Biff

Question 1

“I don’t know- ____ ___ _________ __ ______” Act 1

Answer 1

what I’m supposed to want

Question 2

“I suddenly get the _______, my god, I’m ___ _______ ________” Act 1

Answer 2

feeling

not getting anywhere

Question 3

What is significant of the fact that Biff

“suddenly get the feeling, my God, I’m not getting anywhere” Act 1

Answer 3

Biff cannot pursue his dream as he the conditioning of his childhood from the indoctrination of his father on his own perception of success alters Biff’s view of his American Dream and causes the cyclical tragedy of the “common man”. This directly contrasts to the end of Act 2 whereby Biff has the self insight of a 19th century pioneer mentality to recognise the importance of the individual and escape westward from the delusions of his father and the commercial world

Question 4

“Why is he taking everything?” -Willy about Biff Act 1

Answer 4

Willy even from when Biff was younger could never recognise the inherent need he indoctrinated his sons with to have materialistic items in order to measure success, hence why Biff is “taking everything”. It could perhaps also be interpreted that the fact Willy is absent due to his struggles at work that cause him to be away for prolonged periods of time creates a sense of longing in Biff who fills this abandonment with items that remind him of his father in order to please him on arrival.

Question 5

“_________ out that _____ from his mind” Act 1

Answer 5

spewing

vomit

Question 6

What is the significance of the fact that Biff remarks WIlly shouldn’t be
“spewing out that vomit from his mind” Act 1 ?

Answer 6

Miller incorporates the suggestion that as a society in the 1940’s, mental illness, implied by the “vomit”, was not addressed in particular for men who had the stereotypical role as the strong breadwinner for the family. Societies neglect to adhere to the cruciality of Willy’s deterioration and suffering could therefore be the catalyst for his tragic downfall as he is isolated from those around him who do not understand and are thus unable to help him

Question 7

“i want to buy some new ____” Act 1

Answer 7

ties

Question 8

What is the significance of Biff wanting to

“buy some new ties”? Act 1

Answer 8

At once this suggests that Willys presence in Biff’s life constraints him to the artificial superiority of capitalist America which the “tie” metaphorically could symbolise. In turn, it is implied that Willy’s lack of own self awareness translates on his sons who have the inherent dream of their father who had no guidance himself.

Question 9

“like a young ___” - Willy to Biff Act 1

Answer 9

god

Question 10

“We’ve been _______ __ _ _____ for fifteen years” Act 2

Answer 10

talking in a dream

Question 11

“I wanna see the ____” Act 2

Answer 11

boss

Question 12

Explore the quote

“I wanna see the boss”

Answer 12

Willy can’t appreciate what he has as a husband and father, in this way the point he is described as a “boss” is in a way in accordance to classical tragedy in the respect to the fact that Willy falls from being the high position as “boss” of the home, as a loved father figure and husband to death from his inability to understand his familial fortune. Miller uses this to suggest that Willy is therefore an “embodiment of the common man”’s modern tragedy as even the “common man” can suffer a fall from high authority.

Question 13

“you ____ ___ so full of hot air I _____ _____ ______ ______ _____ from anybody!” Biff Act 2

Answer 13

blew me

could never stand taking orders

Question 14

“I’m a ____ _ _____, and so are you!” Biff to Willy

Answer 14

dime a dozen

Question 15

“I am not a ______ __ ____” Act 2

Answer 15

leader of men

Question 16

“take that _____ ______ and burn it” Act 2

Answer 16

phony dream

Question 17

What is significant about

“Biff-he likes me!” Act 2

Answer 17

It is cathartic for the audience that their relationship has been maintained and suggests the strength of their father-son bond to withstand that chaos of the dreamers

Question 18

“he had the wrong ______” Requiem

Answer 18

dreams

Question 19

Explore the point that Willy says to Biff

“The man who makes an appearance in the business world is the man who gets ahead”

Answer 19

Clearly this indicates contradiction as Willy encourages Biff on his “appearance” as a sportsman while suggesting that this will help him in the “business world” two juxtaposing aspects which highlight Willys confusion on how to achieve the dream. This need for instant success which caused Biff to never take “orders from nobody” through Willy’s indoctrination demonstrates the badly committed “value” as Ben as a role model and idle for success whom Miller uses as a symbol of capitalist America

Question 20

In the Requiem, Happy says that “I’m gonna win it for him” what is significant about the way that Biff reacts to him in his hopeless glance?

Answer 20

This worldless expression is vital to our understanding since it reveals the fact that Biff is able to detect the mistake that Willy made and to see it being perpetuated by Happy. By this time Biff has learnt too much to argue and does not wish to propagate the lies through following the “dream” his father died by.

Question 21

What is signficant of the fact that WIlly is angry because “In the greatest country in the world a man with such personal attractiveness gets lost”

Answer 21

This echoes the Calvinistic doctrine that some people are given gists by God and it is morally wrong not to use their talents. Somehow America, the land of opportunity has formed the prospect of endless opportunity into a burden for people like Biff who cannot take advantage of it, yet are expected to by others

Question 22

What did Biff steal from Bill Oliver when he was younger?

Answer 22

a carton of basketballs

Question 23

Biff’s worry that he is ‘wasting’ his life away because he earns so little echoes what?

Answer 23

the Protestant ethic which sustains capitalism. The biblical injunction to make the most of your talents means that moral value is measured by economic success

Question 24

What quote is evident that Biff’s worries manifest in his poor relationship of his father who recognises Biff as a bum.

Answer 24

“I’m not getting anywhere” (Act 1)

Question 25

What is Willy’s guilty conscience marred by in regards to Biff, and shrinks from accepting fault?

Answer 25

his petty thefts and failure to study maths

Question 26

What quote suggests that Willy is oblivious to the fact that he indirectly encouraged Biff to steal and cheat?

Answer 26

“He’s got spirit, personality”

Question 27

What demonstrates Willys focus on appearance

Answer 27

“That’s why I thank Almighty God you’re both built like Adonises.”

Question 28

explore

““That’s why I thank Almighty God you’re both built like Adonises.”

Answer 28

The golden glow in which Biff is bathed suggests that he is being idealised and that the vision of what Biff can achieve is unrealistic

Question 29

Once Willy’s suicide attempts are revealed what secures domestic harmony?

Answer 29

Biff being goaded into starting a business; acting for others, not for himself- altruistic concessions (selfless concern for others)

Question 30

What does the petty argument about Biff whistling reveal?

Answer 30

that their were exposed rifts in the family which were difficult to heal

Question 31

What can be said about Biff’s curative assessment of himself?

Answer 31

that he comes to know himself and thereby sheds his neuroses (mild disease)

Question 32

At the restaurant, Biff states that he “can’t talk to him” anymore (Willy), at this point a single trumpet is heard which “jars the ear”? what is this feature?

Answer 32

this is a theatrical way of showing that there is an irreconcilable difference between father and son

Question 33

How does Biff describe his father which reflects the connection to an Aristotelian tragedy?

Answer 33

“troubled prince”

Question 34

What does the requiem, as the emotional climax of the play, offer Biff the opportunity to do?

Answer 34

to override Willy’s dreams and to be reunited on a simple emotional level.

Question 35

Explore

“I’m a dime a dozen”

Answer 35

During the climax of the final scene in Act 2, Biff articulates his revelation of his true identity and is comfortable with the knowledge that he is a “dime a dozen.” This escape from his father’s delusions allows him to align his life with his own dreams. While Willy cannot comprehend any notion of individual identity outside of the confines of the material success of the American Dream, Biff realises that he can be happy only outside these confines. Though Willy is beyond any attempts of cure, Biff frees himself from his fathers expectations, realising the stupidity of stealing a “fountain pen” and thus renounces the commercial world.

Question 36

explore Biff’s name

Answer 36

The difference between his name to his brother and father reflects their polarity: whereas Willy and Happy are willfully and happily deluded, Biff accepts the miserable reality of their respective lives. Biff’s identity crisis as a child and young adult thereby stems from his fathers blind faith in the skewed, materialistic version of the American Dream which Biff must expose in order to reclaim his identity.