Willy's Success

In class last week, we devoted a significant portion of the discussion to the question: what does it mean to be successful? We also talked about the relationship between success and happiness. I would like to expand on both of these questions in my blog:
One point that was argued in class was how success could be measured. Should it be by how much money one makes? How prestigious/well respected one’s job is? Or does it come from raising a happy family? I think the question of how to measure success can be broken down in to success in one’s career and success in one’s personal life. Willy seems to place most of the importance on his job; yet, his proudest accomplishment appears to be his son Biff. I believe Willy’s identity and feeling of self-worth are based on two different things: his ability as a salesman and Biff’s respect. The first thing, his ability as a salesman, is never really understood by Willy or by the reader. It is hard to tell whether or not Willy was ever actually a good salesman, although it is made very clear that at the end of his life he was not. His son’s respect is more clear-cut: he has it until his son seems him with The Woman, and then he loses it completely. Because by the present day neither of the things that give him a feeling of self-worth exists, it is understandable that he becomes so depressed and disconnected from reality. Willy is a failure no matter how he measures it; after all, he has been unsuccessful in both his home and his work.
We also talked about the relationship between happiness and success. I think Willy sees being happy as a natural offshoot of being successful. If it is true that Willy sees Biff’s respect as a sign of his own success, then we can clearly see how happy being successful makes Willy. After all, he is at his happiest when he talks to young Biff. Also, whenever he reminisces about how well he has done in sales, he is upbeat. In fact, these are just about the only two instances where Willy appears satisfied. One of Willy’s problems may be that he places too much importance on being successful.