An Analysis of Biff and Happy (Death of a Salesman)
AN ANALYSIS OF BIFF AND HAPPY DEATH OF A SALESMAN ARTHUR MILLER HAPPY • 'Happy is tall, powerfully made. Sexuality is like a visible colour on him, a scent that many women have discovered. He, like his brother, is lost, but in a different way, for he has never allowed himself to turn his face towards defeat and is thus more confused and hard-skinned, although seemingly more content.' • Appearance is important in the Loman household. Happy uses his sexual prowess to allure women from executives with promoted posts - he steals their women to satisfy his over-inflated ego and in fact to feed his growing resentment and discontentment. • He uses girls to make him feel superior. • Biff - Remember that big Betsy something - what the hell was her name - over on Bushwick Avenue? • Happy, combing his hair With the collie dog? • Biff - That's the one. I got you in there remember? • Happy - Yeh, that was my first time - I think. Boy, there was a pig! They laugh, almost crudely You taught me everything I know about women. Don't forget that. • Happy is cruel and shows great disrespect for women. His female conquests merely satisfy his own vanity. He has lived in Biff's shadow all his life and now he compensates by nurturing his relentless sex drive and professional ambition. His father does nothing to show him he is important, so Happy relies on
Death of a salesman
Death of a Salesman: Discuss the importance of dreams in the play After studying 'Death of a Salesman', which won the Pulitzer Prize and the Drama Critics' Circle Award, I realised that a lot of dreams take place, but not only in the story but even in real-life situations because all the time you are thinking of fantasies and what you are going to do in the future. In 'Death of a Salesman' dreams such as the American dream, daydreaming, hopes and ambitions, fantasies, etc, take place. These dreams not only motivate the characters but also explain and influence their behaviour as they try to dream what is going to happen to them in the future. Hopes and ambitions play a vital part of being rich because Willy, Biff and Happy have always had an ambition of being rich, most significantly the 'million dollar idea', which was invented by Happy, whose real name is Harold. However, after all that dreaming these hopes never became true. Daydreaming could kill, as Willy would know after he crashed in the wall, while he was dreaming of something while driving. Nevertheless, after going through the rest of the story I find out that he was actually trying to commit suicide. However, I think that the American dream plays the most crucial part because the play is all about having money and being successful as Willy, Biff and Happy have been dreaming for a long time. The American dream is
Death of A Salesman
'Death of a salesman' coursework Introduction In 'In death of a salesman' we see an optimistic salesman, Willy Loman, in the last 48 hours of his life. The play has frequent flashbacks to Willy's past that are representative of how Willy is having a nervous breakdown and later commits suicide. We see Willy as a broken man under the cutthroat capitalist system he has so loyally served and supported all his working live trying to make the best for his family and trying unsuccessfully to become a successful salesman. Arthur Miller, the author, wants to show Willy as another victim of capitalism and makes us sympathise at how Willy and the people around him act. He shows us a man disillusioned by the world around him and confused by his sons who he wants to follow the same career as him. His sons, Biff and Happy are also unsuccessful or just not motivated. Biff wants to get out the city and live a laid back lifestyle where Happy tries in vain to be like his father but can not face the fact that he is also unsuccessful. Another aspect of the play is that Miller comments on the fake American Dream and measures of social status are made by the commodities or job that one has. He criticised capitalism at a time when the communist witch-hunts were carried out in America and he was arrested for sympathising with communists. It is obvious this play is an attack on the American
DEATH OF A SALESMAN
Death Of A Salesman Talk: . Death of A Salesman In It's Time. The context of post-war corporate culture-Its universality. A05 -Willy's flashbacks and 1949 present issues. - These issues are still seen today in 2008, such as mortgages, sibling relationships and jobs in society. -Even compare to people and television programmes, such as only fools and horses. Difference is Willy never does achieve his hopes and dreams. -Arthur miller makes it a very business like culture-Pressure. -Succeeding in Business-Dale Carnegie 188-1955. -A man, who talks about how friends come in use. -Willy doesn't only sell his goods and products, but has to try and sell himself as a salesman to make deals. -Willy is seen as a mediator, he is helpless and all his problems are brought upon himself. -Society at this time had a fear of the depression which had happened in the 1930s America was getting on its feet business was booming and people had money to spend on goods. -Businesses would sell to consumers and there was competition between consumers to buy good / quality products, this relates to Willy and Charley- (for example the refrigerator - Willy is tempted by big adverts but his fridge doesn't last) consumers compete against each other. It's like keeping up with the neighbours to have the showiest house and goods. -Howard has power in society as he is a successful man in society.
Death Of A Salesman.
Death Of A Salesman One rich successful, prosperous country is America. In America people try to do their best to achieve their dreams just like many people living in other areas of the world. America has loads of powerful and wealthy international role models. A lot of people follow their main dreams around the 'The American Dream'. 'The American Dream' is a belief that if you work hard enough you can achieve what you want. The people who believe in 'The American Dream' want to be independent and work for themselves. "Death of A Salesman", is about a character called Willy Loman who is a middle-aged man, and is a failure of 'The American Dream'. He is a salesman, who wants to live this dream. Willy is a dreamer who is too full of pride to accept the fact that his dream of being a successful salesman will never come true. He never realizes what a failure he is and where he fits in society. Charley sums up Willy's life by saying "When the hell are you going to grow up?" Willy spends his life in an illusion, constantly believing that he is a great man who is popular and successful. "I'm the New England man. I'm vital in New England." The old saying "Pride comes before a fall" is a sharp realization of Willy's Life. Willy is somewhat deluded. All of his life he has dreamt about becoming successful and respected by his family and friends, he wants to be admired. Willy Loman has
Death of a salesman
Death of a salesman The play death of a salesman was written by Arthur Miller in 1949, it was written when the American dream played an active part in life. The play is about the character Willy Loman who's life basically evolves the American dream, but in the end his life results in a tragedy. Miller claims " I set out not to write a tragedy but the truth as I saw it .." American dream Willy Loman along with many other Americans was a great believer in the American dream. The American dream as it stands is about how successful people are . Many peoples lives evolve around materialism , the need to have possession , and to be rich. This dream is unrealistic and based on the wealth of a family or person. America ran by a capitalist system which played a great part in the American dream. Death of a salesman does not concentrate on this but is based on one mans dreams, life and lies. Willy had many ambitions but these were overthrown by greed, competition, and lust. Ultimately like any tragedy the end leads to death. Death by the ruthless American dream which is unrealistic and survives in Willys everyday life . Willy's main life was lived subconsciously where he was most happy. The dictionaries definition of a tragedy is : serious play, film etc. in which the hero is destroyed by a personal failing in adverse circumstances.
Death of a Salesman
Death Of A Salesman In the beginning of the play, the main character, Willy Lowman, has just returned home after finding himself unable to concentrate on driving. His wife, Linda, suggests that he ask for a job in New York so that he won't have to drive so much. Willy insists, however, that it is vital to his company that he work in New England. Willy asks Linda about his son, Biff, who has just come home after being away for several years. He can't understand why Biff is unable to get a good job. Soon Willy begins thinking about when Biff was a senior in high school. He remembers how Biff was the star of the football team and how he was offered scholarships from several colleges. After Willy's daydream ends, Charley comes in to play cards with him. While they are playing cards Charley offers Willy a job, but Willy refuses. As they are talking, Willy's brother, Ben, appears to him in an illusion. Willy tries to talk to both of them at once and Charley can't Understand. Willy and Charley get into an argument and Charley leaves. Willy then turns his attention to Ben and asks him how he became so Successful. Ben tells Willy that he went into the jungle when he was Seventeen and when he came out at twenty-one he was rich. After Biff overhears Willy talking to himself, he asks Linda what's wrong with him. Linda explains that Willy is exhausted
The Death Of a Salesman.
7th February 2002 The Death Of a Salesman. The Cast. Hugh Fraser will play Willy Loman. Belinda Lang will play Linda Loman. Characters. Willy is a very contradictorary character; he finds it very hard to come to terms with reality. He lives in his dreams and takes all his pleasures from the past, which he distorts in order to feel happy and continue living a self-delusion. His role models are the great salesmen of an old age when their personalities came first and their goods second. These people don't however have a place in the modern business world where only ruthless aggression gets any results. He realises this when he says, "After all the highways, and the trains, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive." However, he doesn't do anything to change his methods of business. Pride is extremely important to Willy, whether it be pride in being (or pretending to be) a successful salesman, pride in his sons (especially Biff) or pride in being independent - he refuses Charley 's help at the very time when he needs it most. Despite never being able to reach his goals and his life being a huge self-deception in which he still keeps hope. Even as he is contemplating death he still maintains hope in the fact that his insurance monies will be, enough to give Biff the much-needed start he needs. Linda is Willy 's wife and exceedingly loyal to his hopes and ideas.
Death Of A Salesman
The Death of a Salesman 'The Death of a Salesman' is one of Arthur Miller's earlier plays and was written in 1949. The play is based in Yonkers, New York in 1940. Miller's Father was in a substantial financial crisis as there was a recession which led the family business to be put in jeopardy. Due to the recession and the Miller financial crisis, Arthur had to pay for his own tuition to study journalism and play writing in the University of Michigan. All of Arthur's plays were based on his life and all of the experiences he had encountered. Miller wrote his plays this way as he would have a first hand account of the events. 'The Death of a Salesman' is a disguise of Arthur Miller's past time of his family business's bankruptcy and financial crisis. In 'The Death of a Salesman', Willy Loman is in a crisis. He's about to lose his job, he can't pay his bills, and his sons Biff and Happy don't respect him and can't seem to live up to their potential. He wonders what went wrong and how he can make things up to his family. Willy Loman is a small, old man who believes he is of no significance. He just hopes for his children to do the best and be happy with what they achieve in life. Willy elaborates with images from the past and convinces himself that all is ok. It isn't. His role idolises a great salesman of his time, now to be just of an old age that sells his personality and
Death of a Salesman.
Death of a Salesman During the 1940s, American society became increasingly consumerist and more competitive than ever before. Arthur Miller's play 'Death of a Salesman' questions the values upon which this society is based and the way in which these contribute to the destruction of a man such as Willy Loman. He is very critical of a society which he seems to see as being destructive in many ways. The idea of the 'American Dream' made people believe that any man living in America could, with personality and dedication, become very successful. Miller has launched a somewhat scathing attack on the very notion of this dream. He highlights the many flaws within it; how such an idea can mislead good men like Willy, who devotes his entire life to being successful. The emphasis on being an owner of goods, the competitive nature of society, the callousness of the business world, the American Dream and the way in which success is measured are all criticised in 'Death of a Salesman'. Miller criticises the general way of the business world. Howard, the young boss of Willy's company, represents the ruthless and impersonal nature of capitalistic enterprise. When Willy goes to ask Howard if he can be transferred to a job in New York, Howard refuses to help him even though Willy has been working for the company for a long time and
