In the 1940s, the United States was just starting to emerge from the Great Depression. Many hoped for a better life after a difficult period. African Americans sought opportunities to improve their lives and make the lives of their families better, while white Americans expected the American dream to come easily to them. Unfortunately, this was not always the case. Willy Loman (Death of a Salesman) was a white man who felt that having personality, not working hard and having novelty, was the key to success; while Floyd Barton, (Seven Guitars) a black man, knew that being self-sufficient and unique would open up more possibilities for him. The desire to obtain financing led to Willy's suicide and Floyd's murder. While money will always be important to our society, its understood value is diminishing our stance on more important topics like family and love. These characters had different views on life. As Willy slowly began to lose his mind in the materialistic world, it became obvious that the only thing he really cared about was keeping up with the people around him, in terms of achievements and possessions. Willy never achieved the American dream of wealth and independence because his family was unhappy, he never achieved financial security, and he never learned to be himself. Floyd, by contrast, was a little more comfortable with the standards of life. Rather than constantly complain about what's wrong with his life, Floyd tried to make the best of it. Whether that meant playing cards with his friends in the backyard, flirting with his former lover Vera, or collecting the 30 cents a day the government owed him for a 90-day shift at the workhouse. Floyd knew that by aiming for the center of the card he would not be able to see the importance of his own life. If Willy had valued acceptance more than attractiveness and love more than greed, he would have considered himself wealthy in his later years, feeling grateful to have a wife and two children who loved him dearly; and that would have been enough. Unfortunately it wasn't enough and this led to his death. Floyd was the man with the mission. He was determined to get Vera back and make money. All his friends agreed with him to pursue his dream and become a famous and rich blues singer. They all knew he had the potential to make it pretty much anywhere with his music and he knew it too. However, due to his rude attitude, criminal profile and self-centeredness, his life was cut short. While money will always be important to people, its perceived significance has weakened their outlook on more important issues such as love and family..