Another major theme is recognizing past from present with sanity and disorder. Willy would lose himself in the past when the present was too difficult to accept. The worse reality becomes, the more Willy creates an alternative reality. Willy's memories distracted him from the reality.

DENIAL

One of the largest themes in death of a salesman is denial. All members in the Loman family are living in denial or are allowing others to live in denial; for example, Linda. Both of Willy's sons adopt his habit of denying reality. Linda is the only one who recognizes the family is living in denial but simply goes along with it.

Willy finally achieves some type of success because he knows biff loves him. Although Biff says "there will be no pity for you, you hear it? No pity!" (II.14) Willy is certain he can make Biff love him even more by his death and leaving him with the insurance money. By the end of tbe play; however, Willy contradicted his own intentions. Instead of being the well-liked, respected man he aspired to be, his unimpressive funeral with lack of people demonstrates his fail. Willy believed his suicide would resolve all disorder when in reality that was not in the least what happened.