There is certainly a divergence of opinion regarding Willy Loman, particularly among his family members.

While Linda is tolerant of Willy's faults, Biff and Happy (Willy's sons) have a more contentious relationship with their father. At the beginning of the play, Willy is irritable and behaves unreasonably. He feels frustrated at life in general. Additionally, his eldest son, Biff, hasn't made anything of himself. At the age of 34, Biff is still drifting from job to job. Biff's failure mirrors Willy's own, and this compounds Willy's sense of defeat. Linda indulges Willy's dark mood with "infinite patience." She mollycoddles Willy and treats him as a fragile, broken man. In truth, Linda feels trapped, and it is only her guilt that leads her to indulge Willy's dysfunctional behavior.

WILLY: They should’ve arrested the builder for cutting those down. They massacred the neighborhood...

LINDA: Well, after all, people had to move somewhere.

WILLY: No, there’s more people now.

LINDA: I don’t think there’s more people. I think...

WILLY: There’s more people! That’s what’s ruining this country! Population is getting out of control. The competition is maddening! Smell the stink from that apartment house! And another one on the other side[...].

Biff comes home in the spring because he feels that it is his only refuge from failure. In the play, Biff and Happy discuss their lives. Biff confesses to Happy that he has had twenty to thirty jobs, but they always turn out the same: all of them fail to improve his station in life. Biff laments that the odd jobs he performs always pay poorly, and he is left more depressed than before. It is in spring that his thoughts turn to home, as the only solace from his failures.

Both Biff and Happy share an easy camaraderie. However, they diverge in their feelings about Willy. While Biff resents Willy for his adulterous relationship with "The Woman," Happy is more inclined to give his father the benefit of the doubt. In an exchange with their mother, Biff and Happy demonstrate their different perspectives about Willy:

LINDA: Don’t — don’t go near him!

BIFF: Stop making excuses for him! He always, always wiped the floor with you. Never had an ounce of respect for you.

HAPPY: He’s always had respect for...

BIFF: What the hell do you know about it?

HAPPY (surlily): Just don’t call him crazy!

BIFF: He’s got no character — Charley wouldn’t do this. Not in his own house — spewing out that vomit from his mind.

HAPPY: Charley never had to cope with what he’s got to.

BIFF: People are worse off than Willy Loman. Believe me, I’ve seen them!

LINDA: Then make Charley your father, Biff. You can’t do that, can you? I don’t say he’s a great man. Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. He’s not the finest character that ever lived. But he’s a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid. He’s not to be allowed to fall into his grave like an old dog...

Like Linda, Happy is inclined to tolerate Willy's idiosyncrasies. Both Linda and Happy feel obligated to protect Willy. Meanwhile, Biff feels only disgust at his father's behavior, and he has little sympathy for him. So, all three differ in how they feel about Willy. This in turn influences how they treat him.