Death Of A Salesman Father Son Relationship Essay

Exam 3
Prompt 1:
Throughout the play, Death of A Salesman, by Arthur Miller the relationship between a father and son is revealed as Willy reminisces about his past and where he went wrong in his career and in raising Biff. While the play focuses on the stresses of life living the American Dream and the unraveling of Willy’s sanity, it also highlights his feelings toward his oldest son and how much Biff impacts his mood and behavior. Arthur Miller details the experiences of a normal family in the 1940’s by exploring common struggles and flaws of family relationships that many can relate to in this two-act tragedy.
In the first part of the play, Willy’s two sons, Biff and Happy come home to visit their parents. As they retire for the night in

Willy exhibits his pride in being well-liked at the beginning of the play. In a flashback, he talks to his sons after coming home from a business trip, letting them in on a “secret” Willy says, “Someday I’ll have my own business, and I’ll never have to leave home anymore” (Miller, 19). His younger son then compares his idea to his uncle’s business to which Willy then replies, “Bigger than Uncle Charley! Because Charley is not — liked. He’s liked, but he’s not — well liked” (Miller, 20). Willy seems to have raised Biff under the same impression that being well liked is the most important thing one can be, always complimenting and encouraging his son’s outgoing behavior in high school, telling him he can get away with things because he is popular. With Willy’s encouragement, Biff sees his father as a good man who is successful and capable, perhaps encouraging him to follow in his footsteps. At this young age it seems that all Biff wants is to be well-liked and successful like his

After this event their relationship becomes strained. Biff fails his math class which seems to be a significant event that altered his view of himself. He never settles on a job and moves around trying to find fulfillment. It seems he never does, as he explained to his brother, Happy when they returned home for a visit. Willy never truly takes the blame for this mistake that affected Biff, he recounts the story when Bernard asks what happened in Boston to which Willy responds, “What are you trying to do, blame it on me? If a boy lays down is that my fault?” (Miller, 68). It is clear that Willy is unable to own up to his mistakes, perhaps because of the high expectations he has set for himself and his