Biff Loman Key Quotes Flashcards

1
Q

‘Biff is two years older than his brother…

A

Happy, well built, but in these days bears a worn air and seems less self-assured.’

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2
Q

‘He has suceeded less, and his…

A

dreams are stronger and less acceptable than Happy’s.’

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3
Q

‘Remember that big Betsy

A

something - what the hell was her name - over on Bushwick Avenue?

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4
Q

‘I got you…

A

in there, remember?’

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5
Q

‘Everything I say there’s a…

A

twist of mockery on his face.’

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6
Q

‘I don’t know - what…

A

I’m supposed to want.’

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7
Q

‘Shipping clerk, salesman, business of one…

A

kind or another. And it’s a measly manner of existence.’

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8
Q

‘To suffer fifty weeks of the year for the sake of a two-week vacation, when all you really…

A

desire is to be outdoors, with your shirt off. And always to have to get ahead of the next fella.’

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9
Q

‘And whenever spring comes to where I am, I suddenly get the feeling, my God, I’m not gettin’…

A

anywhere. What the hell am I doing, playing around with horses, twenty-eight dollars a week!’

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10
Q

‘I’m thirty-four years old, I…

A

oughta be makin’ my future.’

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11
Q

‘And now, I get here, and…

A

I don’t know what to do with myself.’

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12
Q

‘Maybe I oughta get married…

A

Maybe I oughta get stuck into something.’

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13
Q

‘Maybe that’s my trouble. I’m like…

A

a boy. I’m married, I’m not in business, I just - I’m like a boy’

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14
Q

‘Why? You making…

A

money, aren’t you?’

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15
Q

‘Sure, maybe we could…

A

buy a ranch. Raise cattle, use our muscles.’

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16
Q

‘Men built like we are should…

A

be working out in the open.’

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17
Q

‘He put his arm on my shoulder, and he…

A

said, ‘Biff, if you ever need anything, come to me.’

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18
Q

‘I know he thought the world…

A

of me, though. I was the only one he’d let lock up the place.’

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19
Q

‘[A look of pain…

A

crosses Biff’s face.]’

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20
Q

‘[Young Biff and Young Happy appear from the direction Willy was…

A

addressing. […] a sweater with a block ‘S’, carries a football.]’

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21
Q

‘How’s that…

A

Pop, professional?’

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22
Q

‘The coach told me…

A

to practise my passing.’

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23
Q

‘Gee, we were…

A

lonesome for you.’

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24
Q

‘this Saturday - just for you, I’m…

A

going to break through for a touch-down.’

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25
Q

‘Oh, Pop, you didn’t see…

A

my sneakers! [He hold up a foot for Willy to look at.]’

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26
Q

‘He’s liked, but…

A

he’s not well-liked.’

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27
Q

‘I think I’ll have them…

A

sweep out of the furnace room.’

28
Q

‘Dye it again, will…

A

ya? I don’t want my pal looking old.’

29
Q

‘Stop making excuses for him! He always…

A

always wiped the floor with you. Never had an ounce of respect for you.’

30
Q

‘He’s got no character - Charley…

A

wouldn’t do this. Not in his own house - spewing out that vomit from his mind.’

31
Q

‘People are worse off than…

A

Willy Loman. Believe me, I’ve seen them!’

32
Q

‘Just don’t lay…

A

it all at my feet.’

33
Q

‘I hate this…

A

city and I’ll stay here.’

34
Q

‘[angrily]: That -

A

jerk.’

35
Q

‘[angered]: Screw the…

A

business!’

36
Q

‘[deciding]: Lend me ten…

A

bucks, will ya? I want to buy some new ties.’

37
Q

‘She got grey. Mom got…

A

awful old. Gee. I’m gonna go in to Oliver tomorrow and knock him for a-‘

38
Q

‘[Biff reaches behind the…

A

heater and draws out a length of rubber tubing. He is horrified]’

39
Q

‘I - Hap, I took his…

A

fountain pen.’

40
Q

‘He thinks I’ve been spiting…

A

him all these years and it’s eating him up.’

41
Q

‘Why did I go? Why did I go? Look at…

A

you! Look at what’s become of you!’

42
Q

‘I’m no good, can’t you…

A

see what I am?’

43
Q

‘[at left, turning to her resentfully]: Miss Forsythe, you’ve just seen a prince walk by. A fine, troubled prince. A…

A

hard-working, unappreciated prince. A pal, you understand? A good companion. Always for his boys.’

44
Q

‘Don’t you give a…

A

damn for him, Hap?’

45
Q

‘You could…

A

help him - I can’t.’

46
Q

‘Hap, help him! Jesus… help him…

A

Help me, help me, I can’t bear to look at his face! [Ready to weep, he hurries out, up right.]’

47
Q

‘See, the reason he hates me, Pop - one day he was late for class so I got up at…

A

the blackboard and imitated him. I crossed my eyes and talked with a lithp.’

48
Q

‘[Biff remains motionless…

A

tears falling.]’

49
Q

‘Don’t touch…

A

me, you - liar!’

50
Q

‘You fake! You phony…

A

little fake! You fake! ‘

51
Q

‘I’m just not smart enough to make

A

any sense out of it for you. To hell with whose fault it is or anything like that.’

52
Q

‘This isn’t your fault; it’s…

A

me. I’m the bum.’

53
Q

‘If I strike oil I’ll send…

A

you a cheque. Meantime forget I’m alive.’

54
Q

‘I was hoping not…

A

to go this way.’

55
Q

‘You know why I had no address for three months? I stole a…

A

suit in Kansas city and I was in jail.’

56
Q

‘I stole myself out of…

A

every good job since highschool!’

57
Q

‘I never got anywhere because you…

A

blew me so full of hot air I could never stand taking orders from anybody! That’s whose fault it is!’

58
Q

‘And in the middle of that office building, do you hear this? I stopped in the middle of that building and I… I saw the things that… And I looked at the pen and said to myself… Why am I trying to become what I don’t want to be? What am I doing in an office, their… when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute… Why can’t I say that, Willy?’

A
  • saw - the sky.
  • I love in this world. The work and the food and time to sit and smoke.
  • what the hell am I grabbing this for?
  • making a contemptuous,
    begging fool of myself,
  • I say I know who I am!
59
Q

‘Pop! I’m a dime…

A

a dozen, and so are you!’

60
Q

‘I’m not bringing home any…

A

prizes any more, and you’re going to stop waiting for me to bring them home!’

61
Q

‘[At the peak of his fury]: Pop, I’m nothing! I’m nothing, Pop. Can’t you…

A

understand that? There’s no spite in it anymore. I’m just what I am, that’s all.’

62
Q

[Biff’s fury has spent itself, and he…

A

breaks down, sobbing, holding onto Willy,]

63
Q

‘[crying, broken]: Will you let me go, for Christ’s sake? Will you take that phony…

A

dream and burn it before something happens? [Struggling to contain himself, he pulls away and moves to the stairs]’

64
Q

‘How about it, Mom? Better get…

Requiem

A

some rest, heh? They’ll be closing the gate soon.’

65
Q

‘He had the wrong…

A

dreams. All, all, wrong.’

66
Q

‘He never knew…

A

who he was.’