Biff did not attend summer school or graduate because of Willy's perfidy. Now he is incapable of achieving success because he possesses no faith in his father or himself.

Why did Biff lose his college scholarship?

Biff was a hotshot in high school as the star football player. ... A lot of this was due to the fact that Willy let him get away with anything and never encouraged him to do well in school. Without the math credit, Biff couldn't graduate and therefore couldn't take his football scholarship to college.

Where did Biff want to go to college?

Yes, at UVa. He even had a pair of UVa sneakers.

What course Biff failed?

Biff's failure in math is symbolic of his failure to live up to his father's calculated plan for him. Willy believes so blindly in his interpretation of the American Dream that he has constructed a veritable formula by which he expects Biff to achieve success.

Why did Biff go to Boston Why is it that Biff never went to summer school why can't he believe in his father?

Biff does not attend the summer school as he has given up on success - for himself and his family. His father's moral weakness reminds Biff of his own shortcomings - his proclivity to steal, for instance - and that his father's encouragement and faith in the family to succeed had no real foundation.

The Most Successful People Explain Why a College Degree is USELESS

31 related questions found

Why is it that Biff never went to summer school or to the U of Virginia?

Biff never went to summer school because he caught his father having an affair, which upset him a great deal.

When he was in high school why did Biff go visit his father in Boston?

Biff goes to Boston to tell his father that he has failed math and will not graduate from high school. Biff hopes that Willy will talk to his teacher and persuade the teacher to let him pass and gradaute. Biff, at this point, truly believes that his father is a great man.

Is Biff a failure?

Biff was supposed to be in business; the fact that he was well liked and popular in high school would ensure his success. Biff failed to fulfill Willy's expectations, and that makes him a complete failure in his father's eyes.

Why did Biff lose sight of his dream?

When he confides to Happy in the bedroom, he admitted he was lost and a failure. Apparently, Biff had nagging insecurities and he thought he had to fulfill the American Dream too. When the deal failed, Biff had a significant realization.

What happened to Biff in the game at Ebbets Field?

This is when we find out exactly what happened that day: Biff had gone to New England to vent with his father the fact that he flunked Math, only to realize that his Dad was there with a mistress. The image of "The Willy Loman" that had fed his ego is now, officially, dead.

Why did Biff not keep in contact with his parents when he was out west?

Why did Biff not keep in contact with his parents when he was out west? He was in jail for stealing a suit.

What is Biff's problem in Death of a Salesman?

Instead, Biff despises his father and everything he represents. Biff's problem lies in the fact that, even though he does not want to associate with Willy, he cannot change the fact that he is his son. And as a result, he cannot change the fact that his father has inevitably affected him.

What subject did Biff fail in high school Death of a Salesman?

Despite Biff's potential as a football star in high school, he failed in mathematics and was therefore unable to enter a university.

What is Biff's dream?

Biff's idea of the American Dream is to own a ranch out west and farm. He doesn't want to follow his father's path of trying to be a great salesman and (supposedly) end up rolling in easy money. To pursue his dream, Biff goes to ask his former employer, Mr. ... Oliver, an idea heavily promoted by Willy.

What does Biff finally realize about his life?

Biff says, ". . . I realized what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been." What does he mean? ... He realized that he has wasted his life because he never admitted that he was afraid to be successful.

Why is Happy Loman perhaps less self assured than Biff?

Why is Happy Loman perhaps less self-assured than Biff? Happy has never been as loved by their father as Biff. Happy has never tasted the success that Biff has.

Do the Lomans get the insurance money?

In the play's final act, Willy does manage to kill himself, supposedly so the insurance money could be used to help Biff achieve some successful business venture. ... If the insurance claim was upheld, then they could have profitted financially from his death.

Why did Biff go to Boston what does he discover when he sees the woman how does his attitude toward his father dramatically change in this scene?

Willy was having an affair with a woman up in Boston, and Biff discovered it when he went to the hotel to get his father to help him with his math teacher who had flunked him. This discovery was a singular turning point in the relationship between Willy and Biff and a major turning point in Biff's life as well.

What subject did Biff fail and need to repeat in summer school?

On the other hand, Biff believes that he failed to succeed in business precisely because Willy sold him so successfully on the American Dream of easy success.

What is Lindas complaint about Wagner company?

He claims that Wagner's (his old boss) son Howard doesn't appreciate him and, therefore, never gave him a promotion.

Why can't Biff tolerate his father?

The reason of Biff hates Willy so much is that he knows Willy's extramarital relations. He is ashamed about his father's behavior. He thinks that he is a liar. ... In Biff's mind, he always considers his father a great, outstanding person, but after he knows that he has an extramarital relation, he was so depressed.

What did Biff steal out of Bill Oliver's office?

After a failed attempt to ask Mr. Oliver for a business loan, Biff steals Mr. Oliver's fountain pen from his desk. Towards the end of the play, Biff attempts to expose Willy to the reality of their situation.

What is Charley's job in Death of a Salesman?

At Willy's funeral, Charley speaks admiringly of the dream Willy followed and the courage it takes to overcome the hardships inherent in a career as a traveling salesman.

Why won't Biff stay in Brooklyn?

Biff can't stay because he has no respect for Willy. Ever since he discovered his father's affair years ago, Biff harbors a hatred and disgust for his father which often erupts in anger. It also leaves him unable to be satisfied in any job or location for very long: thus, his restless wandering.

Who did not even recognize Biff?

Willy tells Biff that he should ask Bill Oliver to invest in his business idea. Reluctantly taking his father's advice, Biff meets with Bill Oliver. He waits for six hours to see Bill, and when Bill arrives, he doesn't even recognize Biff (and he certainly doesn't invest in Biff's business idea).