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Body Paragrph Biff, My Writing - Coggle Diagram
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2) My Research Questions
“In what ways does Arthur Miller express his attitude towards the theme of “The American Dream” in his play Death of a Salesman through the interactions with Willy Loman, his family, Howard and Charley?”
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My Findings
His failures
Biff is introduced and from Willy’s perspective, the important part is that is he successful. He imposes his ideals on them to become successful and worth something. From the other lines oh his everything becomes way clear.
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Biff looks like a good looking man that can do good work. Like his father he has big dreams which is not acceptable from Willy or the world. He has definitely caries his fathers teachings.
“But in these days bears a worn air and seems less self-assured. He has succeeded less, and his dreams are stronger and less acceptable than HAPPY’S:” (page 8)
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He yet again finds simularities between an acient god and Biff. This tine hercules. He tells what happened as a legend. The glowing sun connecting to this flashback and a god related with sun is also a methapor.
“Like a young god. Hercules- something like that. And the sun, the sun all around him.” (Page 51)
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Critics of his Father
He right know follows one of his fathers ideals. The importance of human relation ship in businesses. In the second part his trying to open up a business for himself. Something that his father would like him to do and he is planing to help him about it. In the future of the play this ideal will be falsified.
“I think I’ll go to see him. If I could get ten thousand or even seven or eight thousand dollars I could buy a beautiful ranch.” (Page 14)
Biff is now currently is out of the dream and realizes that the American Dream is not real. Currenntly he is facing his and Willy’s failures
“He gave me one look and-I realized what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been. We’ve been talking in a dream for fifteen years.” (Page 81)
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The repitition of work is a sacrifice made for the American dream in order to get that future but Biff is conflicted about not believing in the ideal that doesn’t give him happiness. He still wants that future but he doesn’t want to submit to the ideal
“And it’s a measly manner of existence. To get on that subway on the hot mornings in summer. To devote your whole life to keeping stock, or making phone calls, or selling or buying. To suffer fifty weeks of the year for the sake of a two-week vacation, when all you really desire is to be outdoors, with your shirt off. And always to have to get ahead of the next fella. And still-that’s how you build a future.” (Page 11)
Rescorces
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Story of Hercules
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“Hercules is one of the most popular heroes in Greek mythology, with his accomplishments continually being told and depicted throughout the ages in art and literature.”
Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2022, Miller, Shari Parsons (08.10.2022)
My Writing
Balance
Even though the ideology conflict is one of the biggest reasons, why Biff and Willy clash.
There is another reason for this conflict, which is the fact that Willy cheated his wife in the past.
When Biff learned this fact, he lost all of his trust and love twoards Willy in the first place.
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However, the justification Willy gives related to his lonlines in his trips.
Therefore, covering it up
However, this point is more connected with Willy’s lonlyness rather then being a result of the American Dream, which is the main point of the analysis.
2) Development
Biff is a character who consistently fails his businesses and can’t live up to his Father’s expectations.
Furthermore, by failing the ideals of the American Dream he realizes that the dream itself is flawed.
3) Evidence
His failures
Biff is introduced in the play by his unsuccsesful sate from his father by “ simply asked him if he was making any money. Is that a criticism?” (Page 5
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Generally, this failure is described as not having work “at the age of thirty-four” (page 5), which doesn’t have a consistent income.
Despite his failures in the play, Biff is described as a strong individual, who has a good amount of potential.
Furthermore, the description of the play insists on the fact that like his father he has “his dreams are stronger and less acceptable than HAPPY’S:” (page 8)
Although Willy raised Biff to be a successful person and to be good at the work industry, in his life Biff comes to terms with the fact that he won't “ bringing home any prizes anymore, and you’re going to stop waiting for me to bring them home!” (Page 106)
The aspect of Biff seen as a highly strong person from Willy’s perspective could be seen from him making similarities to “a young god. Hercules- something like that. And the sun, the sun all around him.” (Page 51)
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The first element is that Hercules is known for his “extraordinary strength.”, which is also seen by Biff with his qualities in sport.
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Besides this, the sun metaphor from Willy enhance the god-like perspective.
Nevertheless, Biff accepts his inability to follow Willy's path by proving that he wasn’t “brought up to grub for money. I don’t know how to do it.” (Page 13)
Critics of his Father
Thanks to this consistency in mind Biff’s actual critics of his father will be connected more clearly.
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However, this plan doesn’t end up as intended.
By doing so, Biff does a lot of interspaction on his life and intends to share wit his father.
Thus, a huge conflict starts with both of the characters in their lowest points.
In this case Biff mentions that he himself is truely not fit for the demands of the work numorous times and critices Willy by saying “We’ve been talking in a dream for fifteen years.” (Page 81)
Another critic connected with pressure of succses would be the fact that Willy always increases Biff’s work in his position.
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However, Biff just saying he was a “shipping clerk.” (Page 83) connects with two points.
The first point being that Biff is an individual, who can’t do huge important works.
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Indicating that he and the people who try to follow the American Dream transforms you as a husk of lively person.
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Lastly, Biff conects his state with his Father.
On his realistic outlook Willy isn’t also sucssesfull evident by Howard and his low income. (The character Howard will be explored in a different part of the essay.)
1) Thesis
Biff as Willy’s son is a failure of the American Dream while showing the criticism of the American Dream itself.