Biff/Happy

• 'I'm like a boy.' 'I ought to get married.'

  • Regression at times of conflict
  • Inherited Willy's longing to fit into societal norms
• Millers use of staging when Biff descends into a 'golden pool of light.' Willy calls him a 'star.'

  • Elevates Biff and the Loman name and shows promise to his upward trajectory
  • Light imagery - great height
• 'That's not my father, he's just a guy.' 'He's just overstrung.'

  • Happy trivialises the situation and ultimately betrays Willy
  • Abandons Willy at his worst.
• 'You phony little fake.'

  • Biff's discovery drains him of all the faith he had in Willy.
  • Outs Willy for what he truly is
• 'I'm a dime a dozen and so are you.'

  • Appreciates himself for what he is
  • Striking metaphor
• 'Biff breaks down, sobbing, holding onto Willy.'

  • 'Despite being at the peak of his fury, he doesn't resort to violence
  • Instead clings to Wily in attempt to make him let go of the American dream
  • Heightens the tragedy as all Willy has been doing is pursuing it
• 'He had the wrong dreams.' 'All all wrong.'
• 'Will you take that phony dream and burn it.'

  Biff attempts to save Willy
• "I felt like such an idiot"

  "We've been talking in a dream for 15 years"
• "Look at what's become of you!"
• "He's going to kill himself, don't you know that?"
• "That's not my father. He's just a guy."
• "If he saw the kind of man you are, and you just talked to him in your way."