Essay on Death of a Salesman - Father-Son Relationships

The Importance of Biffs Role in quot;Death of a Salesmanquot; The play quot;Death of a Salesmanquot;, by Arthur Miller, follows the life of Willy Loman, a self-deluded salesman who lives in utter denial, always seeking the quot;American Dream,quot; and constantly falling grossly short of his mark. The members of his immediate family, Linda, his wife, and his two sons, Biff and Happy, support his role. Of these supportive figures, Biffs character holds the most importance, as Biff lies at the center of Willys internal conflicts and dreams , and Biff is the only one in the play who seems to achieve any growth. Biffs role is essential to the play because he generates the focus of Willys conflict for the larger part, his own†¦show more content†¦After that, Biff quot;laid down and died like a hammer hit him quot;(1392). Biff had never dreamed for himself, being concerned only with fulfilling his fathers wishes. When Biff realized that Willy was not the great man that he thought he was, his dreams became nothing to him, as had his father. And so, Biff became a drifter, living only on a day to day basis. Lastly, Biff is the only character who achieves any real growth in the play. Throughout the play Linda has remained static, always steadfastly supporting Willy, and believing he is incapable of flaw. At Willys funeral, Happy says, quot;Im gonna show you and everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vain. He had a good dream. Its the only dream you can have-to come out number-one man. He fought it out here, and this is where Im gonna win it for himquot;(1415). His father died deluding himself, and apparently Happy is going to do the same. It is only Biff who realizes quot;[Willy] had all the wrong dreams. All, all, wrongÂ…The man never knew who he wasquot;(1415). Biff has accepted the fact that he was not meant to be a salesman and must seek another path in life. Having made these observations, it quickly becomes clear that Biffs character is as vital to the play as is Willys. Without Biff there would be no play. Therefore, Biffs role in quot;Death of a Salesmanquot; is important because he is the focus of Willys attention and distress, his own conflict isShow MoreRelatedDeath of a Salesman: The Relationships Father and Son Essay example901 Words   |  4 Pagesnext he is angry and swearing at his sons. Their relationships are obviously not easy ones. Willy always has the deeper devotion, adoration, and near-hero worship for his son Biff; the boy, likewise, has a great love for his father. Each brags on the other incessantly, thereby ignoring the other son- Happy- who constantly tries to brag on himself in order to make up the lack of anyone to do it for him. This turns sour however, after Biff discovers the father he idolizes was not all he had thoughtRead MoreArthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman1144 Words   |  5 Pages Arthur Miller: Death of a Salesman Life for many in America are missing the same elements that â€Å"Death of a Salesman† exposed. Those element are love and direction. Many people face these struggles at some point in their life, but don’t know what to do to progress. Arthur Miller devised a style whereby he could show how your past can continuously impact on your future. Each character highlights the powerlessness of a dream to give meaning and control to human life. I disagree with someRead MoreA Tragic Fate Caused by a Society Filled with Realism Essay1068 Words   |  5 Pagesetc. Death of a salesman is Arthur Millers most famous and notable play. 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I was easily able to follow the plot, identify with his characters, and picture the setting. The main theme of the plot seemed to be Willy reaching for the American Dream. Financial success, business success, outwardly perfect family, revered by your peersRead MoreThe Plot in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Essay1706 Words   |  7 Pagesanalyze for Death of a Salesmen. Willy seems to be in conflict with himself and everyone else in his life. Conflict is what drives the plot and will be the main element of drama that’s analyzed in this essay. In Death of a Salesman Willy is the protagonist and his son Biff is the antagonist, he provokes Willy’s anger by not holding a steady job and measuring up to what his father feels he should be. The plot in Death of a Salesman is dialogue driven and the theme of the play is the death of Willy’sRead MoreThe Relationship between a Father and His Children in Arthur Miller Plays1704 Words   |  7 PagesThe relationship between a father and his children is a repeating topic in huge numbers of Arthur Millers pl ays, including Death of a Salesman, The Price All My Sons and The Man Who Had All the Luck. Being profoundly affected by Fyodor Dostoyevskys Brothers Karamazov and the Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen, and seeing his own particular father to be a disappointment throughout and after the Depression, Miller created a characteristic enthusiasm for and interest with this theme. Despite the fact thatRead MoreLiterary Analysis: Death of a Salesman Essay1705 Words   |  7 Pagesquote was spoken by the main character of the Arthur Miller play Death of a Salesman: Willy Loman. This tragedy takes place in Connecticut during the late 1940s. It is the story of a salesman, Willy Loman, and his family’s struggles with the American Dream, betrayal, and abandonment. Willy Loman is a failing salesman recently demoted to commission and unable to pay his bills. He is married to a woman by the name of Linda and has two sons, Biff and Happy. Throughout this play Willy is plagued incessantly