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In the play Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Willy is both sympathized with and looked down upon throughout the story. Willy is a very complex character with problems and faults that gain both sympathy and also turn the reader off to him. Willy Loman is both the protagonist and the antagonist, gaining sympathy from the reader only to lose it moments later. The play begins with Willy as the antagonist, fighting with his wife Linda and a generally mean person. He insults his sons and scolds Linda for buying the wrong cheese. Willy shows his biggest personality flaws early on in the story; contradicting his own thoughts, being verbally abusive, and showing his over developed sense of pride.
Willy loses the readers sympathy again in a flashback early on in the play when he goes off on a rant about the money he owes for things, almost blaming Linda for their hardship. During a conversation with Happy, Willy again loses his temper and yells at Happy for trying to be nice and saying Pop, I told you Im gonna retire you for life (I, 1300). As that is going on the next door neighbor, Charley, comes over because of the noise and strikes up a conversation with Willy. The two are playing cards and shooting the breeze when Willy once again starts with the insults, calling Charley ignorant, and telling him hes disgusting, as if to boost his own confidence or make himself seem smarter or better than Charley. Soon after his arguement with Charley, Willy is in a flashback ordering Happy and Biff to steal lumber from a nearby building project, teaching his boys to steal to impress his brother Ben. Willy and Biff then get into an arguement over Biffs lack of effort in getting a job and keeping it, and about the choices hes made in life.
Willy also scolds Linda for interesting his conversation with Biff on more than one occassion. Later in a flashback, Willy and Biff are on their way to Ebbets Field for a football game when Charley appears and beings a conversation with Willy. Merely joking around, Charley makes a few comments which Willy takes great offense too and beings insulting Charley and telling him to put his hands up as if to fight. Willys arrogance shows its face once again when Willy is talking to Biff about his meeting with Oliver. Completly ignoring what Biff is saying, Willy goes on about how good of a kid Biff is and how impressive he is. Though not directly insulting, Willy ignores what his son has to say and goes off on his own tangents, losing the respect of the reader.
Willy then ends up in another flashback in the bathroom of the restaurant where he met Happy and Biff for dinner. The most disgusting part of Willy is revealed here. Biff walks in on Willy and his woman friend whom hes had a secret relationship with. Willy attempts to cover it up and when that doesnt work he orders Biff around and shows how bad of a person he can be. Willy wasnt all bad, he was just a confused man with alot of problems. His problems begin with not being able to make it to Yonkers on his trip around New England.
Willys has been on the road most of the time for thirty four years. Hes physically and mentally drained. The reader cant help but sympathize with Willy as no one wants to end up in the position hes in. Willy has to borrow money from his next door neighbor to make ends meet, he makes trips all around New England and cant sell a single thing, and his relationship with his family is distant and almost non-existant.
Though Willy tries to be there for his family hes too arrogant and too much of a dreamer to be of much help. Willys random flashbacks also gain him sympathy, as they happen during real-time and in the presence of other people. His brother Ben, for example, appears in the middle of a card game with Charley. Willy cant distinguish his fantasy with reality and is having two conversations at once. Willys mixed relationship with Biff gains him the readers sympathy as Willy seems like the confused, lost little boy and Biff seems like the big bully, pushing him around and make him feel bad. Sympathy is also gained by Willy when Linda announces to Biff and Happy that she found a hose which Willy has been using to suck gas out of the main and try and kill himself.
though its more of a sick pity than sympathy the reader is still on Willys side. The reader also sympathizes with Willy after his episode in the restaurant when he comes home and begins planting the garden hes always wanted. His pitiful attempt to bring life to the dead area around the Loman house and his need to make things the way they were in a time in which everything seemed so right to him are truly sad. At times in the story Willy is both sympathized with and looked down up at the same time, creating very complex situations. The most prominent example is that of when Willy is having a discussion with Biff in the restaurant. Biff is trying to explain to Willy about his experience with Oliver and the things hes realized, but Willy is off in his own little world almost ignoring Biff.
The reader sympathizes with Willy due to his clouded mind, yet is turned away by his arrogance and showmanship attitude. In the begining of the story Willy is scolding his wife and bad mouthing his sons one moment, then the next hes saying how great his children are and telling his wife how much he loves her. Willy sends the audience on a roller coaster throughout the entire play, gaining sympathy and pity one minute, while the next turning the readers sympathy and pity elsewhere. Willy Loman is both the protagonist and the antagonist, gaining sympathy from the reader only to lose it moments later. He is his own worst enemy, causing his life to be much harder than it needs to be. If only Willy had realized his faults and accepted life as it is, perhaps the reader would have been his sympathizer the entire play.
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Research essay sample on Willy And Biff Willy Loman
