Death of a Salesman - Ben

Ben: Ben is Willy`s rich, older brother who left him at an early age to make his fortune in Alaska and Africa (the wild frontiers). Many critics believe that Ben is nothing more than a figment of Willy`s imagination, yet to Willy, Ben is very real. Ben is the driving force behind Willy`s idea of success. Willy feels that, like his older brother who has struck it rich with diamond mines in Africa, he must establish himself as a rich and powerful businessman in New England. So in many ways, Ben is the symbol of the standard of success that proves too hard for Willy and his sons to match.


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Ben

Willy`s older brother, Ben left home at seventeen to find their father in Alaska, but ended up in Africa, where he found diamond mines and came out of the jungle at twenty-one an incredibly rich man. Although Ben died several weeks before the time at which the play is set, he often appears in Willy`s hallucinations, carrying a valise and umbrella. Ben represents the fantastic success for which Willy has always hoped but can never seem to achieve.

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Another significant scene in the play is the garden scene where Willy is "talking" with Ben. Here, they are contemplating whether Willy should commit suicide or not. Willy believes that the insurance money his family will receive from his death will provide for Biff`s "magnificent future." This scene with Ben obviously signifies Willy`s unstable mentality (Rollyson, 1341.) Critics say that Willy`s need for Ben sometimes conflict with his need for Linda because Linda symbolizes something stable and certain, while Ben represents something unrealistic (Bliquez, 322).
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