Death of a Salesman

Death of a Salesman: Paper Discussion |

LIT 428 |

Basil Wilford |

1) What does each major Character in Death of a Salesman seem to want? How do their interests align or conflict? How does what each character wants differ from what each has or gets?

In death of a salesman each character seems to want happiness to varying extents. Biff seeks truth and acknowledges his failures and learns to confront them. Whereas Willy and Happy are unable accept their reality. Linda, on the other hand, complex but views Willy’s (future) success as freedom from debt through ownership of their home and other materials. The family comes off as a contradiction to each other almost from the very beginning. Biff is tired of living in this “hot air” of a life that Willy has filled everyone up with. Biff only wanted to stop living in this dream Willy fabricated for them. Happy, to the end, backed his father and always thought about “the good ol’ days” like Willy, to Biff. It comes off to me that Happy is content with his life and intends to preserve Willy’s idea of success. Linda, appeared to be in denial the entire play but we all lacked her perspective. Linda only wanted her husband to be happy and not to think so little of himself, that clearly wasn’t the case.

2) How are Happy and Biff each impacted by Willy’s daunting expectations for them? How might Happy’s behavior towards women and Biff’s thievery be understood in context?

Biff is impacted by Willy’s daunting expectations by believing that he was not bound by social rules or expectations because Willy didn’t acknowledge them and he never expected Biff to. Happy isn’t impacted by Willy’s expectations, he just accepts them. Being just a younger version of Willy, Happy manipulates reality to his favor, exaggerating his position to create his own illusion of success. Both behaviors can be understood through Willy. Happy behavior towards women controls him but he “love[s] it.” Happy pursues women while Willy is ashamed...