Family Issues in the Play Death of a Salesman Essay -- success, life, p

The play, Death of a Salesman, is a tragic drama about an aging salesman who tries to do all he can to support his family and make them lead successful lives. The struggling salesman, Willy Loman has two sons, Biff and Happy, whom he tries to drive towards success. Willy believes that being well liked and making a good and lasting impression are the keys to success and tries to teach this philosophy to his two sons. Biff, being the favorite son of Willy, has worked as a manual laborer and Willy believes that Biff can do so much more with his life. While Biff is happy, he does not meet Willy’s criteria for success. Biff is unable to fulfill Willy’s dream because Willy’s idea of success is not a life Biff wants to pursue. Biff Loman, a highly successful high school football player, was supposedly meant for great things after high school. However, Biff failed to graduate from high school due to failing a mathematics class, and also did not complete the class during summer school, because of the discussion he had with his father. The discussion was one that was eye-opening, as Biff learned that his father was unfaithful to his mother, â€Å"You—you gave her Mama’s stockings†¦don’t touch me, you—liar...You fake! You phony little fake! You fake!â€Å" (95). This is the moment in the play where Biff lost all respect for his father. Due to not graduating, he lost his athletic scholarship to the University of Virginia. Since then, Biff has been working blue-collar jobs in the west while not making over thirty-five dollars a week. He is happy there but realizes that there is not much future in that line of work and ends up returning home without a job. Willy cannot understand how everything could have gone so wrong for Biff. Willy has always been und... ...him† (111). This play has a story that I feel like many people can relate to. In my case, my dad would prefer if I followed his footsteps into medicine, but he says to do what I enjoy. While I certainly wouldn’t rule that field out, it is nice to know that if I want to do something different, I have my family’s support. In conclusion, Biff will not follow in Willy’s footsteps due to the fact that he has no motivation or desire to go into the business world. Willy dies thinking that his life was a success because of the money he is leaving for his son whereas it is not, at least in the way he thinks. Biff breaks free from Willy’s false dream and tells Happy: â€Å"He had the wrong dreams. All, all, wrong... He never knew who he was† (111). Happy does end up taking the money to start a business and while that was not Willy’s main aim; it is something rather than nothing. Family Issues in the Play Death of a Salesman Essay -- success, life, p The play, Death of a Salesman, is a tragic drama about an aging salesman who tries to do all he can to support his family and make them lead successful lives. The struggling salesman, Willy Loman has two sons, Biff and Happy, whom he tries to drive towards success. Willy believes that being well liked and making a good and lasting impression are the keys to success and tries to teach this philosophy to his two sons. Biff, being the favorite son of Willy, has worked as a manual laborer and Willy believes that Biff can do so much more with his life. While Biff is happy, he does not meet Willy’s criteria for success. Biff is unable to fulfill Willy’s dream because Willy’s idea of success is not a life Biff wants to pursue. Biff Loman, a highly successful high school football player, was supposedly meant for great things after high school. However, Biff failed to graduate from high school due to failing a mathematics class, and also did not complete the class during summer school, because of the discussion he had with his father. The discussion was one that was eye-opening, as Biff learned that his father was unfaithful to his mother, â€Å"You—you gave her Mama’s stockings†¦don’t touch me, you—liar...You fake! You phony little fake! You fake!â€Å" (95). This is the moment in the play where Biff lost all respect for his father. Due to not graduating, he lost his athletic scholarship to the University of Virginia. Since then, Biff has been working blue-collar jobs in the west while not making over thirty-five dollars a week. He is happy there but realizes that there is not much future in that line of work and ends up returning home without a job. Willy cannot understand how everything could have gone so wrong for Biff. Willy has always been und... ...him† (111). This play has a story that I feel like many people can relate to. In my case, my dad would prefer if I followed his footsteps into medicine, but he says to do what I enjoy. While I certainly wouldn’t rule that field out, it is nice to know that if I want to do something different, I have my family’s support. In conclusion, Biff will not follow in Willy’s footsteps due to the fact that he has no motivation or desire to go into the business world. Willy dies thinking that his life was a success because of the money he is leaving for his son whereas it is not, at least in the way he thinks. Biff breaks free from Willy’s false dream and tells Happy: â€Å"He had the wrong dreams. All, all, wrong... He never knew who he was† (111). Happy does end up taking the money to start a business and while that was not Willy’s main aim; it is something rather than nothing.