Purpose

__ The purpose of ‘Death of a Salesman’  __ Miller presents us with the story of a man who is crumbling under the pressures of the modern American capitalist system, and retreats from reality to the past, for solace and comfort. In the past, Willy dreamed of a world in which the promise of great things was possible. However, in the present he seems to be a victim of capitalism, as he has been unable to cope with change. Furthermore, Willy’s values are presented as a confused mix of moral ambivalence and a deluded belief in the promise of the American Dream.