What is the symbolic significance of the main character's name in Death of a Salesman?

The first thing you need to analyze to find symbolic meaning in Willy Loman’s name is his last name.  Broken down, it is “low man.”  In the play, Willy is an unsuccessful traveling salesman who is past his prime.  He has continued to fantasize about the riches he will make with the next deal down the road.  Willy is not well-liked; he brags and “talks big,” often losing sales because of his ego.  Willy never...

The first thing you need to analyze to find symbolic meaning in Willy Loman’s name is his last name.  Broken down, it is “low man.”  In the play, Willy is an unsuccessful traveling salesman who is past his prime.  He has continued to fantasize about the riches he will make with the next deal down the road.  Willy is not well-liked; he brags and “talks big,” often losing sales because of his ego.  Willy never advances in the company he works for and even pleads to his boss, Howard Wagner, to not fire him and let him keep his meager job.  As far as his success and contributions to the world, Willy is definitely a “low man.”  He will never measure up to the expectations of a successful man in society, and he is worn out and of no use to the business world.  His extramarital affair also shows his failure as a husband.

Another thing you might think of is why is a grown man still called “Willy”?  It is pretty typical to keep a childhood nickname, but in Willy’s case, it is probably more detrimental to his business and the way people see him than if he went by Will or William.  Willy is also very child-like in the play.  Linda does everything for him and continuously makes excuses for his failings as a provider and father.  He wants to be pals with his children, Biff and Happy, rather than a father who guides and acts as a role model to his children.  He is stuck in the past, where he did have some success in business, but he is now old and cannot let go of Biff’s brilliant high school football record or the success of Charley, his neighbor, who runs his own business.

Willy is also at the “low” point in his life.  His world is crumbling around him; he can’t afford to buy new appliances or fix the decaying house; he has been fired from his job.  It is then that Willy gives up and kills himself to at least provide life insurance money to his family.