SUICIDAL

Willy tries to commit suicide many times throughout his life. His many car accidents turns out not to be accidental but instead deliberate actions by Willy. The insurance inspector has evidence that shows that Willy tries to commit suicide. Linda finds out that Willy is also trying to kill himself by inhaling gas. In the end, Willy ends up committing suicide by crashing his car because he wants his life insurance money to go to Biff.

At the end of the play, Willy talks to Ben about Biff and money. Willy still holds onto his dream that he wishes Biff would achieve and decides to give Biff a boost towards the path by giving Biff the life insurance money. He commits suicide for his dream for Biff. Willy isn’t able to accomplish his American dream. He isn’t able to succeed in life and live as Dave Singleman lived. He is so enslaved by the idea of the American dream and being ahead in life that he feels a necessity to pass it off to Biff. Willy believes that the money will help Biff get ahead in life, including ahead of Bernard. However, at the funeral Biff shows his resolve of not following in the footsteps of his blinded father. Biff wants to find his own path and live his life his own way. He knows and understands his identity unlike Willy.

Willy’s suicide attempts show how the only way to escape the American dream is through death. In addition, Willy’s suicide attempts are for the American dream of another person, Biff, although Biff doesn’t accepts the path in the end. Willy’s life and death are both centered on the American dream. Willy is freed from it when he dies but the reason for his death is still focused on the American dream. With his death, Willy wants to support Biff so that Biff can accomplish the dreams Willy has for him.

Willy expects his death to contribute to Biff becoming the succeeding character Willy always dreamed Biff would become, the dream Biff followed at first but gave up after discovering the delusions of it. Biff doesn’t go the direction Willy wants so Willy dies in vain. On the other hand, Willy’s death led to Happy following in the same footsteps as Willy. Happy is also blinded like Willy and can’t see the falseness of the American dream. In a sense Willy did accomplish what he wanted but with a different person. Willy wants Biff to be successful in life and he believes that the insurance money can help Biff. Willy is wrong in thinking that the insurance money will lead Biff to success because Biff won’t accept it. Willy may be right in thinking Biff is going to be successful in life because Biff gives up on the American dream and walks down the path his identity allows him to choose. Biff may not be successful in the eyes of the world but at least he is free from the delusive idea that enslaves many and leads them to death.