Nobody dast blame this man. You don’t understand: Willy was a salesman. And for a salesman, there is no rock bottom to the life. He don’t put a bolt to a nut, he don’t tell you the law or give you medicine. He’s man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a Shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back – that’s an earthquake. And then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory.
– Arthur Miller
Death of a Salesman, Requiem. In this graveside eulogy to Willy, neighbor Charley empathizes with his friend’s dreams and elevates them to a heroic level. Summing up Willy’s life, he speaks poetically about the spirit that drives a salesman, giving him almost a mythic quality. He uses metaphorical language "out there in the blue" to compare Willy to the heroic sailor riding the waves with only a smile and a shoeshine to carry him towards a successful sale. Charley’s funeral monologue is a fitting tribute from a sympathetic friend. He defends Willy and understands the enormity of the challenge faced by the salesman. Charley recognizes that the American Dream can be difficult, when people stop smiling back in support of that dream it’s as devastating as an earthquake, he says in a metaphor.
