Willy: "Chevrolet, Linda, it's the greatest car ever built"(21).
Willy: " That goddamn Chevrolet, they ought to prohibit the manufacture of that car"(22).
Question: Why does Willy contradict himself so obviously about something as simple as a car?
Willy seems to change his opinion based on his attitude, which seems to change depending on the context of the situation. In the first quote, he is in a good mood because he had just finished talking about how good of a salesman he is and how successful he is in business. ("I never have to wait in line to see a buyer. 'Willy Loman is here!' That's all they have to know, and I go right through" (20).) He has a positive attitude because he is doing well in his job, so his positive attitude causes him to be optimistic about his car. In the second quote, he is frustrated because of all the bills he has to pay. In that context, he feels inadequate because the family is struggling to come up with enough money, so he feels angry and ashamed. That negative attitude corresponds to his frustration with his car. When his job and work are "successful" he has a positive outlook, but the second he feels inadequate, he gets rash.
ReplyDeleteWilly contradicts himself because he quickly forgets his past actions or words, eg.
ReplyDelete"Linda (trying to bring him out of it): Willy, dear, I got a new kind of American-type cheese today. It's whipped.
Willy: Why do you get American when I like Swiss?...
Willy: How can they whip cheese?"(7-8).
Within the same conversation he forgets his past statement and changes his mind. Nothing during the actual present that happens to Willy will stay with him, it will always change as he forgets important events.