Biff is one of the main characters in the play "Death of a Salesman" by Arthur Miller. Biff is Willy's and Linda's son. He was the star of the football team and had scholarships to 3 college's, but he flunked math and couldn't graduate, so he tried to work at many different jobs, and failed at each. Finally, he decided to head out west, and work on farms. Biff came back home this spring, because he didn't know what he was doing with his life. Willy has mood swings and sometimes thinks very highly
The Characters of Biff and Happy in Death of a Salesman No one has a perfect life; everyone has conflicts that they must face sooner or later. The ways in which people deal with these personal conflicts can differ as much as the people themselves. Some insist on ignoring the problem for as long as possible, while others face up to the problem immediately to get it out of the way. Biff and Happy Loman are good examples of this, although both start from the same
The Importance of Biff in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller The play "Death of a Salesman", by Arthur Miller, follows the life of Willy Loman, a self-deluded salesman who lives in utter denial, always seeking the "American Dream," and constantly falling grossly short of his mark. The member’s of his immediate family, Linda, his wife, and his two sons, Biff and Happy, support his role. Of these supportive figures, Biff’s character holds the most importance, as Biff lies at the center of Willy’s
next day. Willy complains that Biff, his older son who has come back home to visit, has yet to make something of himself. Linda scolds Willy for being so critical, and Willy goes to the kitchen for a snack. As Willy talks to himself in the kitchen, Biff and his younger brother, Happy, who is also visiting, reminisce about their adolescence and discuss their father's babbling, which often includes criticism of Biff's failure to live up to Willy's expectations. As Biff and Happy, dissatisfied with their
people have given different reasons to what led to Willy’s tragic fate. One interpretation I took was that Willy’s instability in his life led to his death. Some point that led in to my interpretation were his early family life, his relationship with Biff, and his job. Willy’s early family life was a difficult one with its many inconsistencies. In Willy’s early childhood his father left; this left him with many questions about his father and how to be a father. In one scene we see Willy talking to Ben
a dream of success. Miller uses many characters to contrast the difference between success and failure within the play. Willy is a salesman whose imagination is much greater than his sales ability; he is also a failure as a father and husband. Biff and Happy are his two adult sons, who follow in their father's fallacy of life, while Ben and his father are the only members of the Loman family with that special something needed to succeed. Charlie and his son Bernard, enjoy better success in
mistakes, or areas of strength. For this purpose, Bernard, a character in Death of a Salesman, is placed next to Biff, the protagonist’s son. Biff, is lost in a world created by his dazed father, who instills in him a set of false values, and eventually becomes a failure in his early age. In spite of the fact that Bernard admires Biff and believes he is able to help him prosper, Biff is unable to listen. Bernard also interacts with the protagonist himself, again showing the same traits that are indicative
his two sons Biff and Happy. He was a loving and giving father, but he always treated Biff better than he did Happy. Biff was the all-star quarterback and everyone in the city loved and admired him. Willy was no different, he always put Biff before anyone else in his household, which is something that a father should never do to his family. Willy's love for his sons was very apparent, however he set in them very low moral values. For example, Willy told Biff and Happy
his son, Biff. Willy's personal failures have led him to try an live vicariously through his son Biff. Willy Loman is an elderly salesmen lost in false hopes and illusions. The sales firm that he worked for no longer paid him salary. Working on straight commission, Willy could not bring home enough money to pay his bills. After many years with the firm, he was no a commodity to the company. They have spent his energy and discarded him like an old pair of shoes. Willy's sons, Biff and Hap,
and, most of all, as the ultimate moral value that is the eternal bond that keeps people together. One can see this in the love that Linda has for her husband Willy, the unmistakable devotion that Willy has to his family, and the masked love that Biff has for his father, Willy. Before experiencing the play Death of a Salesman the reader or viewer must understand the family standards that were in place during the time period that the play was set. It was a time where the man of the house
Throughout his childhood, Happy always had to settle for second fiddle. Willy, his father, always seems to focus all his attention on Happy's older brother Biff. The household conversation would constantly be about how Biff is going to be a phenomenal football star, how Biff will be attending the University of Virginia and be the big man on campus, how Biff is so adulated among his friends and peers, and so on. Young Happy was always in Biff's shadow, always competing for his father's attention but failing
explore how each character of the play contributes to Willy's dream, success, and failure. Willy is the aging salesman whose imagination is much larger than his sales ability. Willy's wife, Linda, stands by her husband even in his absence of realism. Biff and Happy follow in their father's fallacy of life. Willy's brother, Ben is the only member of the Loman family with the clear vision necessary to succeed. Charlie and his son Benard, on the other hand, enjoy better success in life compared to the
little self-esteem he has left. This mechanized society can also lead to a loss of individual freedom. In order to survive, one must be a part of the competitiveness. This may mean giving up having the freedom to choose a pleasing occupation. Biff wants to find his own way and do what he wants; he is looked down upon because of his wish. Happy, his brother, wants to be financially successful. He knows that in order to do that, he needs to join the work force and persevere where his father
In reality, Willy’s son Biff is a drifter and a thief, his son Hap is continually seducing women with lies, while Willy does not treat his wife with respect and lies to everyone. Throughout the play, Willy seems unable to distinguish between right and wrong. He continually sends mixed moral signals to his sons. We first discover this when Willy finds Biff practicing football with a new ball. When he finds out that Biff "borrowed" it from the locker room, Willy tells Biff to return the stolen ball
Churchill relates to Biff, Willy’s oldest son, and how he gave up on life once he found out the truth and reality about his dad. Upon finding his father cheating on his mother, Biff decides not to take the summer school math class which would have allowed him to graduate high school and go to the University of Virginia. Biff was raised by his father to believe that success and wealth in life were two of the most important goals to achieve. Upon finding the truth of his father’s life, Biff realized his father
son Biff exhibit an undoubtable strain in their relationship. Willy gives all his dreams to Biff in hope that he will carry on or create success for himself. Eddie wants the best for his niece, Catherine, but is unaware of his over protectiveness which in actuality is an element much more repelling. The relationships between father and child characters place tension upon everyone and ultimately is a factor in the protagonists common tragedy. In Death of a Salesman, although Biff and Happy
Salesman Willy Loman is in a crisis. He is about to lose his job, he can't pay his bills, and his sons Biff and Happy do not respect him and cannot seem to live up to their potential. He wonders what went wrong and how he can make things up to his family. The story is revealed through Willy's illusions-where much of story is told- so in consideration of the audience, it is possible that the events have not occurred the way they are seen, though the audience has no idea since they are seeing it through
family, more specifically his son, Biff. Biff is the firstborn and favorite son of Willie. Willie has high expectations of, and transfers his dreams, as so many fathers do, onto Biff. Biff can not live up to the expectations of his father and has dreams of his own which cause Willie to see him as a loafer, a shiftless bum with no desire to succeed. Although Willie's dreams are not realized in Biff, his son's respect is still important. This respect is lost when Biff catches his father in an affair with
feeling remorseful of what led and followed after cheating on his wife. "Now look Biff, when you grow up you'll understand about these things. You mustn't overemphasize a thing like this." (p.120) When Biff first caught his father cheating on his mother he reacted in a very harsh, way leaving his father feeling guilty. Biff began to realize his whole life was a fake. "You fake! You phony little fake! You fake! Overcome, Biff turns quickly and weeping fully goes out with his suitcase. Willy is left on
Reality and Illusion in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman In Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, a major theme and source of conflict is the Loman family’s inability to distinguish between reality and illusion. This is particularly evident in the father, Willy Loman. Willy has created a fantasy world of himself and his family. In this world, he and his sons are men of greatness that “have what it takes” to make it in the business environment. In reality, none of them can achieve