The idea that money is the key to happiness is a recurring theme in the play “Death of a Salesman.” The symbiotic relationship between working and spending time with family is lost in this play because Willie is so determined for him and his sons to succeed. As a human being in a capitalist society, it is easy to fall into the pattern of greed and always looking to make more money. Not only for materialistic things, but also to be able to provide for your family. We live in a world where money is a factor, it is necessary for survival and many people associate money with happiness. Money isn't everything, but almost everything needs money. Willie's destructive behavior, obsessed with money, economic success, and social status, unfortunately leads to his death at the end of the play. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay As the United States is known for its hard-working citizens who are not paid enough and give the lowest paid vacation days It should come as no shock that the United States has a very high rate of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Willie suffered from hallucinations due to stress over his social status and money. In the book The overworked American by Juliet Schor, Juliet states that "Americans literally work themselves to death, because their work contributes to heart disease, high blood pressure, stomach problems, depression, exhaustion, and a variety of other diseases ". Karl Marx also advocated for good working conditions. This play is set in the 1940s, when the reduction in hours suddenly stopped and the new era of overtime actually intensified. These working conditions and stress lead to mental and physical problems which, in this case, became Willie's death. This piece is a great example of what work can do to you and also affect those close to you. Would Willie still be stressed about money like he did when he was demoted from salaried employee to commission employee? Probably not. Having been demoted to a lower position in his job, it affected him financially. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay I can't help but think about the outcome of Willie's life. obtained a position as a salaried employee. He probably wouldn't have killed himself just so his family could get the $25,000 insurance..