Biff Loman Key Quotes Flashcards
‘Biff is two years older than his brother…
Happy, well built, but in these days bears a worn air and seems less self-assured.’
‘He has suceeded less, and his…
dreams are stronger and less acceptable than Happy’s.’
‘Remember that big Betsy
something - what the hell was her name - over on Bushwick Avenue?
‘I got you…
in there, remember?’
‘Everything I say there’s a…
twist of mockery on his face.’
‘I don’t know - what…
I’m supposed to want.’
‘Shipping clerk, salesman, business of one…
kind or another. And it’s a measly manner of existence.’
‘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 whenever spring comes to where I am, I suddenly get the feeling, my God, I’m not gettin’…
anywhere. What the hell am I doing, playing around with horses, twenty-eight dollars a week!’
‘I’m thirty-four years old, I…
oughta be makin’ my future.’
‘And now, I get here, and…
I don’t know what to do with myself.’
‘Maybe I oughta get married…
Maybe I oughta get stuck into something.’
‘Maybe that’s my trouble. I’m like…
a boy. I’m married, I’m not in business, I just - I’m like a boy’
‘Why? You making…
money, aren’t you?’
‘Sure, maybe we could…
buy a ranch. Raise cattle, use our muscles.’
‘Men built like we are should…
be working out in the open.’
‘He put his arm on my shoulder, and he…
said, ‘Biff, if you ever need anything, come to me.’
‘I know he thought the world…
of me, though. I was the only one he’d let lock up the place.’
‘[A look of pain…
crosses Biff’s face.]’
‘[Young Biff and Young Happy appear from the direction Willy was…
addressing. […] a sweater with a block ‘S’, carries a football.]’
‘How’s that…
Pop, professional?’
‘The coach told me…
to practise my passing.’
‘Gee, we were…
lonesome for you.’
‘this Saturday - just for you, I’m…
going to break through for a touch-down.’
‘Oh, Pop, you didn’t see…
my sneakers! [He hold up a foot for Willy to look at.]’
‘He’s liked, but…
he’s not well-liked.’
‘I think I’ll have them…
sweep out of the furnace room.’
‘Dye it again, will…
ya? I don’t want my pal looking old.’
‘Stop making excuses for him! He always…
always wiped the floor with you. Never had an ounce of respect for you.’
‘He’s got no character - Charley…
wouldn’t do this. Not in his own house - spewing out that vomit from his mind.’
‘People are worse off than…
Willy Loman. Believe me, I’ve seen them!’
‘Just don’t lay…
it all at my feet.’
‘I hate this…
city and I’ll stay here.’
‘[angrily]: That -
jerk.’
‘[angered]: Screw the…
business!’
‘[deciding]: Lend me ten…
bucks, will ya? I want to buy some new ties.’
‘She got grey. Mom got…
awful old. Gee. I’m gonna go in to Oliver tomorrow and knock him for a-‘
‘[Biff reaches behind the…
heater and draws out a length of rubber tubing. He is horrified]’
‘I - Hap, I took his…
fountain pen.’
‘He thinks I’ve been spiting…
him all these years and it’s eating him up.’
‘Why did I go? Why did I go? Look at…
you! Look at what’s become of you!’
‘I’m no good, can’t you…
see what I am?’
‘[at left, turning to her resentfully]: Miss Forsythe, you’ve just seen a prince walk by. A fine, troubled prince. A…
hard-working, unappreciated prince. A pal, you understand? A good companion. Always for his boys.’
‘Don’t you give a…
damn for him, Hap?’
‘You could…
help him - I can’t.’
‘Hap, help him! Jesus… help him…
Help me, help me, I can’t bear to look at his face! [Ready to weep, he hurries out, up right.]’
‘See, the reason he hates me, Pop - one day he was late for class so I got up at…
the blackboard and imitated him. I crossed my eyes and talked with a lithp.’
‘[Biff remains motionless…
tears falling.]’
‘Don’t touch…
me, you - liar!’
‘You fake! You phony…
little fake! You fake! ‘
‘I’m just not smart enough to make
any sense out of it for you. To hell with whose fault it is or anything like that.’
‘This isn’t your fault; it’s…
me. I’m the bum.’
‘If I strike oil I’ll send…
you a cheque. Meantime forget I’m alive.’
‘I was hoping not…
to go this way.’
‘You know why I had no address for three months? I stole a…
suit in Kansas city and I was in jail.’
‘I stole myself out of…
every good job since highschool!’
‘I never got anywhere because you…
blew me so full of hot air I could never stand taking orders from anybody! That’s whose fault it is!’
‘And in the middle of that office building, do you hear this? I stopped in the middle of that building and I… I saw the things that… And I looked at the pen and said to myself… Why am I trying to become what I don’t want to be? What am I doing in an office, their… when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute… Why can’t I say that, Willy?’
- saw - the sky.
- I love in this world. The work and the food and time to sit and smoke.
- what the hell am I grabbing this for?
- making a contemptuous,
begging fool of myself, - I say I know who I am!
‘Pop! I’m a dime…
a dozen, and so are you!’
‘I’m not bringing home any…
prizes any more, and you’re going to stop waiting for me to bring them home!’
‘[At the peak of his fury]: Pop, I’m nothing! I’m nothing, Pop. Can’t you…
understand that? There’s no spite in it anymore. I’m just what I am, that’s all.’
[Biff’s fury has spent itself, and he…
breaks down, sobbing, holding onto Willy,]
‘[crying, broken]: Will you let me go, for Christ’s sake? Will you take that phony…
dream and burn it before something happens? [Struggling to contain himself, he pulls away and moves to the stairs]’
‘How about it, Mom? Better get…
Requiem
some rest, heh? They’ll be closing the gate soon.’
‘He had the wrong…
dreams. All, all, wrong.’
‘He never knew…
who he was.’
