Biff Character Study.
Biff is the eldest of Willy's two sons. He is an attractive man, even though he is labeled as a failure in life. When Biff was in high school he was the star football player which won him several scholarships. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to continue his education because he failed his math class. He also started stealing things while he was in hight school and was never reprimanded for it. In fact, when he stole the balls from the locker room, Willy excuses the behavior by saying that the coach would probably be proud of Biff for watning to practice while at home. Early in the play, Biff proves that he has assumed all of Willy's values and has not developed any of his own. Biff leared from his father how to being well liked and attractive are the most important ingredients for success. He even echoes small bits of Willy's views on life when he says that Bernard "is liked but not well liked." He himself feels that since he is handsom, he will be liked and successful in life. He waits for grand things to come his way, but they never do. Instead he loses one job after another, because of his compulsive stealing. Later in the play, he comes to some realistic understanding of his place in life. He knows that he is "nothing,' in spite of Willy's praises of him and dreams for him. He tells his father that he is "no good. I am a dime a dozen, Pop, and so are you." He begs his father to communicate with him and accept him for the way that he is. Although his father is forced to see some of his own failures, he never acceptes that his son will turn out the same way. In fact, Willy commits suicide so that Biff can recieve his life insurance of twenty thousand dollars and making something of himself. By the end of the play, Biff seems to be deceloping a strength of his own. He faced and accepted the truth about himself and his father. Now that he acknowledged the problems there is hope that he can reach his potential. If this play offers any hope, it is through the