Death of a Salesman is a play by Arthur Miller that tells the story of Willy Loman, a salesman struggling to come to terms with his own failures and the disappointment of his family. At the heart of the play are Willy's two sons, Biff and Happy, who represent very different paths in life.
Biff is Willy's older son and is presented as the more responsible and grounded of the two. However, he is also deeply troubled and disillusioned by his own lack of success and direction. Despite being a star athlete in high school, Biff has never been able to live up to his own potential and has bounced around from job to job, never finding his true calling. His relationship with his father is strained, as Biff feels that Willy's unrealistic expectations and constant criticism have held him back.
Happy, on the other hand, is the younger son and is more like his father in personality. He is charming, outgoing, and eager to please, but is also shallow and selfish. Unlike Biff, Happy is content to live in his father's shadow and follow in his footsteps as a salesman, even though it is clear that he is not as skilled or talented as Willy.
As the play progresses, the tension between Biff and Happy comes to a head, as Biff confronts his brother about his own lack of ambition and happiness. Biff realizes that he has been living a lie, trying to be someone he is not in order to please his father and society. He ultimately decides to break free from this cycle and find his own path, even if it means going against his father's wishes.
In contrast, Happy remains stuck in the same cycle of trying to live up to his father's expectations, and ultimately finds himself just as unhappy and unfulfilled as Willy. He refuses to confront the truth about his own limitations and instead tries to escape reality through dishonest means, ultimately leading to his own downfall.
Through the characters of Biff and Happy, Arthur Miller explores themes of identity, responsibility, and the dangers of living in the past. Biff's journey towards self-discovery and acceptance of his own flaws serves as a contrast to Happy's refusal to confront the truth about himself, highlighting the importance of honesty and self-awareness in finding true happiness and fulfillment.
