Willy Loman changed to a "walrus." Subsequent productions used whichever version was appropriate to the actor playing Willy; Dustin Hoffman, for example, used the original. Loman's Brooklyn accent is part of the challenge of the role. In 1950, Miller described Loman as a man who upon hearing society's "thundering command to succeed" found himself staring at a failure in the mirror. The Amazon.com editorial review by Ali Davis states that "Willy Loman is a salesman desperately hustling for a living even as he slides into old age." Rovi Corporation's Matthew Tobey describes him as an everyman who has to cope with the
Willy Loman gives way to the belief that his inability to be a successful man and father is condemning. The marriage is described as "symbolic". Linda is a devoted wife who understands that he has issues. Linda has emotional scenes as she attempts to manage Willy's emotional collapse and deals with her two adult sons whose lives have been wasted following the easy road of pursuing popularity as guided by their father. She breaks down as she confides in her sons about Willy's disintegration and reveals his attempts at suicide. Willy has always made the point to his sons that being popular