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Death Of A Salesman Father Son Relationship Essay

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The relationship between Willy and Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman is deeply influenced by both the social pressures of post-war United States and their complex family history. Several aspects of their relationship shed light on the impact of societal expectations and past experiences on their dynamic. Willy's perception of the American Dream heavily shapes his expectations for Biff. As a salesman, Willy believes in the promise of success and financial prosperity. He envisions Biff as the embodiment of this dream, seeing him as a sports hero with boundless potential. Willy's relentless pursuit of the American Dream for himself and his sons leads to a strained relationship with Biff. However, Biff's resistance to conform to Willy's expectations creates …show more content…

Willy's fixation on Biff's past accomplishments illustrates his desire for Biff to fulfill his potential and live up to societal ideals. The family's history plays a significant role in shaping the father-son relationship. Biff's discovery of Willy's affair during a visit to Boston shattered his image of his father and caused a rift in their bond. This betrayal led to deep-rooted resentment and mistrust between them. Biff's struggle to reconcile his father's actions with his admiration for him adds complexity to their relationship. During a confrontation with Willy, Biff exclaims, "You fake! You phony little fake!" (Act II). This emotional outburst highlights the impact of Willy's betrayal on Biff's perception of his father, further straining their relationship. Both Willy and Biff struggle with expressing their emotions and connecting on a deeper level. Willy's preoccupation with the American Dream and Biff's internal conflicts lead to a lack of open communication. The emotional distance between them hinders their ability to understand each other's struggles and

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However, Willy kept on denying the truth, while Happy and Linda were just trying to calm Willy down, and get him away from Biff. Despite Happy and Linda’s efforts, Biff continued to reveal his life experiences to Willy. Eventually, Willy came to realize Biff for who he really was, and the argument settled down. Now you may be wondering how the argument could possibly show any love for each other. The love was found in Biff’s persistent desire to be honest with Willy.

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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.

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In order for Willy to be a successful father, he needs to feel that his kids are respected and accomplished. However this shows that Willy is such an outsider, because Biff is quite the opposite, as the Bill Oliver that is references has no idea who Biff is. Another example that shows how Willy’s goals and dreams turn him into a misfit is when he asks for a promotion “ Well, tell you the truth, Howard. I’ve come to the decision that I’d rather not travel anymore.” ( Miller 59).

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Near the end of high school Biff began to strive to please his father carrying his father’s pride on his shoulders “This Saturday Pop, this Saturday- just for you, I’m going to break through for a touchdown.” Biff warrants his father’s approval because of the pride his father exudes. The father-son relationship is the bond Linda hopes is strong enough to save Willy. However, after Boston, the two men’s regards for each other quickly dissipated.

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Even though Willy Loman's son Biff failed to meet the standards Willy set for him, he attempted to set realistic boundaries for him as a child. He wants to raise him in such a manner that he could be a business owner, though he is unaware that Biff could not live up to his expectations. He possessed qualities he felt that Biff needed to meet his dream saying "We can't go back to the old days though, can we? And let's try not to blame everything on the war. I realize it's a business kid, and everybody's got to pull his own weight.

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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

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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.

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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

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Overall, Willy and Biff put up illusions to protect the way others view them. Willy hides his unhappiness and cheats on his wife. Willy also borrows money from a friend to support his lifestyle. These things cause Biff to view his father with disappointment and resentment. Biff continuously lies about his career and where it is headed to protect the way his father sees

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Willy then complains about the career state of their son, Biff, who, despite having a promising future in high school, never attended collage because he flunked math. Biff and his brother Happy were currently staying at their parent's place. That night, they talked about the

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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.”

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Willy then individualises the both of them, in doing so, tries to prove to Biff that they are far from worthless. Willy does this by saying: “I’m not a dime a dozen! I am Will Lonman, and you are Biff Lonman!” This interchange between father and son is the first evidence of American society as Biff has already come to the realisation that they are normal folk and nothing makes them more special from the next people, his father, however, is under the impression that they are far from your normal folk and that they are truly special. This inability for Willy to see what reality is really like exposes American society as it shows the way the “American Dream” made people believe they are more than they really are as they try to fit into modern society’s

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Also, the affair that Willy was in might have affected Biff and made him unable to keep a job. Willy has such insecurities with betrayal and himself that not only does he believe his family betrays him but also people on the outside too. His boss, for example, just because his boss fired him, Willy takes it as a form of betrayal even though he tells him, “there’s no room for betrayal in the business

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This serves as an ironic counterpoint to Linda 's comment that Willy is idolized by his children; the fact that he is having an affair shows that Willy is not a man worthy of such fervent admiration. He displays the same callous disregard for women that Happy demonstrates as an adult, yet where Happy disregards women with whom he has insubstantial relationships, Willy is unfaithful to the devoted Linda. The flashback also demonstrates that Willy is not a man respected by others. A very important fact is that Biff felt betrayed and did not finish college because he found his father having an affair with another woman, so he did not retake math to spite his father. He could not believe that his father would betray Linda in such a way.

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This cancelled his plans to be a collegiate football player. Ever since then, things have kept going on a downhill path for Biff. Willy and Linda both notice this and it devastates them. But, instead of helping his son, Willy becomes agitated for the rest of his life. He expected his son to be better but, Biff did not want to be better.

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