The pursuit of the American Dream has been a long-sought ambition for many men. Overall, the American Dream is the ability to become prosperous, successful, and free. In Arthur Miller's “The Death of a Salesman” each character has their own perception of the American dream. Likewise, “Death of the Salesman” challenges perceptions of the American dream. Throughout the play, the dialogues and actions of the characters illustrate the various concepts of the American dream. The pursuit of the American Dream has been the long-sought ambition of many. Overall, the American Dream is the ability to become prosperous, successful, and financially free. In Arthur Miller's “The Death of a Salesman” the character of Willy Lomans has his own perception of American dreams. Likewise, “Death of the Salesman” challenges Willy's perception of the American dream. Throughout the play, Willy's character's dialogues and actions illustrate his desperate pursuit of the American dream. “Death of a Salesman” is a play about a husband and father named Willy Lowman. Willy has spent his entire life as a relentless salesman, but he has not been as successful as he perceives. Throughout this play Willy believes that to be successful you not only need hard work, but you need a likable personality, the ability to be popular and well known. Willy encourages this perception in his sons Biff and Happy. However, over the course of the show Willy realizes that the American dream he was chasing would not be realized, which ultimately leads to his death. At the beginning of the show, when Bernard informs his Uncle Willy that Biff is failing math. Willy completely ignores Bernard and only cares about Bi... in the middle of the paper... grasp the truth of his unfinished life and his failure as a father, husband and successful man. Willy throughout the play, daydreams while conversing with his successful brother Ben. Willy's memories of Ben are a constant reminder of how he falls short of his American Dream. Consequently, the real tragedy was not Willy's failure to achieve the American dream, but rather that his American dream ignores the love of his family. It's quite ironic that Willy literally kills himself for money at the end of the show. "Willy: After all the highways and trains and dates and years, you end up being worth more dead than alive." (Act II) Desperately trying to escape the deceptions and lies he has faced all his life through his own doing, Willy decides that he will take his own life so his family can collect on their life insurance policy.