HOWARD the boss
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumblarge_548/12871543547XPYFn.jpgWilly's boss is Howard Wagner. The audience is positioned to view Howard Wagner as the antagonist in Act 2. Willy asks Howard if he could work and stay in New York, but Howard denies his request and tells Willy that he cannot place him in New York because there is no space or need for him there. Despite Howard's realistic attitude and practicality, the audience is still positioned him to see him as narrow-minded. For example, Howard is introduced into the scene with a recording machine. On the recorder, Howard's family is heard, his daughter, son, and wife. We can assume he has a happy relationship with his family and that his children are educated, like when his son starts to list the capitals of the different states.
He continually ignores Willy's questions, "Can we talk a minute?" (Act 2) and cuts him off in order to show his new recording machine. This also positions the audience to see him as materialistic. The excitement of having a new gadget takes priority over the questions and needs of his employees. Miller chooses to include this scene to show how Howard and his family act as a foil to Willy and his family. Through Howard's father, he was able to become rich and have a happy family, unlike Willy, who had a father who abandoned him, and has an unhappy family life.
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Charley and Bernard serve as foils to Willy and Biff - in their relationships with each other, world views, education, and success in life. The difference in Charley and Bernard, and Willy and Biff's world views are that Willy and Biff believe that in order to be successful in the world, you have to "well-liked" (Act 1). That is their only goal, no matter what the consequences, being confident in yourself and having people confident is you, is the only way to be successful. Charley and Bernard on the other hand have worked hard and been faithful to what was given to them. We see characterization of Charley's quiet but faithful nature when Willy mentions how he should be more like Charley and believes he "talks too much" (Act 1).
Their two different world views have allowed Charley and Bernard to be successful, but Willy and Biff have not succeeded in life. Miller uses the pairing of these foil characters to develop his ideas about dreams and success in the play by comparing and contrasting their lives and successes right next to each other. Literally, by placing Charley and Bernard as next door neighbors to Biff and Willy, the audience is positioned to compare the two different families and their successes. Bernard studied hard in high school and became a successful lawyer compared to Biff, who went to the same high school but at the age of 34, still has not made a living. Miller introduces the idea that no matter how big the dreams are, that does not mean it will bring success.
Their two different world views have allowed Charley and Bernard to be successful, but Willy and Biff have not succeeded in life. Miller uses the pairing of these foil characters to develop his ideas about dreams and success in the play by comparing and contrasting their lives and successes right next to each other. Literally, by placing Charley and Bernard as next door neighbors to Biff and Willy, the audience is positioned to compare the two different families and their successes. Bernard studied hard in high school and became a successful lawyer compared to Biff, who went to the same high school but at the age of 34, still has not made a living. Miller introduces the idea that no matter how big the dreams are, that does not mean it will bring success.
Frank's Chop House
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The significance of the name of the restaurant "Frank's Chop House" comes from former boss' name. Howard's father's name was Frank, and Frank was the man who promised Willy a steady job after his most successful sales in the year of 1928. Frank was also the man who came to Willy to ask for his opinion on the name of "Howard". Willy wouldn't have to travel as much and he would be able to have a successful life. However these the promises were short lived and broken. "Chop house"relates to the idea of a butcher shop and meat, which is cut and sold. This is relevant to Willy in that Frank made promises to Willy but in the end he slaughtered his hopes and dreams. This idea is further emphasized by the meat, chopping, and butchering imagery and the relations to business and businessmen. The idea that "business is business" and there is no mercy, like in a slaughterhouse.
When Charley describes J. P. Morgan, who was a famous American financier, who was very "well-liked", he describes him in a negative light, as a "butcher". The idea that business is cold, stern, and unrelenting to everybody is emphasized, and even though J.P. Morgan was popular, he still did not have the "good life" that everybody else thought he had.
Business and Sports
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The nature of the relations between business and sports depicted in this act was portrayed through his relationship with Biff and his athletic still. Willy saw potential in Biff through his athletics, and he through that same potential Willy through that Biff would become a successful business man. Willy's attitude towards sports was that if Biff was successful through sports, he'd be successful through life. The significance of the Ebbets Field game and the subsequent events is that the Ebbets Field game shows Biff's height of his high school football career and the time that Willy was most proud of Biff. Charley believes that Willy should not put so much emphasis on sports for Biff because if he loses sports, he will lose everything else. This is significant because it shows how Charley is more practical than Willy and takes value in academic studies. That is why Bernard is successful unlike Biff, who only had sports to lean on.
http://www.crapo.senate.gov/services/images/sports.jpgThe nature of the relations between business and sports depicted in this act was portrayed through his relationship with Biff and his athletic still. Willy saw potential in Biff through his athletics, and he through that same potential Willy through that Biff would become a successful business man. Willy's attitude towards sports was that if Biff was successful through sports, he'd be successful through life. The significance of the Ebbets Field game and the subsequent events is that the Ebbets Field game shows Biff's height of his high school football career and the time that Willy was most proud of Biff. Charley believes that Willy should not put so much emphasis on sports for Biff because if he loses sports, he will lose everything else. This is significant because it shows how Charley is more practical than Willy and takes value in academic studies. That is why Bernard is successful unlike Biff, who only had sports to lean on.
Memorable Quotes:
1. "After all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive"Willy is starting to understand that all that he has done in his life is worth for nothing, and therefore this foreshadows he will die.
When Willy throws the money to the waiter, his insurance money, saying that he doesn't need anymore, this means that he will soon die and not need the money.
3. "and by the way he died the death of a salesman, in his green velvet slippers in the smoker of the New York" (Miller 63).
Even though Willy looks up to Dave Singleman, the audience sees how he died alone. Despite being rich and well-liked by people all around, he still died alone without a loving family, which is what Willy has. This could be the death that Willy wants.
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