WILLY: Why don’t you open a window in here, for God’s sake?
LINDA
(With infinite patience.): They’re all open, dear. WILLY: The way they boxed us in here. Bricks and windows, windows and bricks.
What is the secret in Death of a Salesman?
Biff’s “big secret” is
that he stole a pen from Bill Oliver
. It may seem a minor incident, but the desperately symbolic gesture holds a world of meaning. The senseless theft finally makes Biff realize the truth: that he had never, ever been a salesman for Oliver, only a shipping clerk.
Why does it matter that Willy’s surroundings have changed?
He is losing ground on all fronts.
The neighborhood is a microcosm for the world
that has changed and evolved around Willy Loman, while Willy Loman appears to not only have NOT changed but to be completely nostalgic toward the past and in a state of almost-denial as to what these changes mean.
Why does Dad mock me all the time?
BIFF: Why does Dad mock me all the time? BIFF:
Everything I say there’s a twist of mockery on his face
. I can’t get near him. HAPPY: He just wants you to make good, that’s all.
Why don’t you open a window in here for God’s sake?
WILLY: Why don’t you open a window in here, for God’s sake?
LINDA
(With infinite patience.): They’re all open, dear. WILLY: The way they boxed us in here. Bricks and windows, windows and bricks.
Why does Biff come home in the spring?
Biff comes home to discover what is really important to him. He come home
so that he can leave home of his own accord
. He finally comes to terms with what he really wants in his own life and not what his father wants him to be. Spring is the season of the melting of ice, rebirth and new growth.
Does it take more guts to stand here the rest of my life ringing up a zero?
Ben tells him “…it’s a cowardly thing.” Willy replies, “Why? Does it take more guts to stand here the rest of my life ringing up a zero?” Although Willy feels he is “ringing up a zero,” he still wants Biff to think he’s important. Willy says, “Ben, that funeral will be massive! …
What is Willy’s secret dream?
His dreams for his children—boyish, selfish and naïve all at once—are the standard dreams of any father. Willy dreams of
being not merely liked
. He wants to be “well-liked.” Surely the difference is a worthy one. You can be liked because of your status or your wealth or your availability to someone else’s needs.
What is Willy’s dream Death of a Salesman?
Willy Loman’s American Dream
To the protagonist of “Death of a Salesman,” the American Dream is
the ability to become prosperous by mere charisma
. … Of course, Willy’s version of the American Dream never pans out: Despite his son’s popularity in high school, Biff grows up to be a drifter and a ranch-hand.
What is Willy’s dream for Biff?
Biff’s idea of the American Dream is
to own a ranch out west and farm
. He doesn’t want to follow his father’s path of trying to be a great salesman and (supposedly) end up rolling in easy money. To pursue his dream, Biff goes to ask his former employer, Mr. Oliver, for a loan.
Why is Linda angry at her sons?
She is most angry at her sons
because she does not think they pay their father the proper respect
. She wants above all else for Willy to be happy, and she does not want Biff (or Happy) to upset him with the truth. She prefers that they cater to Willy’s illusions of their success.
What is the irony in Linda last speech?
The irony in the statement is that
Willy Loman killed himself because he thought he was doing his family a favor
. After years of working at a job he disliked trying to make enough money to support his family, his work has finally paid off.
Is Biff Willy’s son?
Biff Loman
Willy’s
thirty-four-year-old elder son
. Biff led a charmed life in high school as a football star with scholarship prospects, good male friends, and fawning female admirers.
Is Happy Loman successful?
Lesson Summary
Happy has not achieved the success he had
hoped for at work, though he inflates his position to make himself look better. He is Willy Loman’s son in the truest sense, emulating his father’s pursuit of success through social contacts.
Why is Biff unhappy?
Biff is unhappy
because he has been living in his father’s world throughout his life
, listening to his false preaching all along. Happy is unhappy because he has no purpose in life and job.
Why does Linda put the rubber hose back?
Linda puts the hose back
because she wants Willy to take the hose off himself
. To confront him with the hose would be to insult him and his sense of pride. Willy is a man who is concerned with appearances. Suicide is a sign of weakness, and he wouldn’t bear the thought of Linda confronting him.
