The Downfall of Biff Loman in Arthur Miller’s Death of A Salesman
Even though Willy Loman in Arthur Miller;s Death of a Salesman was frequently
haunted by the flashback of the time Biff caught him with another woman, he knew in his
heart that his Boston affair left his oldest son bitterly ;crestfallen; (1880).Willy
Loman;s clandestine, adulterous affair continued unabated, until his son Biff caught him
in a hotel room with a prostitute.Willy Loman filled his sons so full of the concept of
“be liked and you’ll never want,” (1890) that when Biff failed math, “he went to Grand
Central,” (1931) to search for his father.He assumed that since Willy was so well liked,
he would be able to appeal to Mr. Birnbaum (his math teacher) to adjust his grade.But to
add insult to injury, when Biff made the trip to Boston in an effort to explain his
situation, he accidentally discovered his father’s infidelity.”Staring open mouth and
horrified at The Woman,” (1936) it was during this time that Biff encountered his father
in the hotel room with his mistress.Outraged by the fact that his own father gave away
his mother, Linda's well-deserved stockings, "you – you gave her Mama's stockings,"
(1937) Biff in "his weeping breaking from him," denounced his father, "you fake…you
phony little fake!" (1937).Willy was aware that it was that moment that Biff's life
ended.Furthermore, after that episode, Biff despised his father and could never bring
himself to provide Willy with the happiness of having a successful son.Finding out that
his father was a fake evidently had a devastating effect on Biff.This caused him to drift
away from his family rather than pursue the "phony dream" of success (1944) that his
father had forced on him.Thus, evidenced by this pivotal scene, Miller suggests that
when one co…
death of a salesman
The American Dream
Many people in different parts of the world a wait anxiously to gain entrance to America. America to them remains the land of opportunity. The land of freedom. The American Dream encompasses, as Thomas Jefferson so clearly defined in his Declaration of Independence life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Although those freedoms remain the core basis, the dreams themselves have altered. Success, power, and wealth undermine the motives of men and woman today.
The founders of America often found themselves fleeing their homelands for various reasons. One reason being for fear of religious persecution. The Protestants, Puritans, many Christian groups all fled Europe for that reason. Others found themselves in America simply, because they were giving land away. To many immigrants this was a dream come true, they finally are able to provide for their future. Financial stability was often another motive for refuge to America. Even at the origination of America, it was thought the land of opportunity.
In the present world, the original factors for immigrating to America continue to exist. Along with people seeking political asylum, there are those who simply come to America for a better life; they come seeking the American Dream. To those coming from war torn third world countries, living on welfare in America with freedom to move freely, freedom to speak, and freedom to live without restraint-their dreams have been answered. Recently there was a big controversy over the future of one little boy. His mother wanted a better future for them; she felt that America was where to achieve it. Elian and his mother attempted to sneak into the United States. Unfortunately, his mother died in the process.The young boy was then caught in a horrible custody battle; his American family did not want the boy to return to Cuba, where they felt he would have absolutely no future. The place of the boy was with his …