The idea that money is the key to happiness is a recurring theme in the comedy "Death of a Salesman." The symbiotic relationship between work and spending time with family is lost in this play as Willie is so determined to make him and his children successful. As a human being in a capitalist society, it is easy to fall into the pattern of becoming greedy and always trying to make more money. Not just for materialistic things, but also to be able to provide for your family. We live in a world where money is a factor, it is necessary to survive and many people link money to happiness. Money isn't everything, but almost everything needs money. Willie's destructive behavior, obsessed with money, economic success and social position, unfortunately leads to his death at the end of the play. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Since the United States is known for its citizens working hard, not getting paid enough, and giving the lowest paid vacation days, it is not a shock that the United States has a very high rate of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Willie suffered from hallucinations due to the stress of his social position and money. In the book The overworked American by Juliet Schor, Juliet argues that “Americans are literally working themselves to death as work contributes to heart disease, high blood pressure, gastric problems, depression, burnout, and a variety of other ailments.” Karl Marx also supported the need to guarantee fair working conditions. This show takes place in the 1940s, when shortening hours suddenly stopped and the new era of overtime actually increased. These working conditions and stress lead to mental and physical problems which in this case became Willie's death. This play is a great example of what work can do to you and what it can affect your loved ones. Would Willie still worry about money like he did when he was demoted from a salaried employee to a commissioned employee? Probably not. Being demoted to a lower position in his job, this affected him financially. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay I can't stop thinking about what outcome Willie's life would have had if he had been given a salaried job. He probably wouldn't have killed himself just so his family could benefit from the $25,000 in insurance.