I think that Oates has illuminated me with a new perspective on the criticisms of this play. While I knew Death of a Salesman was a critic of the traditional view of the American Dream, I had not seen how it also criticized cosumerism. Oates sums it up in this line:
"As we near the twenty-first century, it seems evident that America has become an ever more frantic, self-mesmerized world of salesmanship, image without substance, empty advertising rhetoric, and that peculiar product of our consumer culture ?public relations??a synonym for hypocrisy, deceit, fraud."
Despite Wily Loman not reaching the success he has sought, Oates believes that the novel illustrates "the dark side of success":
"Yet these are fellow Americans to whom ?attention must be paid.? Arthur Miller has written the tragedy that Illuminates the dark side of American success?which is to say, the dark side of us."
What I understand from this is that there exists a criticism for the success achieved by the Willy Loman type. The type that can encourage stealing (where later Biff has kleptomania), stresses appearance above all and makes his children cheat rather than learn. This person who is looking for a short-cut where there is none is bound to fail. This goes hand in hand with Miller's point of stressing that hard work is a component of the American Dream that if often neglected.
I really enjoyed this play. It has many subtle messages and symbols that are easy to relate to. The modern setting helps in this respect. Death of a Salesman also has valuable lessons in the game of life that add to its value.