Minor Characters

Charley: "You been jealous of me all your life, you damned fool! Here, pay your insurance."
Death of a Salesman Act 2 pg. 1603


Many of the minor characters play large roles in the plot of the play. The neighbors, Charley and Bernard, serve as a contrast to the life of the Loman's. Though the Loman's regard them as boring and lifeless, they end up being the successful rich ones. Bernard didn't possess the popularity and glory that Biff did when he was in high school, yet in the end, Bernard was the one that was successful and married with children. They are the realistic ones amidst the dreamy delusional lives of the Loman's. For some reason, the neighbors remind me of the Flanders from The Simpson's. The neighbors are like the goody two shoes that are there to support you yet everyone seems to regard them as somewhat dull. Meanwhile the Loman's are like the Simpsons cause they are a little whacky and they have no real set plans. I can definitely see Homer Simpson (aka Willy) asking Ned Flanders (aka Charley) for money too.

Charley/Ned Flanders

Anyway, the minor characters help to highlight the severity of Loman family's situation. The Loman's try so hard to achieve some sort of impact on the sales world and be well-known and this causes them to fail in the end. The neighbors are more laid back and they follow the rules-- thus they are the ones that end successful. I think Arthur Miller is trying to teach a lesson to its audience: Don't waste your time talking about how great you want to be. Go out and do it!