Biff and Happy have both (but especially Biff) been raised to feel that they are something special and destined for greatness and that being a Loman is also special in itself.

Willy says: ●“I see great things for you kids” (p51) ●“…don’t undersell yourself. No less than fifteen thousand dollars” (p53) ● Willy’s references to Adonis and Hercules ● “You guys together could absolutely lick the civilised world.” (p50)

…are both under pressure from Linda with regards to Willy’s state “The man who never worked a day but for your benefit? …Is this his reward –to turn around at the age of sixty three and find his sons, who he loved better than his life, one a philandering bum –” “And you! What happened to the love you had for him?” “Come up and say good night to him. Don’t let him go to bed that way” “Don’t you care whether he lives or dies?” “-and then you desert him there. There’s no stranger you’d do that to!”

Biff Is “tall, powerfully made” but wants to know “why does dad mock me all the time?” Can’t settle: “I’ve had twenty or thirty different kind of job…I don’t know what to do with myself” “I don’t fit in business” Knows he is “mixed up” Recognises why “…we weren’t brought up to grub for money. I just can’t do it.”

Steals: basketballs a suit the pen from Oliver’s office “You know why I never had an address for three months? I stole a suit in Kansas city and I was in jail”

Tries to confront Willy with the truth “I’m a bum” “I’m a dime a dozen” “You blew me so full of hot air I could never stand taking orders from anybody” “I’m nothing” “…phony dream..”

“What happened in Boston, Willy?” (Bernard) And crucially… He is terribly affected by the knowledge of his father’s infidelity, which he can’t mention. “What happened in Boston, Willy?” (Bernard)

Happy (….or is he?) ☺is promiscuous “That girl Charlotte I was with tonight is engaged to be married in five weeks.” “And to top it off I go to their weddings!” WLTM “Somebody with character, with resistance!” ☺is a dreamer “We form two basketball teams, see? …The Loman Brothers…Baby we could sell sporting goods” “There’d be the old honour, and comradeship, and if you wanted to go off for a swim or something -well, you’d do it!” ☺Has some of the things he wants –an apartment, girls etc. –but is still not fulfilled “And still goddammit, I’m lonely” (p17)

Happy ☺is not satisfied in his job “All I can do now is wait for the merchandise manager to die” “I don’t know what the hell I’m working for” (p17) ☺tries, at times, to smooth things over between Biff and Willy “He just wants you to make good, that’s all.” (consoling) “Let’s buck him up” (p52) ☺He stands between Biff and Willy when they fight (p105) ☺ loves Biff and wants him to do well “My brother’s back, Stanley “…greatest football player…” ☺receives less attention and recognition from Willy than Biff, and struggles to gain equal approval from him (and from Linda). “I lost weight, Pop. You notice?” (p39) “I’m gonna get married, Mom. I wanted to tell you.” (p53)

Willy as a father In Willy’s defence, it could be said that he himself had little in the way of role models. Both Ben and his father were absent from his life. Perhaps the “American dream” was what replaced them. To what extent does the audience sympathise with him? Or is he just a lousy father?

It’s a family affair? Do you think that part of the reason for the play’s enduring appeal is that most people will recognise some of the difficulties of family life which are depicted in it?

Sources http://xahlee.org/Periodic_dosage_dir/lanci/traji_tsali_nanmu.html (Superman image) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Basketball.png/220px-thumb.jpg (basketball image) http://www.fashion-era.com/images/1950s/1955seams.jpg (stockings image) http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/art-96566/Charles-Atlas (Charles Atlas image) http://www.itzarion.com/dreamcatcher.jpg (dreamcatcher image) http://images.paraorkut.com/img/funnypics/images/a/all_american_dad-12656.jpg (Homer Simpson image) Clipart