by Kendall Blair

Created on: July 05, 2008

Death of A Salesman is a play that focuses in on a middle class family living in New York after World War II. The story gives us a deep look into the interaction between father and a son, Willy and Biff Loman. The majority of the play takes place in an apartment in New York. Willy, the father, is a traveling salesman. He has two sons, one of which is Biff, and the other sons name is Happy. Willy's wife, (the boys mother) is named Linda. Willy and Biff's relationship is strong during the early years but that all seems to change after Willy fails to graduate high school.

There are communication barriers between Biff and Willy because of their past experiences. This makes it difficult for them to converse with one another without fighting or saying harsh words. The two men mean the world to each other but disappoint one another in the same respect. Throughout the play Biff and Willy have interactions with one another that are not pleasant. This all goes back to one agonizing evening in their past. The scene was a hotel room in Boston. Biff went to his father for advice and unknowingly found him with another woman. Willy's lack of respect for his wife was more than Biff could take.

Biff had great plans for his future. He was to go on and play college football for a university. This dream was set back when he failed his math class and was unable to graduate from high school. Biff discovered this and went to find his father. This is when he witnessed Willy having an affair. From then on out Biff and Willy's relationship began to go down hill. Communication was never easy from then on.

The strife in Biff and Willy's relationship continues from the affair on. Willy was hopeful that his son would go on to have a great future full of wealth and popularity. This did not happen. Instead Biff took on many odd jobs and failed at them. Biff does not directly come out and say it but he attributes part of his failure to his father. Communication troubles between Biff and Willy grow throughout the play. Willy has a difficult time watching his son struggling but instead of encouraging him instead he insults him.

Willy was continuously untruthful in the things that he said and did. He was always bragging about sales that weren't really there. Biff was not able to overcome his fathers deceitfulness. He felt that this untruthfulness had contributed to the affair he had witnessed. Biff hated his father for having relations with a woman other than his mother and this was evident during

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