American Dream
          Miller’s play is a critique of American morals and social standards. He saw the constant quest to be successful, especially in terms of wealth, as potentially destructive and harmful. Willy believes wholeheartedly in what he considers the promise of the American Dream – that a “well-liked” and “personally attractive” man in business will certainly and deservedly acquire the material comforts offered by modern life. His blind faith in this stunted vision is what leads to his psychological collapse, as he is unable to cope with the disparity between the Dream and his life.

 

The family
          Possibly the most powerful positive value expressed in the play is that of family loyalty. There is no doubt that Willy loves his family, particularly his son Biff. It could be argued that the betrayal of that loyalty is what ruins Willy’s life more than the his failure as a salesman. And it is in the name of family love that he finally kills himself. But unfortunately, Willy has a false ideal of fatherhood, revealed most blatantly at the very moment when he decides to sacrifice himself: “Ben, he’ll worship me for it.” This is parental love obscured by a form of egotism and is a recurrent theme in Miller’s work.

 

Abandonment/betrayal
          Willy’s life can be marked by one abandonment to the next, leaving him in greater despair each time. His father leaves him and Ben when they are very young, without a tangible legacy or sense of family history. Ben also leaves Willy when he goes to Alaska, allowing him to be lost in a warped sense of values. His fear of abandonment likely contribute to his fierce adherence to those values and his desire to raise perfect sons. Biff also abandons Willy by dropping his father’s ambitions for him and later shattering his illusions.

 

          Along with his fear of abandonment is Willy’s obsession with what he sees as Biff’s betrayal – he believes he has every right to expect Biff to fulfill the ambitions he himself has laid out, and Biff’s refusal to do so is viewed as a personal affront. Biff’s discovery of Willy’s infidelity reveals the real betrayal – of Linda’s love – and Biff feels that his father is a “phony little fake.”