Linda continues to support Willy, offering him excuses for his own behavior, as well as Biff's inability to maintain a steady job. She suggests the faulty steering on the Studebaker, as well as Willy's glasses, as possible reasons why he cannot drive properly. In this way, she attempts to protect him from seeing his own shortcomings. Although Willy states exactly what happened, Linda provides him with opportunities to deny that anything is wrong with him. Scene 1 establishes the nature of the relationship between Willy and Linda. Willy realizes something is wrong with him, and he is exhausted both physically and mentally. In fact, several times, he forgot that he was driving. He does not make excuses for himself but openly admits that he could not concentrate on his driving. Linda's question and Willy's annoyed response suggest that this conversation has happened before. When Willy returns home early from a sales trip, Linda casually asks if he wrecked the car. In Act I, Scene 1, Miller introduces the three major themes of Death of a Salesman: denial, contradiction, and order versus disorder.

Linda suggests a picnic lunch, and Willy realizes that, all day, he thought he was driving the 1928 Chevy rather than the Studebaker. He announces that he will no longer argue with Biff about his job. He comes out of his reverie and assures Linda that he is fine. Willy drifts back into the past, remembering how everyone admired Biff when he was in high school. Willy calls Biff a 'lazy bum,' but Linda defends Biff on the premise that he is still trying to 'find himself.' Willy then contradicts his previous statement by saying that Biff is not lazy, and he decides to get Biff a job as a salesman. Willy and Linda argue about their son Biff. Willy decides to talk to Howard in the morning. At first Willy hesitates, complaining that his boss Howard does not respect his contributions to the company and might not listen to him, but Linda encourages Willy to tell Howard of his accomplishments. Linda suggests that Willy should request a New York assignment rather than travel each week. His wife, Linda, reassures him that he is only suffering from mental fatigue. He worries because he is having difficulty remembering events, as well as staying focused on the present.

Willy returns home exhausted from his latest sales excursion. She would rather play along with his fantasies of grandeur, or the simple ones like building a garden and growing fresh vegetables, than face the possibility of losing him.Death of a Salesman begins in the home of Willy Loman. According to Linda, Willy is 'only a little boat looking for a harbor.' She loves Willy, and more importantly, she accepts all of his shortcomings. Even though Willy is often rude to her and there is the possibility that Linda suspects Willy may have had an affair, she protects him at all costs. Linda is a character driven by desperation and fear. In many ways Willy is like a small child, and Linda is like a mother who anxiously protects him from Biff, Happy, and the rest of the world. In fact, she even throws Biff and Happy out when their behavior threatens to upset Willy. Despite all this, Linda does nothing, afraid to aggravate Willy's fragile mental condition. She is also aware that he has attempted to kill himself several times before. She has discovered the rubber hose behind the heater and lives in fear that Willy will try to asphyxiate himself. Linda knows that Willy is secretly borrowing money from Charley to pay the life insurance and other bills.

She gently prods him when it comes to paying the bills and communicating with Biff, and she does not lose her temper when he becomes irate. She knows that Willy is suicidal, irrational, and difficult to deal with however, she goes along with Willy's fantasies in order to protect him from the criticism of others, as well as his own self-criticism. Linda is a woman in an awkward situation.

Biff loman monologue text