Comparing Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman and Joe Keller from All My Sons

|HUM 102 – 020 | |Considering Willy and Joe | |Research Paper | | | |Kofi Boadi | |March 25, 2010 | Willy Loman from Death of A Salesman and Joe Keller from All My Sons, have similarities in their courses of action which prove detrimental to | |their families and ultimately leads to their suicidal ends. | A person’s ambition causes him to work and continue moving forward with expectations of reaching an ideal end. His ideological idiosyncrasy, however, determines the manner of choices he will make to reach his expected end. These conditions are not different in the case of Willy Loman and Joe Keller. They are men who begin with a drive for success which originates from their expectations of reaching some ideal goals.
They make choices based on their ideologies, and hold fast to them throughout their journeys. Nevertheless their courses of action adversely contribute to their reputation and eventually result in suicide. Though they make very sacrificial investments toward their objectives, they remain unachieved. To understand their desires, it is necessary to consider the goals for which these men strive. “If an effect is intended or desired, or a goal is established and pursued, this suggests that it is valued. Evaluative standards are derived from goals which, in turn, are based on values. Trisel)” Willy Loman fancies himself as a salesman who works till he’s old, and then stays at home, where he works by means of a telephone. Willy’s ambition is stimulated by an eighty-four year old man whose life he had experienced; he aims at that old man’s life and expects a similar turn out for himself. Willy is also exceedingly enthusiastic about his sons, especially Biff, who in his high school years seemed to be very full of potential. He expected only great things for Biff and probably expected to achieve greatness through him.
Joe Keller also loves his sons and wants to leave them a heritage. He’s solely determined to work hard and establish a thriving business for his sons to carry on after he’s dead; something significant for which his sons may appreciate him. Similarly these men have goals that are centered on their sons. This shows how valuable their sons are to them. Work Cited Trisel, Brooke Alan. “Futility and the Meaning of Life Debate. ” Sorites 14. 2002: 70-84. SORITES and Brooke Alan Trisel. Web. 10 Mar. 2010.