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Who Is Biff In Death Of A Salesman

1054 Words5 Pages

Throughout the story of Death of a Salesman, Biff Loman has been trying to step out of what was normal for his family and make a name for himself. We see Biff in many different parts of the story attempting to escape, from the guilt of his mother to the neediness from his brother, Biff Loman has struggled to have a meaningful life. Biff has something holding him back from becoming successful and that was his father, Willy. Since he was young he had been influenced by his father ideals of his father, when Biff was young he needed more practice with his football skills. Is “That so? And he gave you the ball, heh? Well, I borrowed it from the locker room. I want you to return that. I told you he wouldn’t like it! Well, I’m bringing it back. Sure, …show more content…

But then you see Biff in a new light you see him as a man who wants to change himself and become someone different than his father, not relying on his relationships with others to become successful. running down the stair Biff remembers“ And suddenly I stopped, you hear me? and in the middle of that office building, do you hear this? I stopped in the middle of that building and saw -- the sky. I saw the things that i love in this world. The work and the food and time to sit and smoke. And I looked at the pen and said to myself, what the hell am I grabbing this for? why am I trying to become what I don't want to be?” Biff didn't want to be like his father he wanted to be someone better, someone who could be trusted and someone who people wanted to hire. Biff forced himself to stray from his father's beliefs so he could become the person he wanted to be. With the way that Biff is heading hopefully he will have a meaningful and happy life.

In the play of Death of a Salesman, Happy Loman has followed his father's footsteps for a very long time, this has caused him to be unsuccessful in his life. We see Happy who doesn't love his father but is influenced by the way his father has lived his life up to this point to be how Happy has lived his life. Just like

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Unlike his father and brother Biff ends up changing by the end of the story. He was always the apple of his father’s eye being the sport star of the family. But, after failing high school and finding out about his father’s infidelities his went downhill. His actions of not going back to finish school and disregard for authority showed his immaturity. Although he started out as immature by the end of the story he had stood up to his father and decided to take charge of his life.

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Both characters realized that hard work is necessary to get what they want and that success is not a result of popularity. Bernard recognizes this much earlier in his life and becomes successful from an early age. This highlights how fathers play a crucial role in character development. Ironically Biff is similar to Willy, even though he refuses to admit it. Through this, Miller implies that all humans have inherited traits from their parents that cannot be denied.

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He refuses to see the concrete facts; he gets fired, has been a poor father figure and husband, and has had an unsuccessful career as a salesman. He not only fails to recognize the failure within him but the failure within his son. He never loses the grand, rich ambitions he has for his son despite the fact that Biff is a normal human

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His desire to control Biff’s life caused so many problems between them. His insecurity came out when he states “I’m like a boy, i’m not married, I’m not in business”. He felt like he wasn’t living life to his father's expectations. Biff:”Well, i spent six or seven years after high school trying to work myself up shipping clerk, salesman, business of one kind or another. And it’s a measly manner of existence.

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