More handpicked essays just for you.
Biff and willy's relationship in death of a salesman
Biff and willy's relationship in death of a salesman
Biff and willy's relationship in death of a salesman
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Biff could be argued to be one of the contributing factors to his father, Willy’s constant confused state of mind. This is shown early in the play when Willy calls Biff “a lazy bum” then shortly after states that Biff “is not lazy”, highlighting his mercurial behaviour.
I always heard yelling and screaming from their house, and it was often an argument between all four members of their family. The constant arguing always led me to believe that Willy yelled at his family because of his experiences as a child, and it worried me about how it would affect Linda and the children. Furthermore, my preconceived notions especially intensified when Biff would disappear for months at a time. However, there was one loud argument that, oddly enough, made me realize that all the yelling and arguing were done out of love. During the altercation, Biff was trying to tell Willy the truth about the nature of situations he (Biff) found himself in over the last decade of his life.
Willy's logical inconsistencies brings confusion towards the audience itself toward the start of the play; in any case, they soon turn into a characteristic of himself. Willy's conflicting conduct is the after effect of his powerlessness to acknowledge reality and his propensity to control or re-make the past trying to get away from the present. For instance, Willy can't leave himself to the way that Biff never again regards him on account of Willy's affair with another woman. As opposed to concede that their relationship is irreparable, Willy retreats to a past time when Biff appreciated and regarded him. As the play goes on, Willy disassociates himself more from the present as his issues turn out to be excessively too much, making them impossible to manage.
The potential for change to Biff Loman and The Lawyer lies in their experiences with the title characters of their respective pieces (Willy Loman and Bartleby), as well as changes in the environment in which they have grown accustom to. Willy inhibited Biff from being able to successfully change and become the person he wanted to be because Biff was guided by Willy’s impractical expectations. Though Biff does revere Willy’s values and ethics throughout his entire childhood, he catches his father having an affair, which causes him to realize he never desired nor was able to uphold Willy’s expectations. Only until Willy died was Biff truly free from his father’s expectations and able to pursue his passion. Unlike Biff, the Lawyer’s inhibitor of change was not a person, but rather his job and environment.
He went to New England to talk to his father about failing math, and much to his surprise, there was a woman, naked, hiding in the bathroom, Willy tried to make excuses at first saying it was a party next door, then when the woman walked out, he told Biff, “They’re painting in her room so I let her take a shower here. Go back, go back” (119). Biff didn’t believe him, especially after the woman demanded her stockings, and that’s what hurt Biff the most. Not only was Willy having an affair on Linda, but he was buying her things she should have been buying Linda.
Although Willy was never able to see Biff's perspective since he continued to push him to work as a businessman, if he had listened to Linda to understand Biff's point of view, their relationship would have mended, but rather they continued to quarrel. Taking part in a relationship implies striving to understand another's perspective through listening and communicating with them. As expressed in Fences and Death of a Salesman, these are important to ensure a healthy
Although in a way one can understand him not taking the risk and going to Alaska. Finally, Willy is responsible for his own death. I see this as a tragedy because Willy felt that the only way for him to make up for the fact that his past actions contributed to Biff’s failure in life was to commit suicide. In order that Biff would get an inheritance that would allow him to achieve the “American
While Linda enabled him, Willy could not help himself too keep ruining the good opportunities he had and turning them into some factious reality. At Willy`s funeral Biff comes to the realization that his father had all the wrong dreams and visions of success. Willy`s only dream was the fake “American Dream” that people believe will happen overnight. Willy`s failed attempts and happiness bonded into one and played a part into him creating this false reality and persona that he was the best salesman and that he was well loved by everyone around him.
HAPPY: What the hell! WILLY: Tell me what happened! Biff [to Happy]: I can’t talk to him! Willy is only able to cope with the reality the Biff lays before him by escaping entirely into his delusions.
Biff wants to retake the class in the summer but when he catches his father having an affair his perception of his father, his biggest role model, is shattered causing him to give up on the things he used to want to do. Willy represses this memory entirely and tries to blame others for Biffs behavior instead of himself. Willy also fools himself into thinking he is well liked and successful. In small moments of clarity Willy admits that people have made fun of his physique and no one talks to him anymore when he goes
In Death of a Salesman, Linda is Willy’s loyal and loving wife, who always unconditionally supports Willy’s unrealistic American Dream and defends Willy against the criticisms of their sons. She criticizes that Biff should not wander from place to place any more because she and Willy are getting older and will leave this world one day. Biff replies to Linda’s statements, but he doesn’t mention Willy at all. Biff’s behavior makes Linda upset and angry; Linda tells Biff that he either respects his father or leaves home. When Linda tells Biff that Willy often mumbles to himself, Biff is ashamed of Willy’s irrational behavior.
In the play, it shows Willy is soft and insecure not just a crazy man. Biff, Willy’s son had caught his father cheating on his mother and that made him feel angry at his father. Willy did not know how his son felt; Willy says [directly to Biff] “what’re you doing? What’re you doing?” Biff says [crying, broken] “will you let me go, for Christ’s sake?
The relationship that Beatty and Montag have is, boss, and worker. They get along very well in the first part of this novel, but getting further into it they begin to have some differences. Beatty is completely against books and book reading, but Montag is becoming curious about books and what they may hold/contain. This is causing some problems within these two characters, because they have completed opposite point of views on a very important topic which is, books. Also since both are fireman and theirjob is to burn all the books since it is against the law to have possession of books, it is difficult for Montag to want to learn about books.
Biff, a consequence of Willy, attempts to bring Willy out of his fantasies and his see the realities of his life, but in the end fails to. The two are different in their ideas, demeanors and personas, yet have some akin characteristics. Willy and Biff’s physical traits are different. At what point, Willy tells his wife Linda, “I’m fat. I’m very foolish to look at, Linda.”
Willy finds out his dream of being an popular, well respected salesman is impossible and takes his own life. Linda supports Willy despite the abuse and confusion he puts her through with his various attempts to take his own life, with his delirious ramblings and hallucinations, and with his constant deception. Happy still sees his father as a hero and Biff finally begins to grasp the truth of the “American Dream”. When Willy kills himself, all of the Loman family, including Willy, break free from the web of false dreams he spun and begin to understand Willy’s failings. They also realize their own flaws.
