"Some people dream of success while others wake up and work."
- Lara M
- Jan 7, 2019
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 16, 2019
Ever since I was a little girl I've always remembered my father as a hard working man. He worked hard for what he wanted and never gave up on his dreams. He always told me that if I worked hard enough, I could be whatever I wanted to be. Education has been always very important to my dad and he's always pushing me to my best capabilities. He told me that ever since I was a little girl he saw great potential in me, which always pushed me to work harder because I wanted to make him proud. This blog post will explore the relationship with my father in connection to Willy and Biff in terms of success in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller.
Willy Loman had one dream, "The American Dream". He was a hard working man and he did what it took to make sure he was providing for his family. He had one wish however, the success of his sons. It reminded me of my father because just as how Willy did what it took to provide for his family, so did mine. My father had a successful company in the UAE, however, he knew that when I came along things had to change. When I turned four years old, we packed up and moved to a different country. He knew the Middle East had no future for the coming generations, so he decided to move to a place where we could have the freedom and ability to do whatever we wanted to do was the best option. He sacrificed everything to make sure my sister and I had a good life when we grew up. Such as how Willy drove for tiring hours for a paycheck to support his family and risked his life for his family, my father risked everything to support his. Willy Loman thrived from the idea of his sons becoming successful which related to my father because he always reminded me how important education was for success, and simply to be able to have a decent life in the future. Throughout the play, Willy always reminded his son that the key to success was to be "well liked". Growing up I was always told by my parents that kindness always goes a long way. That by simply being kind, you can achieve significantly more.
“Why am I trying to become what I don’t want to be … when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am.” Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman
Towards the end of the play, you notice Biff's realization towards his father's intentions. He started to value and appreciate him more however it was too late. His father made up his mind to sacrifice himself in hopes to save his family. It was a tragic moment however Biff could have potentially learned his lesson. It was unknown to what happened to biff, but he could have worked hard and became the successful man his father always wanted him to be. It makes me realize that whatever our parents have sacrificed for us, it should never be taken lightly. That at the end of the day we should appreciate and simply thank our parents for everything they have done.
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Thank you Veronia, Charlie, Bridget, Toven and Renita on your comments! It's nice to see how you can all relate to my blog post.
This is a lovely story, Lara. I'm truly glad that you have a loving father who would go to great lengths for his family. Although Willy had good intentions, he did not understand proper parenting. You made really great connections demonstrating that your father, like Willy, had good intentions but, unlike Willy, put in the effort toward the right goal. Coming from a family with immigrant parents as well, I definitely feel you are right in saying it is important to acknowledge and appreciate the sacrifices our parents made for us to have a better life. I couldn't ever imagine leaving my roots in Canada after many years and going to a country without most of my family, or without…
Good connection between the relationship with your father and the relationship with Willy and Biff. I truly appreciate your father’s decision to bring your family here instead of the Middle East. Canada is known to be one of the best places to live in the world as it provides a high quality of life. This relates to my father as he chose Canada over the Philippines, where life is extremely poor. He knew that Canada was going to offer a better quality of life, and I couldn’t be more happy with his decision. However, if he did decide to stay in the Philippines, I would still appreciate his commitment to be able to raise us. Our parents are the most…
Great blog post Lara! Very nice story about how your dad has put your family before him in life and has done everything he can so you and your sister could have the best possible life. I can relate to this story because my parents always want the best for me as well. My dad especially focuses on hockey for me since he wants me to get to the highest level I can, so he is always pushing me to play the best I can in every game and practice I have. I think that having parents who push you to be the best is very important and is the most that a kid could ask for. There are multiple…
Awesome piece! I like how you connected your relationship with your father with Willy’s relationship with his sons, and how the father-child relationship plays a large role in an individual’s adulthood. I like how you compared and contrasted your father’s success as well as the sacrifices he made for his family, with Willy’s, and how each father “thrived from the idea” of their children becoming successful. I really enjoyed reading your piece because I think it is important to remember and be grateful for our parents’ sacrifices and support in our lives, as very often, we forget that, and we take it for granted. Great blog!