• Home Page
  • Death Of A Salesman Willy A Good Father Analysis

Death Of A Salesman Willy A Good Father Analysis

Improved Essays
Show More
In Death of a Salesman by, Arthur Miller, Willy has a desire to be a good father to his son were his dad was not. Willy believes that if he can instill the correct values into Biff so he can be like himself or more successful. The problem Willy is confronted with is that he cares too much as if he is trying to emulate his life in Biffs. Compared to Willy Charley takes a position of hands off while still teaching Bernard to be a good student and by working hard because it will pay dividends later on in life. Willy’s personal approach to Biff leads to many of the flaws of Willy being mirrored in Biff. Biff is propped up on a pedestal by his father while Bernard is humble like Charley. Lacking a father leads to Willy trying to hard to be involved in his children 's lives. This image Willy instills was dearly flawed, which leads to Biff being led down a delusional path of success and to his inevitable failure. …show more content…
To Willy none of the other stuff is beneficial like working hard and being smart. If you are well liked nothing can hold you back from succeeding in life. Willy tells his two sons “That’s just what I mean. Bernard can get the best marks in school y’understand, but when he gets out in the business world, y’understand, you are goign to be five times ahead of him”(33). Willy is teaching his sons to practically reject the values, which are required to become successful. Biff takes what Willy says quite literally and builds his life around it. Teaching his boys this is not in entirely his fault because he truly believes inside that being well liked is the ticket to

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Theme Of Lying In Death Of A Salesman
    • 1318 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Theme Of Lying In Death Of A Salesman

    Willy does this because he feels guilty that Biff is not successful. For instance Willy tells Linda that "Biff Loman is lost [in] the greatest country in the world" demonstrating that Willy tries to rationalize why Biff is not successful because he knows he never will be (Miller 16). This is also because Willy knows that Biff cannot be successful because of how he raised him. This is expressed when Willy makes a "reference to . . . [tools, such as the hammer, which then reflects on] the fact that Biff`s destroyer . . . [is] Willy who failed as a father by" forcing Biff to become a salesman instead of letting Biff be whatever he wants, like Charley does (Ardolino Par. 14). This is also how Willy`s parenting is different from Charley`s, which then causes Bernard to be a success and Biff to not be. Willy demonstrates this when he claims that "if [Biff] hadn`t flunked [high school he would have] been set be now!" explaining that Willy thinks Biff could have been a great salesman or at least a successful man, if he just graduated high school like Bernard did (Miller 109). However, this is not the case because even if he had graduated, Willy filled Biff with so much confidence he could not keep a job. This is evident when "Biff [attempts] to meet with Bill Oliver, . . . [and] he [waits] in Oliver`s reception room and '[keeps] sending [his] name in ' . . . but…

    • 1318 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Theme Of Betrayal In Antigone
    • 851 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Theme Of Betrayal In Antigone

    Willy betrayed his family and the love his wife had for him and eloping with the mistress led to his downfall. Willy constantly pushed his family to be successful and this makes him crazy. Willy constantly talks of his son’s achievement and pushes him to be the best. But as the story progresses, Biff feels that, his father betrayed him by what he used to tell him about success. On the other hand, Willy feels betrayed by his son Biff’s incapability to succeed in life, in spite of the encouragements he had given him to be able to succeed. Willy had put his expectations and dreams on hi son Biff, but the son dropped all his ambitions after he felt his father had betrayed him together with his mother. Therefore, both Will and his son Biff felt…

    • 851 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    How Does The Past Affect Willy's Life
    • 672 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Does The Past Affect Willy's Life

    When Biff was a teenager, Willy would tell him to go into business. He wanted him to be successful and make money. Willy’s pressures and praise made Biff overconfident and blind of the reality and his actual destiny. Biff realizes that he does things only to make his father jovial such as stealing and lying. The family is full up lies and contradictions all due to Willy’s ignorance. Biff starts to realize that what he is doing is not for his own happiness; he does not feel content with business life. Willy is not making Biff successful and gracious but making him a failure and a sinner. As a result of this false hope, Biff starts to believe in what he wants to do and will live off his own lifestyle as evident towards the end of the play when Biff tells Willy that he will leave forever. Willy had no reason to live as no one was truly there for him. Willy is considered as an outcast; society and even his family rejected him. The only result is to die as it will provide insurance family to Linda and his…

    • 672 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Self-Misadversity Through Adversity In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman
    • 1061 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Self-Misadversity Through Adversity In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

    Because Willy blindly tries to pursuing his dream, he does not only create a lot of hardship for his family, but also give a lot of inappropriate education to his sons. Although Willy questions about whether “[he is] teaching them right”, Willy ensures that there is nothing wrong about being well-loved and successful. As the result, Biff and Happy both receive a lot of twisted and inappropriate education. Willy tells Biff not to pay any effort on education since Biff’s good appearance will make him “five times ahead of [Bernard]” who studies really hard in school. Willy also gives Biff the wrong idea of well-liked. When Biff steals a football from school, Willy says it would be okay as long as the coach “congrats his inactive”. Therefore, the education given by Willy is totally wrong because of Willy’s misperception on his independence of becoming a successful man in business. Also, the adversity Willy encounters in career makes him so desperately want his sons to become successful, and ensure that Willy’s independence. However, because of the adversities Willy created and the bad education given by him, Biff refuses to go into business world. Meanwhile, although Happy chooses to work in business, it is easy to tell that he is not as successful as he expected. Therefore, Happy tries to find the sense of success by holding affair…

    • 1061 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Essay On Radical Change In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman
    • 1074 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Essay On Radical Change In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

    Willy’s ignorance in seeing his son’s true identity reveals that he is unable to accept the truth about his stubbornness to adapt constant change. Early on in Act I, Biff is characterized as the star football player in high school bringing lots of potential in his future. Biff has “[been made] captain” of the team followed by “a crowd girls every time the classes change” (31). Additionally to his early success, his connection with his father presents Biff as a thoughtful child- “I’m taking one play for Pop. You watch me, Pop, and when I take off my helmet, that means I’m breaking out. Then you watch me crash through that line!” (32). Biff had the qualifications to be a successful person in the coming years; but as a result to his failure in his math course, Willy rids him. Now, Willy believes that “Biff is a lazy bum” (17). Biff’s situation does not allow him to regain control of his life as he does not have the support of his father. Willy’s ignorance if the situation at hand causes him to create more salesmen through his son as he wants to bring back his identity through others even though he has already lost it. Willy’s ideology of having more of himself in others demonstrates his process of relieving the pain caused by sudden change during the height of capitalism. Willy slowly loses…

    • 1074 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Death Of A Salesman Willy's Relationship Essay
    • 1442 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Death Of A Salesman Willy's Relationship Essay

    At the beginning of the flashback, Willy is shown as talking to young Biff and Happy, and representing a more stereotypical parent than he appears in the present time scenes of the play. He is full of guidance, providing knowledge to his children, as a typical parent would, saying "Just wanna be careful with those girls Biff" which also shows a protective side to him. He also says "You want to watch your schooling first", as he knows what is better for his children, and looks out for them. This could also represent a calmer side to Willy, as he is not frustrated by his children, and instead calmly provides advice, allowing the audience to wonder why he has changed so much. However, some of his personality appears to be similar, as his mercurial…

    • 1442 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Willy Loman In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman
    • 680 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Willy Loman In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

    Willy attempts to mold Biff into everything that he wanted to be, an affluent business man that has enough to live comfortably. However, Biff is none of these things because of the philosophy that Willy has drilled into his head since he was a young boy. Biff is constantly being told that he is the ideal son and Willy even tries to convince him that he was a salesperson when he was only a stockboy. The constant lies that flow out of Willy’s mouth show that he has crafted his own ideal society in his mind, which makes the Loman family the quintessential businessmen , since they are a group of well liked individuals. These constant lies even lead to Biff discovering an affair that Willy is having, since he visits him after he fails a math class that Willy assures him he would pass on the basis that he was a well liked individual. Willy, who wanted Biff to be everything that he could not be, ends up failing both himself and his son because of the lie filled philosophy that he teaches to his son.…

    • 680 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Willy's Flaws
    • 1186 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Willy's Flaws

    Willy is a model of the tragic hero as he was once respected but has lost the respect of others due to his excessive pride and his inability to realize his lack of skills to achieve the American Dream. Willy has a different view on what is seen as successful in his eyes but his view does not apply to what success really is in the real business world. He states this when he was giving his son, Biff, advice: “‘the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interests, is the man that gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want”’ (Miller 33). The fact that he believes physical appearance and superficial traits is what makes a man succesful reveals his ignorance in the business world. This explains his job as a salesman; he uses his looks and charisma in order to appeal to people. These traits only prove to be temporary when he comes to face reality when he loses his job as he tried to force his way into raising his position. After his boss, Howard Wager, asks Willy to rely on his sons for money, Willy responds “‘I can’t throw myself on my sons. I’m not a…

    • 1186 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Willy Loman Deception
    • 801 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Willy Loman Deception

    From the very beginning Willy’s detached sense of reality is visible. Contrasting lines such as “ I’m very well liked in Hartford.” and “ I know it when I walk in. They seem to laugh at me.” serve to demonstrate Willy’s sense of delusion and pattern of deceitfulness. Willy models his life around the American Dream, but refuses to accept the fact that he is an unsuccessful business man who is generally unknown. Willy is too proud to accept his own reality and resorts to lying to convey a sense of security. Lines like “ ...he has to go to Charley and borrow fifty dollars a week and pretend to me [Linda] that it’s his pay ?” reveal how Willy succumbs to fibbing as a result of his own pride. This is seen again when Charley offers Willy a job, his response being “ I can’t work for you, that’s all. Don’t ask me why.”. Willy irrationally denies a job offer, despite having just been fired. Clearly he has allowed his pride to override his better judgement, a quality that essentially leads him to his death. When Willy says “... because he [Biff] never realized- I am known !” it becomes evident to the reader that Willy stills holds his pride above the truth, and as a result, is willing to take his own…

    • 801 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Dysfunctional Family In Death Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller
    • 787 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Dysfunctional Family In Death Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller

    Willy is the father and husband that is trying to support his family, not so much his sons, but his wife, Linda, and paying off so many bills a week. He doesn’t have the best relationship with either of his sons. Form the flashbacks Willy has, the readers can see that he was very fond of Biff when he was young, but he never paid much attention to Happy, even though Hap tried to get his attention quite often. At the present time of the storyline, it becomes clear that Biff doesn’t get along well with his father, but readers later realize that Biff knows something about Willy that no one else in the family does. Happy is Biff’s support in the family, he’s what keeps Biff sane while he’s home to visit. Linda is the glue of the family, she’s the only support Willy has left and the only reason her sons come back home. The Loman family in “Death of a Salesman” is a typical American family with its little…

    • 787 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Willy Loman's Allegory Of A Cave
    • 347 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Willy Loman's Allegory Of A Cave

    “The Death of a Salesman” perfectly represents how our expectations can be the death of us. Biff, who is the son of Willy, depicts freedom and light as he reminds his father that money doesn’t define him, though Willy is isolated and a prisoner to his dark and twisted mind.…

    • 347 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Death Of A Salesman Essay: Dysfunctions Of The Loman Family
    • 624 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Death Of A Salesman Essay: Dysfunctions Of The Loman Family

    To begin with, Willy is a father and husband who are expected to uphold the family by being a salesman. However, this is nearly impossible, due to his health rapidly declining. He can't seem to make out what is happening in real time, leaving him short tempered and in constant confusion. An example of this is when his brother, Ben, appears on several accounts throughout the book. This is particularly peculiar, because Ben met death many years ago, yet Willy still imagines having genuine conversations with him. Ben continuously torments Willy in these fictional conversations saying,“You don’t want to make a fool of yourself” (Miller 100) and “ He’ll hate you, William.” (Miller 101) This is a direct reflection of how Willy feels about himself during this point in his…

    • 624 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Willy The Failure In Death Of A Salesman
    • 790 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Essay On Willy The Failure In Death Of A Salesman

    It is almost as if he were still a child, in the sense that he blames others for his faults. Willy tries to remove any fault at all from himself and project it onto others; “Don't you dare blame it on me! … I won't take the rap for this, your hear?” (Miller 96). Underneath the surface, Willy actually blames himself for his misfortune. He will do anything to deny the fact that he is to blame for biffs failures. He can not face the guilt of failing his Biff as a father. He truly believes that Biff has destroyed his life in order to spite him. Willy Exclaims; “spite, spite is the word of your undoing!” (Miller…

    • 790 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Theme Of Family Relationships In Death Of A Salesman
    • 967 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Theme Of Family Relationships In Death Of A Salesman

    From when Biff was a child to an adult, Willy kept badgering him to get a job as a salesman and putting him down when he did not live up to Willy’s standards. In the beginning of the play, Biff went to visit but was still unable to make his father proud. During an earlier discussion between Linda and Willy, Linda told Willy she felt if Biff lived his life the way he wanted to, there would be less arguing between everyone. Linda specifically said, “I think if he finds himself then you’ll both be happier and not fight anymore”. After saying this, Willy was disgusted and replied “How can he find himself on a farm? Is that life? A farm hand?” which meant he disapproved Biffs decision. Although the farm was the path Biff most likely wanted to take, Willy only cared about the fact that Biff was not making money, causing an argument. Although Willy did not approve of Biff’s decision, Biff later realized that he should not have cared about Willy’s criticism, but only cared about his…

    • 967 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Death Of A Salesman Setting Analysis
    • 1150 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Death Of A Salesman Setting Analysis

    Willy puts too much pressure on biff to become successful by putting him on a pedestal always believing the impossible. He believes Biff has more potential of success than he is aiming for. Notably, Willy explains, “Biff Loman is lost. In the greatest country in the world a young man with such personal attractiveness gets lost. And such a hard worker. There’s one thing about Biff- he is not lazy” (Miller 16). Critic Harold Bloom states, “ Biff will furiously accuse his father of fostering a delusional sense of entitlement-an assumption that all done will automatically open on his path to success “(Death of a Salesman Bloom 1). Willy believes popularity leads one to success so he is convinced that Biff is so close that he needs to put pressure on him for a greater outcome. Willy’s illusions consist of the remembrance of his successful brother. After Willy visits his boss and is told that he is fired, Willy has another one of his “daydreams” with his brother Ben (Miller 85-86). Professor Merrit Moseley…

    • 1150 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2023 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings