“Change”

As one scene transitions into another, so do the characters within “Death Of a Salesman.” As we shift from Willy and Linda, we move to Happy and Biff. I chose “Change” from Lana’s fifth album, Lust for Life, as it captures the essence of Biff’s character just enough to hint towards his eventual growth. “Change” is one of Lana’s most positive songs, emphasizing the power of the individual. During the conversation between the two men, the following line would play as a representative of Biff’s internal thoughts during a pause in dialogue. “Lately I’ve been thinking it’s just someone else’s job to care. Who am I to sympathize when no one gave a damn?” Biff has never felt truly content with what he’s done in his life, and the song reflects his emotions felt during the conversation. Later in the conversation, before they go down to the kitchen to figure out why their father is rambling, the line “Change is a powerful thing, people are powerful beings.” will be played. The line fits the character arc of Biff, and sets up the division that will grow between the family members as the play progresses. Overall, the song also represents Biff’s disappointment in both himself and how his father raised, as well as his desire to become something other than his father’s or brother’s shadow. The title itself, “Change”, is also relatively symbolic of Biff’s entire life. As he can never truly hold anything down, his life is turbulent, and he has become accustomed to many external forms of change, but he has never been able to truly change himself from the inside.