In Death of a Salesman, the relationship between Willy and his sons Biff and Happy is fairly contentious because Willy has imposed a set of impossible standards on his sons. When the boys were in high school, Willy likened them to young "Adonises" and believed that they would be financially successful because people liked them. However, Biff and Happy did not follow the path of success imagined by Willy: Biff has been arrested for stealing, and Happy remains a low-level clerk in the company for which he works. Willy continues to tell his sons that they will be great someday, but Biff in particular has a different set of dreams. Biff wants to work in the outdoors, and he has come to accept the fact that there is nothing special about him. Willy, however, will not accept this perspective and hangs on to his dream of greatness. This clash in values creates the contentious relationship between Willy and his sons.
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