Death of a Salesman Notes: Evening Back Home
Plot Development
Biff and Happy return home after having left Willy alone at Frank's Chop House. They bring Linda a bouquet of roses which she knocks down to the ground in anger at the boys for having abandoned Willy. Linda insults her boys and accuses them of not caring about their father. Happy acts innocently and downplays what he has done wrong whereas Biff accepts what he has done wrong and even degrades himself by announcing that he is the "scum of the earth." Biff wants to speak to his father one last time but Linda does not want to tell Biff where Willy is and she tells Biff to leave Willy alone. When noise is heard outside, Linda explains that Willy is outside trying desperately to start a garden. Outside, Willy is discussing a twenty-thousand-dollar proposition with Ben. Ben warns Willy that his insurance company may not "honour the policy." Willy becomes defensive and announces that the company cannot refuse because he has always payed the premium on time. Willy becomes excited thinking about how Biff will finally see that he is well liked when people come from Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey to attend his funeral. Willy's excitement is replaced with fear and doubt when Ben tells him that Biff will think Willy is a "coward," a "damned fool" and that he will hate him. Biff finally confronts Willy and tells his father that he is leaving and will not be returning. Biff is trying to break free of all the illusions that he has lived with his whole life and trying to show Willy the truth behind his failures. Biff tries to tell his father that it is his own fault that he is a failure but Willy blames Biff's failures on spite. They continue to argue until Biff confronts his father with the piece of rubber hose. Willy acts as if he has never seen the rubber piece of hose before and Biff tells his father that there will be no pity for him when he passes away. Biff says that no one in their house has told the truth for ten
Biff and Happy return home after having left Willy alone at Frank's Chop House. They bring Linda a bouquet of roses which she knocks down to the ground in anger at the boys for having abandoned Willy. Linda insults her boys and accuses them of not caring about their father. Happy acts innocently and downplays what he has done wrong whereas Biff accepts what he has done wrong and even degrades himself by announcing that he is the "scum of the earth." Biff wants to speak to his father one last time but Linda does not want to tell Biff where Willy is and she tells Biff to leave Willy alone. When noise is heard outside, Linda explains that Willy is outside trying desperately to start a garden. Outside, Willy is discussing a twenty-thousand-dollar proposition with Ben. Ben warns Willy that his insurance company may not "honour the policy." Willy becomes defensive and announces that the company cannot refuse because he has always payed the premium on time. Willy becomes excited thinking about how Biff will finally see that he is well liked when people come from Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey to attend his funeral. Willy's excitement is replaced with fear and doubt when Ben tells him that Biff will think Willy is a "coward," a "damned fool" and that he will hate him. Biff finally confronts Willy and tells his father that he is leaving and will not be returning. Biff is trying to break free of all the illusions that he has lived with his whole life and trying to show Willy the truth behind his failures. Biff tries to tell his father that it is his own fault that he is a failure but Willy blames Biff's failures on spite. They continue to argue until Biff confronts his father with the piece of rubber hose. Willy acts as if he has never seen the rubber piece of hose before and Biff tells his father that there will be no pity for him when he passes away. Biff says that no one in their house has told the truth for ten