willy hopes to be. While alive, he is prosperous and revered by all. Willy even recounts to Howard: “Cause what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four, into twenty or thrity different cities, and pick up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people?... When he died, hundreds of salesman and buyers were at his funeral” (81). It is obvious from Willy's speech that Singleman is the topmost seller and the single most important reason why Willy decides to become a salesman. When Willy gives his speech to Howard, he starts almost every sentence with “and”; this use of polysyndeton shows how excited Willy is in recounting the tale of Singleman and thus, how much respect Willy has for Singleman. It is from Singleman that Willy sees selling as a highly lucrative business.
It is from Singleman that Willy postulated that the only ingredient in success is amiability, for everyone adores Singleman. It is from Singleman that Willy wants a large funeral where everybody is present. In essence, it is from Singleman that Willy receives his dreams, his ideals, and his ambitions. Singleman has such a great importance in Willy's life that if Willy had never learned about him, then the story would be completely different. Most likely, Willy would not be been a salesman and would follow his sibling Ben to Alaska. Additionally, Willy's definition of success and the American dream would be completely different. When Singleman arrived into Willy's life, he imbued his traits into Willy's malleable mind.
Willy's own death has as much of an effect on his family as Ben's and Singleman's deaths have on Willy; his death has different effects on his two son's own personal dreams. To Happy, Willy's death reinforces the notion that the Lomans are meant to be great and successful. To Biff, who has an epiphany, Willy's death strengthens the fallacy of Willy's dream. Biff, the foil of Happy because of his pragmatic nature, realizes that Willy's personal dream would never come true. Willy's dream is too idealistic and would never work in the harsh business world, where everyone only seeks personal gain. Willy's death ultimately changes Biff's perception of the world, his views, and his own personal dreams. On the other hand, it reinforces Happy's ideas and dreams, which are already heavily instilled in him. Whether or not Willy's death has a positive or negative effect on the other characters is debatable. What is well established is its tremendous effect on the characters, and along with Ben and Singleman, Willy is a clear demonstration of death's compelling capabilities.
