In Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, many characters act in both the past and the present in through the reflections of Willy Loman, one of the main characters of the play. As a result, the audience gains different perspectives on each character. It also brilliantly illustrates how all the characters influence each other. One of these characters appears in the role of Bernard. Although a particularly minor role, Bernard has, or potentially has, a significant influence on Willy's son Biff. In fact, it's almost the same role that Bernard's father, Charley, plays in Willy. A common role exists in the real world as well as in plays and films. It is the role of the friend, almost imperceptible, who devotes part of his life to the main man. Bernard's appearances come solely from Willy's materialized imaginations. As Bernard is only a supporting character, the audience has the opportunity to read into and between the known parts of his story. The first time he appears, he is a teenager hanging out with Willy's sons Biff and Happy. Young Bernard is a bit of a nerd. He studies hard and is quite intelligent, but, according to Biff, he is "well-liked, but not well-liked" (Miller). Presumably Bernard is not as well known as Biff. Young Bernard is "Biff's friend" and "Charley's son", but has not yet become his own person. Biff, the high school football star, effortlessly surpasses his friend. However, he seems to be the only one to get something out of this relationship. In Willy's present, the audience understands that Bernard has become a successful adult, unlike Biff. Bernard is a university graduate, a lawyer, and is in full preparation...... middle of paper ......ity. It's not always easy to stand up to friends and supposed authorities in your life. However, when circumstances involve a person's morality, it is more important to stand up for what one believes is the honest thing to do. If Bernard had relented, it is likely that they both would have been admitted to a state exam. In this case, Biff might not have been the only one to miss his graduation that year and the future Supreme Court case would not have had the same outcome. Lives are not always affected by the people who are there, but rather by those who are no longer there. In Bernard's example, letting go of his knowledge of Biff was ultimately a good thing for him. Works Cited Miller, Arthur. “Death of a Salesman.” Literature: an introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and writing. By XJ Kennedy and Dana Gioia. Boston: Pearson, 2013. N. pag. Print.