![]() ![]() They are incredibly off-target, valuing only image, and popularity never thinking about hardwork, honesty, or skills of any sort. Willy’s overall goals may be okay, however, his values are not. On top of it all, after Biff confesses to stealing the pen from Oliver, Willy gives his regular old great advice.Īgain, his advice is to lie: “You give it to him and tell him it was an oversight!… You were doing a crossword puzzle and accidentally used his pen! (Miller 1971). He will not let himself believe that Biff stole from this man. Even though Biff fails as an adult, his father still holds on to the poorly conceived idea that Bill Oliver, a businessman who Biff met numerous years ago will offer him a job. Willy believes that this teen popularity will guarantee Biff’s success in his adult life. He valued what his father instructed him to. ![]() Biff never studied, or thought about the value of grades. He was also tremendously “well-liked”, but it all came crashing down soon afterwards, when he failed math. Hercules – something like that” (Miller 1949). While still in high school Biff’s future was assured, described as “… a young God. In a flashback Willy has a conversation with Biff: “Bernard is not well-liked, is he?… Bernard can get the best marks in school, y’understand, but when he gets out into the business world, you are going to be five times ahead of him” (Miller 1931). For instance: he scoffs at the slightly nerdy Bernard, who is too focused on his academic success to be popular. He is blinded by his narrow-minded views. His values are twisted from the very beginning, there are numerous other examples of this. I thank the almighty God you’re both built like Adonises” (Miller 1931). Miller shows multiple points in the story where Willy speaks of the importance of being well liked and of the importance of appearances. Not to mention the fact that this is a plainly immoral view.So, one can even say that his ideas are twisted in more than one-way. However, one should also have real skills. This may be true, especially in our superficial society. He thinks that popularity will help you charm teachers and even open doors in business. Willy grew up believing that being “well-liked” is the secret to becoming a success. His belief that popularity provides the essential tools for success proves to be a tragic mistake. Willy teaches these values to his sons, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it - because personality always wins the day” (Miller 1947). Wealth and success are all the things that he values he believes that they are the American dream. One author writes, “Miller dramatizes the limited nature of Willie’s values of material success and continual optimism” (Magill 1). Willy Loman is a part of our capitalist society he measures success by material wealth and popularity. This constant worrying about money also eliminates the chance for having a happy, communicating family, because it inhibits all of Willy’s time. ![]()
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