Characters
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[Willy Loman] [Linda Loman] [Biff Loman] [Happy Loman]
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Willy Loman was a salesman whose life had been full of financial and family problems. He had traveled his entire life to try and make a decent wage. The years of travel caught up to the fatigued man when he reached his sixties. He could no longer handle the long traveling and the pressures of the business world. He had always been in financial trouble; he never admited it because he wanted his sons to believe their father was a success. He not only lied to his children, but constantly lied to himself. He truly believed he was a popular man. He though he was still the best in the business, yet he clearly was not. Willy was always struggling financially. The only hope that Willy ever showed was in his son Biff. When Biff was in high school, his father believed he would be an athletic star and make something of the "Loman" name. When his son failed school, thus ruining his chance for success in sports, Willy grew spiteful towards his son. His son's future and his only hope had diminished. Through the entire story, the distant relationship between the father and son was present. |
The comforting that Linda gave to her husband was one of the only reasons Willy was able to survive in this world. Linda lived through the frustrating moments of her husbands life and actually learned to love her husband more in the times of problems. Linda acted as the calming person in the hectic house. In arguments, she was the first to try and resolve problems. She acted as a protector of her struggling husband, whose physical and mental health were both deteriorating. She loved her husband in his struggles through life.
Through his entire life, Biff felt that he had failed in the eyes of his father. As a talented teenager, Biff seemed to have a great future ahead of himself. He was a star athlete scouted by many colleges. He, though, ruined his life be being so obstinate as to not study for one math class. When he couldn't succeed in athletics, his father grew furious. His father had placed all hope in him and he had simply ruined a wonderful opportunity. After this, Biff believed that his father always looked down at him. With the money he made and his inability to hold a steady job, Biff always felt that he would never obtain a job that would please his father.
Biff had chosen the path his life would follow and would have to accept it. Without his father's acceptance of his decision, he lived with shame his entire life. He failed to make amends with his father and that led to their many arguments. The distant relationship between father and son dominated the entire story.
Happy was popular among the ladies like his brother, yet was second best when it came to his relations with his father. From the beginning, the reader sees that Hap struggled for attention from his father. Hap was not an athletic star like his brother, so Willy did not see as much potential for success. Happy, though, was not jealous. He accepted his position and lived his life without many worries. When he was older, he still showed the crave for attention from his father and attempted to please him. In the restaurant scene, he did not want his father to know his son Biff had again failed in life; he wanted to lie to please his father. Happy acts as the person who Biff can vent his feelings towards; they both share their worries about their dad. Hap learned to accept who he was, yet desired the love and attention he was deprived of his whole life.
As Willy's neighbor, Charley represented Willy's opposite. In flashbacks he showed little interest in what Willy loved, especially sports. Charley is a good friend to Willy, yet the naive Willy does not realize it. On many occasions he has offered Willy a job, yet the man was to "proud" to accept it. He even offered money to his friend to make Linda believe her husband was earning money. His kind actions towards his neighbor showed that Charley was one of few who attempted to be friends with the dying salesman.
Charley's son does not play a major role in the story, yet was the person who warned of Biff's need to study. Biff was too obnoxious to take the warnings serious, thus resulting in failure in math, school, and his future. Willy did not understand how Bernard, the child he always considered annoying, could be successful while his son was a failure. Everyone, besides Willy, was able to see the truth behind this question. Bernard acted to try and save his friend's future, yet was ignored.
Willy's brother, Ben, is seen throughout the entire story. Willy constantly believed that Ben, his deceased brother, was actually present in his kitchen disillusionments. This character emphasized Willy's deteriorating mental health. He acted as the model of what Willy considered success. From the story, the reader realizes that Ben was a successful man in his lifetime. He was constantly on adventures and was quite wealthy. Willy's whole life was based on his admiration of his brother's wealth, and his attempt to achieve his own financial success.
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