The Failed Dreams of a Dead Man

            "He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine... A salesman is got to dream, boy." This quote from Act 3 of a Death of Salesman struck me specifically. Charley states this as if Willy was just a victim of his job as a salesman. He defends Willy's death and ascribes Willy's work in the false, mythical way that Willy had always thought of it. Charley begins with saying that Willy is "out there in the blue". When I read that I envision a courageous man taking steps forward without really knowing where he's going. It almost makes Willy appear heroic in a way, which is completely adverse to reality. Willy was not a hero, and he certainly didn't die one. Next we see that Willy only had a smile and the shine of his shoe to sell himself to people. Yet, as time went by that faded out, which made it even harder for Willy to sell. Although Willy was dead to himself years ago, he still went out there and did his best, because every "salesman has got to dream." Nevertheless, Biff still does not buy into the dream that his father had. Willy thought that if he died, his funeral would be completely full because he saw himself as well known and liked. His funeral would reveal to Biff that his life left a legacy that was worth something, but that was not the case. In his own standards, Willy Loman died a failure, and Biff considered him to be that too. 
            Biff states that his father had the wrong dreams, which is how this particular quote came about. Willy was so focused on becoming a successful salesman that he missed out on using his real talent, working with his hands. If Willy had followed a different dream, not one of a salesman, his life may have ultimately resulted in success. Yet we see in this story that Willy is never a realistic or honest person with himself, or anyone else for that matter. Even in death Willy Loman's dreams do not come true, no one showed up at his funeral, and his life insurance policy did not cover suicide.  Willy Loman's story is a tragedy, which is why I find this glorifying quote so ironic. This is why as Christian's we are so lucky to have a relationship with God and the ability to know his voice. It is important not to do only what we want in life, but to follow through with his plan. If we run from God we will never truly be happy.We must not only focus on money, but on the talents and abilities that we are born with. That way we may use those things to minister to peoples lives.