Death of a Salesman

Death of a Salesman

In this play-write, it shows that Biff is the protagonist. This is because unlike Willy, Hap, and Linda, Biff goes through a great change and is transformed by the action of the play. At the very end of the play, at Willy’s funeral, Biff announces that he’s leaving New York City. This is because he is ready to move on in his life, whereas Hap is holding onto the past, like Willy had, and decides to stay put.

Willy, strong in his belief of the “American Dream”, never changes. He is stubborn and shallow in that he treats everything as a commodity. He thinks that if you want to succeed in life, you have to be attractive and well-liked. He alienates himself and becomes very lonely and disconnected.

Hap is doomed to follow in his father’s footsteps, and will die a “salesman’s death”. He tries so hard to reach for Willy’s attention, that he really has no identity. Hap shares the same materialistic dreams as his father, so he will never find himself and will never