"Death of a Salesman" Ending Theories

[mister_noel_y2k]

I know it might sound retarded to be asking but the ending is pretty glib. This might be because I haven't seen it performed and Miller might have written a more final ending to it but in the play I read Willy Loman goes crazy and drives off in his car then theres suddenly a funeral. I read that to mean that he'd gone and driven into a wall or off a bridge or something because he was going on about his insurance and being "worth more dead than alive" and saying that his wife Linda deserved something after so many years of putting up with him and his ghostly brother Ben keeps saying things like "twenty thousand sounds about right". There's more with Ben and Willy talking about suicide and I'm pretty sure Willy kills himself in the end driving into something with his car. But just to make sure can someone tell me what they think happened?

And what was that thing about the rubber tube and Willy and the gas? Was he trying to kill himself by huffing gas like Sylvia Plath or was he getting high off it or something?

Thanks in advance!

[byquist]

Having played Biff once, your ideas are totally accurate. Biff brings out the rubber tube and starts demanding that they all get down to brass tacks, ie. the truth. Very intense moment. Yes he drives off speeding into an object, like a wall, as I recall. Also, Willy knows, and Biff, saw his infidelity to Linda, a key factor that Biff, but nobody elso knows, and this puts a chip on Biff's shoulder. Brian Denehey turned this dark play into a tragedy on Broadway a couple years ago. It was inspiring rather than depressing. It wasn't upbeat, that's for sure, but it was sympathetic and sensitive and powerful. Denehey got the Best Actor award and really, really deserved it.

[mister_noel_y2k]

so what was the conclusion about the piece of rubber tubing?

[byquist]

I can't really remember, but I think Willy avoids the issue, and then Biff goes into a tirade, something about getting all dressed up and stealing a pen, when all he really wants to be is a cowboy. I'm too lazy to look it up.

[Molko]

I had to watch this play for drama. In regards to the pipe and the gas, yes, he was trying to kill himself. Through out the play, Willy is obsessed with the American Dream - he wants to be successful and have a nice car, house and loving family. He constantly portrays to his sons how 'successful' he is and how well liked he is in order to make them aspire to be successful as well. This is because in reality, he is not what he makes out to be and he wants to live his dreams through his children because he failed to achieve his. Because of his failure and Biff finding out the truth, Willy goes insane and withdrawn, feeling like his life's not worth living. That's why throughout the play they make several references to suicide, i.e. the pipe, and willy smashing his car in the end. Hope this helps. It was a while since i last saw the play, so I dont know if my memory of it is good

[mister_noel_y2k]

no that was great, cheers

[byquist]

Molko,
You are totally accurate, but I would add the need for sympathy for Willy because, unless you stand to inherit a chunk of money or have a nice boss or are in a high-paying pleasant job, his experience may symbolize many people. Being a salesman is no easy task. He had dreams and thinks he should have joined his brother, or uncle, whoever that ghost-like guy is (Uncle Ben, yea), who tempts him to go to Africa or Alaska, wherever those gold mines are, "Go in broke .... and come out rich!". True, he's a dreamer, but life has killed his dreams. Insane is a bit strong, although he talks to himself, but many people today think self-talk is actually a healthy practice.