The main difference between the characters of Biff and
Happy Loman is that, in the end, Biff gets to realize that his life has been a lie.
Although Happy is aware of the same situation, he continues to follow his father's steps
and keeps denying that anything is wrong with the Loman family. However, Biff explains
the situation best when he says:
"I realized what a ridiculous lie my whole life
has been."
As a result of
this discovery, Biff decides to change the vicious cycle that the Lomans live of denying
reality, confronts his father about it, and chooses to leave the Loman household for
good.
Meanwhile, Happy gives due justice to his nickname.
He is the "OK" man. Everything is fine with him, even if its under denial. He tries to
dissuade Biff each time Biff discovers that something is just not right in the way the
Lomans act. That is, perhaps, because he is used to living under the shadow of Biff and
does not know how else to proceed in life. Eventually, however, he falls under the Loman
spell and tries to follow Willy's sales dream. Therefore, Happy perpetuates the cycle
that Biff is trying to eliminate.
Yet, prior to Biff's
epiphany the brothers were inseparable in their combined co-dependence of each other.
They were clueless, immature, enmeshed, and unable to act like responsible adults. They
were both psychologically castrated by the overshadowing past of Willy's control over
them. They used to be lost children, basically, until finally Biff grows up and cuts
loose. This is how they are very different, but used to be very much alike at one
point.
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