Since he acknowledges that he, too, is a “fake,” Biff can no longer hold a grudge against Willy. Ironically, Biff reconciles with Willy almost immediately following this statement. Once Biff states that “We never told the truth for ten minutes in this house,” he severs himself from Willy because he openly refuses to live by Willy’s philosophy any longer. Biff is relieved once he realizes who he is and what he wants, as opposed to who Willy thinks he should be and who Biff needs to pretend to be in order to please him. Unlike his father and brother, Biff is self-aware and values the truth. It is only when he confronts Oliver that Biff realizes how wrong he was.īiff is different from Willy because he does finally accept and embrace the fact that he has been living a lie all of his life. He refuses to take the personal association read analysis of Howard Wagner. A cold, selfish man, he inherits his success without building anything himself. For example, Biff truly believes he was a salesman for Oliver, rather than a shipping clerk. Biff Loman is one of the main characters in Arthur Millers 1949 play Death of a Salesman. Willy's boss and the son of Frank Wagner, who founded the company for which Willy works. It is true that Biff is not a womanizer like his brother Happy, but he has incorporated Willy’s tendency to exaggerate and manipulate reality in his favor. Father: Willy Loman Mother: Linda Loman Brother (older): Biff Loman Likes - Girls Dislikes. And as a result, he cannot change the fact that his father has inevitably affected him. The Salesman Son Happy Loman was Willy Lomans youngest son. The quasi-resolution that his suicide offers him represents only a partial discovery of the truth. Instead, Biff despises his father and everything he represents.īiff’s problem lies in the fact that, even though he does not want to associate with Willy, he cannot change the fact that he is his son. Why does Willy commit suicide By Theme By Section By Character Willy Loman Linda Loman Book Willy Loman Despite his desperate searching through his past, Willy does not achieve the self-realization or self-knowledge typical of the tragic hero. Biff considers Willy to be a “fake,” and he no longer believes in, or goes along with, Willy’s grand fantasies of success. Once he learns that Willy is having an affair, Biff rejects Willy and his philosophy. For example, instead of disciplining Biff for stealing the football, Willy praised his initiative.īiff’s perception of Willy as the ideal father is destroyed after Biff’s trip to Boston. It is not surprising that Biff’s penchant for stealing continued throughout his adult life because Willy encouraged Biff’s “little thefts” while he was growing up. As a result, Biff grew up believing that he was not bound by social rules or expectations because Willy did not have to abide by them, nor did Willy expect Biff to. He believed his father’s stories and accepted his father’s philosophy that a person will be successful, provided that he is “well-liked.” Biff never questioned Willy, even when it was obvious that Willy was breaking the rules. Prior to his Boston trip, Biff adored Willy. Whenever Willy is unable to accept the present, he retreats to the past, and Biff is usually there. He drives Willy’s actions and thoughts, particularly his memories, throughout the play.
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