Our first impression of Biff is that he seems to be a defeated character. We see this in the stage directions that introduce us to him, we are told that "in these days he bears a worn air and seems less self assured". So there is already a comparison between his former self, so this suggests that something has happened to Biff in order to make him have this "worn air". Plus through a comparasion to Happy, we see that Biff has accepted defeat whereas Happy hasn't. We are also told that Biff's "dreams are stronger and less acceptable than Happy's". So this suggests that Biff has different ideas of what the ideal lifestyle consists of. The fact that his dreams are "less acceptable" could insinuate that Willy has rejected Biff's hopes and dreams. We see that Biff may have some negative feeling towards Willy when Happy praises him and Biff merely replies, "I'm going to sleep". So he may be tired of his father's exaggerated success. We see that Willy's criticisms of Biff affect him when Happy says " What happened Biff? Where's the old humour, the old confidence?" and Biff just says "why does Dad mock me all the time?"-he is evidentily upset by it. We also see that Willy's downfall that seems to be taking place has links to Biff, when he is muttering to himself he is often addressing Biff, and Biff hints that he knows something when he says "Never mind. Just don't lay it all to me".
Biff seems to know what he actually wants, whereas not know what he's meant to want. He talks passionately about buying a ranch and contrasts this with the negative view he takes of the American dream, referring to "suffering" etc. Biff acknowledges that he feels lost and doesn't know what the future holds, for example he says "I'm mixed up very bad" and he says he feels "like a boy" because he's not married. He sees maturity as coming with being settled. He is not content with his life at all and is confused as to what he should do with himself.
The stage directions tell us that Happy "like his brother is lost, but in a different way". He has never accepted defeat, and this has consequentely made him more "confused...although seemingly more content" than Biff. Contrasts are made between the two brothers and these shape our first impressions of them. Happy seems very uncertain about what he wants, he refers to his lifestyle saying it's "what I always wanted... And still goddammit, I'm lonely". This suggests he thinks the American dream is a lie. There are many contrasts between what Happy says he wants and how he feels when he has it. Another example of this is when he talks about wanting to "settle down" but then he says how he sleeps with married women, saying "I don't want the girl, and, still, I take it-and I love it!". He can't seem to decide what he wants. He seems to fall-back on his sexuality as a way of feeling fulfillment in his life. For example because he can't get ahead of other executives in the business world, he reverts to what he's good at to beat them, seducing women. He also has a confused outlook on his past for example he can't remember for definite who he lost his virginity to. Finally having said that he wants success, he concludes to Biff that the most important thing in life is to be "well-liked", suggesting that as long as you are respected and liked by others, you will get ahead in life. This seems contradictory as his constant womanizing isn't likely to make him be "well-liked".
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