The Death of a Salesman begins with Willy Loman having just returned from a business trip to Brooklyn. Willy is a salesman and travels for his company much to the discontent of his wife Linda. Willy is reaching the later years of his life at 60 years of age and complains to his wife about how he has been having trouble driving because of a constant loss of concentration. His two sons, Biff and Happy, Biff being the older, are also back into town after Biff going out west looking for work. Willy then goes into a daydream about the old days when Biff was the popular, athletic star quarterback for his high school with big dreams to go on and play football and make a lot of money. The conversation shows that both kids idolize their dad and he is very important to them. Biff is introduced as the good looking, popular, very likeable high school student who many people look up to but he is also described as lazy and has a very bad work ethic. This is highlighted when the neighbors son, Bernard comes in telling Biff he needs to study for his math exam if he does not want to flunk the class. Biff disregards his advice and goes on practicing about football. The youngest brother, Happy, looks up to his brother and dad but is more hard working than Biff, although Biff seems to be the one in the spotlight most of the time. The first important theme is presented in Willy's daydream which was that Willy believed Biff could get anywhere he wanted in life purely because he was a well liked and good looking, being smart or hard working had nothing to do with it. This was what Willy convinced himself was the American Dream, that looks and personality could get you anywhere you wanted in life. When the daydream ends Willy is left sitting there wondering what happened, still caught up with the successes of the past and not recognizing the current failure. He has convinced himself that everything is okay, even though they are going through troubled times. Linda tries her best to be the voice of reason, telling Willy that they are greatly in debt and need money but he does not listen to her at all.