Death of a Salesman - Happy Lowman

Harold Loman (Miller 79), or Happy as one may know him, never truly saw the epiphany of the ‘American Dream.’ He was just “blown full of hot air,” he never knew what was reality and what wasn’t (105). From the day that Happy was born, to the day his father died, and most likely till the day he would die, he never once saw the truth behind his ‘phony’ of a father. Happy, not only being portrayed as a static character, but also somewhat of a stock character, would end up just like his father, dying the “Death of a Salesman” (111)

As a young lad Happy was the younger of the sons, just like his father. His older brother Biff Loman, was prototype of today’s ignorant jock; he was handsome, well built and athletic, exceptionally popular with both sexes, yet he had no intelligence, book smart or wit, what so ever, in essence he was the epitome of today’s high school athletes. Their father had increasingly more affection for Biff, and Happy was always thrown into his shadow. Like Willy, Happy was the neglected by his father as well. From Happy’s beginning he tries to draw the attention from Biff towards himself. When Willy is talking to Biff, congratulating him on his asinine efforts, Happy buts in multiple times with, “look dad I’m losing weight…” (17). Then near his father’s demise, after Willy and Biff get in a fight and then Willy condoles Biff, he tries to make his father notice him again with an ‘out of the blue’ comment, “I’m getting married, Pop, don’t forget it…” (107). These points are made very clear, yet there is more information deeper in the texts, that shows Happy as who he really is.

In a whole, the entire Loman family and their surrounding community, is one huge stereotype: the rural suburbs that turn into ghetto-like apartment district; the ‘grass-is-greener-on-the-other-side-of-the-fence neighbor; the loving wife and mother as well as the lowly housewife; the older, more handsome, more popular, more athletic brother; the anemic, know-it-all, that helps the ‘cool’ kids