A person’s outcome in life is often a reflection of their childhood, or how they grew up. The different ways a child is treated by their parents may later affect the amount of grit he or she has, therefore affecting their later success in life. In the book Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Biff, Happy and Bernard each grew up in different ways. Although Biff and Happy grew up in the same home, their father, Willy Loman, treated the boys differently, and therefore their views on life as adults turned out slightly dissimilar.
Willy and Charley’s relationships with their sons contradict each other and therefore affected their son’s future successes in different ways. Willy Loman loved his son, Biff, more than anything in the world. As Biff grew up, Willy constantly praised him and treated him as if he was the greatest boy who’d ever lived. Because of this, Biff did not think he would have to try hard to become successful. Biff was failing math because he was too preoccupied with football. Bernard, the Loman’s neighbor, was very intelligent, but not popular.
Bernard gave Biff most of the answers the entire year, and offered to help Biff with his math. Biff was not too concerned with seeking Bernard’s help simply because Willy does not make it seem important. When Bernard first tells Willy that Biff is at risk of failing, Willy denies the idea immediately: “What’re you talking about? With scholarships to three universities they’re gonna flunk him? Don’t be a pest, Bernard! ” Willy also gives the advice most parents would never be okay with: Bernard: “Where is he? If he doesn’t study! Willy: “You’ll give him the answers! ” Willy refuses to see the flaws in Biff because to Willy, being well liked is being successful: Because the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want. Although some may argue that it is good for parents to praise their children and let them know they’re proud, Willy Loman went too far with Biff. Biff: “I never got anywhere because you [Willy] blew me so full of hot air and I could never stand taking orders from anybody!
That’s whose fault it is! ” It was clear to see that Willy favored Biff over Happy. Willy always congratulated Biff and excitedly talked to him about his life and popularity, leaving Happy to live in Biffs’ shadow. Willy: “Show him how to do it Biff! You see, Happy? ” Because of this, Happy is always trying to capture Willy’s attention. Happy: “I lost weight, Pop, you notice? ” Willy does not even pay enough attention to Happy to notice he lost weight without this announcement.
After the second time Happy announces his accomplishment, Willy nonchalantly responds: “Jumping rope is good too. ” The only time Happy is really praised is when Willy is addressing both of his sons: “That’s why I thank Almighty God you’re both built like Adonises. ” Happy grows up to be slightly more successful than Biff, solely because he is able to stick to a job for longer than two weeks. This is because he was not given as big of an ego as Willy gave Biff. Biff complains: “I had to be boss big shot in two weeks” in able for him to stick to a real job.
Still, Happy lies to his parents about how successful he is: Biff: “You big blow, are you the assistant buyer? You’re one of the two assistants to the assistant, aren’t you? ” Happy: “Well, I’m practically-” Biff: “You’re practically full of it! We all are! ” Willy’s lack of attention to Happy is the reason he is doing better off than Biff. However, Happy is still Willy’s son, and is therefore struggling to make a successful life for himself because he was not raised properly.
He was not told to study hard in school and focus on his grades, instead he was told to be more like his brother, who was failing math, yet was school hotshot. Charley, Bernard’s father, had opposite ideas when it came to raising Bernard. Charley did not pay attention to anything that Bernard did, nor did he brag about his son to Willy as Willy did to Charley. Charley stayed completely out of Bernard’s life, which would probably explain why Bernard was so nerdy and unpopular in high school.
Despite the fact Bernard was not well liked, he still grew up to be majorly successful. Toward the end of the book, Willy runs into Bernard in Charley’s office. After catching up with Bernard about Bernard’s job as a lawyer and his wife and kids, Willy starts to break down in realization that Bernard is successful and Biff is not: What-what’s the secret? … How-how did you? Why didn’t he ever catch on? … You were his friend, his boyhood friend. There’s something I don’t understand about it. His life ended after that Ebbets Field game.
From the age of seventeen nothing good ever happened to him…Bernard, Bernard was it my fault? Y’see? It keeps going around in my mind, maybe I did something to him. I got nothing to give him. This is the first real time that Willy questions himself to blame for Biffs’ failure. When Charley comes out and reveals to Willy that Bernard is going to argue a case for the Supreme Court, Willy is shocked. Not because he does not think Bernard is capable, but shocked because he could not believe that neither Bernard or Charley were boasting about it: “The Supreme Court!
And he didn’t even mention it! ” Then Willy realizes the “secret” to Bernard’s success: “And you [Charley] never told him what to do, did you? You never took any interest in him. ” Charley: “My salvation is that I never took any interest in anything. ” Because Charley never boasting about Bernard or “blew him full of hot air”, Bernard had the motivation to go out and do something for himself. Charley was a hard worker with his own business who devoted his life to make a living instead of bonding with his son.
Although growing up Bernard probably wished he was a Loman boy, in the end Bernard is a Supreme Court lawyer with a wife and two children, while Biff and Happy Loman are barely surviving on minimum wage with nothing to really call their own. Willy’s philosophy about the importance of being well liked to be successful is obviously disheveled. Despite popularity, Bernard becomes far more successful than Biff and Happy combined. Charley’s philosophy would probably be more along the lines of “Hard work pays off”, and from his life and Bernard’s, this statement proves far more accurate.
Willy was always there for his sons when it came down to sports and popularity, but when it came to studying or going to summer school, Willy showed his sons he could not care less. Charley was not exactly there for Bernard throughout his life, but he supported Bernard as Bernard focused on his schoolwork and studies. When Bernard did grow up and become successful, Charley then congratulated Bernard and continued to keep in contact with him. Willy and Charley had contrasting ideas on how to raise their children, and therefore their sons grew up to live contrasting lives.
