In the play “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller, Willy Loman is a salesman that is known as depressed and angry. The play was made into a movie, one play filmed in 1951, the other in 1985. The lifestyles of these times were very different, for example the 1950’s had strict morals and values, was also known for conformity, and was the time of segregation. While the 1980’s were more about hip hop, being upbeat, “go-go”, also the time of credit, so you can have everything that you need and even what you don’t need. In the two films there were major similarities and differences. Although the 51 version was dark and dull, the 85 version was colorful and made the message of the movie come out more happy. Although in the 1951 version Biff and Happy are in the conversation with Willy and Linda when they get home from their night out for Biffs first day back in town, in the 1985 version Willy talks to only Linda and stresses that Biff isn’t going anywhere, however says more positive things about him than in the 1951 version. In the 1985 version Willy yells to Linda about how Biff hasn’t found himself and that he isn’t making any money, but Willy continues to talk bringing up Biff’s past, and how he was popular and had a lot going for him; everyone loved him. Also …show more content…
1985’s film was upbeat, colorful and focused more on the positive, and 1951’s film was sad, depressing and dull. The change based on the years were noticeable, it changed your perspective on who Willy was and what their morals were. In the films the relationship between Biff and Willy changed, Willy was angry with Biff in both versions. However, in the 1985 version Willy talked more highly of Biff to others, besides when Biff was in the room. Therefore 1985 version was focused on promoting WIlly as a happy guy that just wants the best for his kids and
Willy and Biff were so close that no matter what Biff did Willy ignored it. For instance, in one of Willy’s Flashbacks for Act 1 there is a conversation between Willy and his sons about the football that Biff got. Biff tells Willy that he borrowed a football from the locker room and Willy tells him to return it back. However, when Happy
In a flashback Willy has, it is shown that Willy jokes about Charley’s son, Bernard, a “nerd” who helps Biff with his math so he doesn’t fail, by claiming that despite Bernard being smart, he will not get far in life because he is not as “liked: as Biff, who at the time was a football star. After Biff saw his father with is mistress, he began viewing his father more negatively, rejecting all of Willy’s future plans for him, calling him a “phony little fake”. Biff’s rejection of Willy’ future plans for him sends Willy into a downward spiral, making him more and more delusional. Ironically, Willy failed to sell his plans to his own son, when his main profession is selling products to people, as he is a
Every father wants their kids to grow up great and sons look to their fathers as role models. As Willy has another moment with his thoughts we see how he and his sons used to be. Willy would brag and over exaggerate his work whenever he would come back from a business trip so his sons would look so proud. “I never have to wait in line to see a buyer. “Willy Loman is here!” that’s all they have to know, and I go right through.” (Miller, 1949). Willy was apparently a successful salesman whose sons looked up to and respected him for how great he was. Later on as the story progresses we see the relationship between Willy and biff has changed dramatically. There is some form of tension between the two of them. “Biff is a lazy bum.” (Miller, 1949). With this we can infer that Willy has a problem with how Biff lives or that there was some kind of problem between them. Willy wants his sons to be great, but they both have some issue that keeps them from
In the play Death of a Salesman the author, Arthur Miller illustrates the struggle of most American husbands from the nineteen forty-nines. Amidst all that is happening around the world with the Great Depression in the nineteen thirties the character of Willy Loman strives to support and maintain his wife and their home by paying their mortgage for more than twenty years. Though Miller does not specify what is it that Willy sells we can assume Miller implies that we should connect to this play no matter the time gap of nineteen forty-nine to the present. Hundreds of people lose their jobs every day and with the industries being cheap sakes they will try and find any way possible to avoid having to pay a high check every month to its retirees. This leads to another relatable topic that is emphasized in this play. When Willy confronts his boss Howard exclaiming “You can’t eat the orange and throw the peel away---a man is not a piece of fruit” (Miller 326) we are able to acknowledge the cause of Willy’s breakdown. To better understand the reasoning behind Willy’s anger and frustration w...
Willy and Biff never got along due to Biff finding out that his father had an affair, and Willy tries to forget the event. Willy also constantly tries to make Biff out as the greatest thing ever, even when one could easily see Biff is a loser. He wants to distort another reality, and believe Biff can make it. But he a lingering thought in his head that goes against this, and that is Bernard. In another of Will’s flashbacks, Bernard comes up and says, “Mr. Birnhaum says he’s stuck up.” This is in reference to Biff, and this shows that Willy really did know he was making Biff out to be something he could never be, but he tries very hard to go against this thought and dwell in his own
Biff is home for a visit and is talking with his brother, Happy in their room just as they did when they were young boys. Willy has come home prematurely from a business trip and is downstairs when the boys overhear him talking to himself in a sort of quasi-reality. In the meantime, the two boys discuss the past. It is interesting here that the roles of the two boys with respect to each other seem to have reversed. Happy was the shy one growing up and Biff had all the courage and self-confidence. Now, Biff appears to have been beaten down by life and is on the brink of the se...
In fact, it is Willy's emphasis on likeability that leads Biff to brush aside his education in the first place. Bernard, the friend next-door who begs Biff to study for the Reagents, is described by Willy as a...
“Death of a Salesman” written by Arthur Miller in 1948 attempts to give the audience an unusual glimpse into the mind of a Willy Loman, a mercurial 60-year-old salesman, who through his endeavor to be “worth something”, finds himself struggling to endure the competitive capitalist world in which he is engulfed. Arthur Miller uses various theatrical techniques to gradually strip the protagonist down one layer at a time, each layer revealing another truth about his distorted past. By doing this, Miller succeeds in finally exposing a reasonable justification for Willy’s current state of mind. These techniques are essential to the play, as it is only through this development that Willy can realistically be driven to motives of suicide.
In the original 1949 play of Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller was the American playwright. Death of a Salesman was a tragic play that presents a story about a salesman named Willy who believes that personality and being “well-liked” will achieve his American Dream. The play premiered on February 10, 1949 at the Morosco Theatre in Manhattan, New York (Avery). Miller’s play reflected on his relationship with uncle, Manny Newman who was also a salesman like the protagonist of the story and two sons who he took great pride on (Tierney). Through his characterization of Willy and Biff Loman, Miller presents contrasting (or surprising similar) illustra...
In the play, The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller,Willy Loman, an unsuccessful business man struggling to support his family is completely out of touch with reality throughout the plot line. Many characters throughout this play and their interactions with Willy have showed the audience his true colors and what he thinks is important in life. His constant lying and overwhelming ego certainly does not portray his life in factual terms, but rather in the false reality that he has convinced himself he lives in.
...before something happens?” (Miller 133). Biff is getting frustrated with Willy because he is trying to turn his son into somebody that he does not want to be. Willy’s tragedy is due to the fact that the truth for him is far fetched, since he is always seeing life in a flashback, which leads to his demise.
In many ways Biff is similar to his father. In the beginning of the play we see that Biff shares many of the same ideas as Willy. He values being well-liked above everything else and sees little value in being smart or honest. One of ...
Is it right to blame society when the stronghold of trust in the American Dream diminishes or dies? The critical point in Death of a Salesman was the mission for this dream. Miller depicts this in his character Willy Loman and his deceived mission of this dream. Arthur Miller's outline of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman was created in post bellum America. Around then, the thinking was more than essentially a declaration; it was a lifestyle. In attempts to further the onlooker's understanding of the story, one must portray the American Dream. After World War II, the United States thrived and flourished monetarily. The possibility of achievement was the establishment of the American Dream. The possibility of a free market framework was reborn and by living in a capitalistic free market, everyone in America had an open door to get rich and be productive. To put it fundamentally, the American Dream was portrayed as "an American flawless of a playful and powerful life which all may want: the American Dream addresses a reaffirmation of standard American hope. Arthur Miller makes the spectator grasp the dream is a lie, in light of the way that it is not for everybody. In the play, Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman is an impeccable outline of somebody who is attempting to search for this dream. “Death” in the title insinuates Willy's authentic destruction. The play is tormented with conspiring and refusal of reality and self-image, in which don't permit Willy Loman to accomplish independent satisfaction. Willy Loman's life is far from merry and successful.
In Death of a Salesman, written by American playwright Arthur Miller, focuses on Biff’s relationship towards his father Willy Loman. He plays the role that drives most of Willy’s thoughts and actions, specifically his memories. Whenever Willy is not able to accept the present, he reverts to the past where Biff is usually nearby. Before Willy’s trip to Boston, Biff admired his father. He trusted and believed his philosophy that any person can be successful, provided that he is “well-liked”. Biff never questions his father even though at times it is obvious that Willy is not following the rules himself. This results in Biff growing up believing that rules do not apply to him because Willy does not follow them nor does he expect
Growing up, Willy doted on Biff the most, which reflects the way his own father doted on his older brother Ben. Their father-son relationship was strong until the incident with The Woman caused a rift to grow between them. Willy feared seeing his son due to the chance of being exposed, and Biff did not want to be reminded of his father’s betrayal. However, near the end of the play, Biff and Willy had a heart to heart which seemingly did some repair work on their relationship. Biff grew to forgive his father and confessed that he loved him despite their past. He experienced growth through the events of the story, making him another candidate for the