Reality vs. IllusionIn 1938 Arthur Miller began writing plays after graduating from college. All My Sons was his first successful work that gave him recognition from critics and audiences. He then won a Pulitzer Prize in 1949 for Death of a Salesman and became a highly successful playwright of the 1940s and 1950s. His works are unique in the way his characters use ordinary dialogue and deal with ordinary family problems. Death of a Salesman is a play about the meaning and value of the successful American dream. Most of us see the American dream of success as living in the country with a family and a house with a white picket fence. This is why many people came to America. They came with the dream of finding success, being able to live happily with their family and being financially secure. Willy Loman is the male character of a salesman in the Millers' play. He's what most people call a tragic hero. He is an old salesman who failed to succeed in his life. He is very old, has a dead-end job, his children have not been successful and he is losing touch with reality. In the end he commits suicide because he realizes that he is worth more dead than alive. Willy fails to realize the reality of his life. He believes in the illusion that one day he and his children will achieve great success. Arthur Miller uses the theme of reality as opposed to illusion throughout the play Death of a Salesman. Willy Loman is blinded by the illusion that he and his boys are successful men with great potential. He fails to see the reality of his failures in life as a father and businessman. Willy Loman is a hard working salesman who fails to achieve success. He travels everywhere during the week and can barely earn enough money to support his family. He has two children of whom he is very proud and hopes they will be successful too. Willy Loman didn't realize he wasn't a successful salesman. He has an illusion of himself as a successful businessman who everyone respects, but in reality he is not respected at all.