Willy Loman had great expectations and big goals set for himself as well as his sons. We are told that he is man of great expectations, "massive dreams", and someone who finds hope for the future in those expectations. Being proud a Loman, he believes that any Loman who does not share his dreams and expectations has let him down. Biff, his older son has always been his favourite. Willy's hopes are so closely associated with Biff that he seems to remember for long that Biff is a mature man, supposedly capable of making his own decisions. But Biff is now thirty-four, and without work, Willy seems unable to face the fact that Biff will never become a great man, as he expected. Willy beilieves in Biff and Willy expresses his basic beliefs that it is necessary to be liked. He expects Biff to have the same personal charm and appeal that he supposes he has himself, which will ensure success in later life.
Willy wants to see himself as a successful businessman, a man for whom everyone will have respect, and because of this, when he dies he will have a grand funeral. He wants and even anticipates a funeral like Dave Singleman's, a man who had "hundreds of salesmen and buyers at this funeral." That was the .
Willy and Biff, although close when Biff was younger, are always at odds because Biff hasn't lived up to Willy's great expectations for him. Biff was never given the proper direction to fulfill these expectations. Willy encouraged him only to be well liked and popular; Biff learned he never had to work for anything or take orders from anyone, and as a result, he couldn't keep a job in the business world.
