Bill Cosby once said, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone" (goodreads). Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's play “Death of a Salesman” is the character who refers directly to the state. He wholeheartedly believes in the American Dream of success and wealth, but has never been able to achieve that quote. Willy spends his entire life trying to achieve "the American dream", but the result of his efforts is mental illness, which directly ruins his life. Willy is stuck in the past and is constantly disappointed when he realizes that his dreams and memories are better than his present life, which then leads him to depression and ultimately suicide, proving that memories, illusion and the illusion of the past have the meaning of power to ruin someone's present and future. First, Willy's mental illness is the main factor causing conflict between him and others. Willy is a kind father, who loves and cares for his son, but his attitude indirectly turns the situation in a negative way. Willy wants Biff to succeed in business. More than anyone, Biff understands himself and what he wants. From this point the culmination of the conflict begins. Instead of supporting Biff's dream and decisions, Willy tries to stop Biff and leads him to follow his philosophy. Willy's problem here is that he always goes back to the past and doesn't accept the present. Willy gets lost in memory as he recalls a time when Billy was a popular one at his high school, "how they used to follow [Biff] around...when he smiled at one of them their faces would light up." (16). The word "used" means things that have already happened in the past, everyone was like that doesn't mean that the situation is still...... middle of paper ...... liked by people and others around them. It makes people do something without thinking. Miller uses Linda's last dialogue to conclude his story. Linda tells Willy that she “[makes] the last payment on the house… And there will be no one home. [They are] free” (139). In the end, after Willy's efforts, he finally gets a house, but he cannot live in his own house. He spends his entire life chasing a dream called the American Dream without considering the consequences. Willy Loman represents a part of the people in today's society. Everyone has different dreams, but the one common goal is to be successful, rich and have a good life. People try to earn as much money as possible, to improve their lives, and little do they know, success and money are nothing if they don't have the ability to compensate for them. They spend a lifetime achieving it, and then die because of it too.