Scene 3 is the first scene that takes place entirely in the past. This is important because the audience is observing the events as Willy remembers them. This scene is one of Willy’s cherished memories because, in it, his children idealize him. Everything that Willy says or does is perfect, and he is an authority figure within the scene, instructing the boys on the proper technique to polish the car. He also plans to trim the tree branch over the house. This job is a pleasure because Willy and the boys delight in manual labor. The punching bag is the ideal gift because it represents the physical strength and dominance that Willy and the boys achieve through physical labor.
Scene 3 presents the audience with the first example of tension between Biff and Happy. This is an example of disorder even in Willy’s orderly memories. Happy reveals that Biff has stolen a football. Willy immediately disapproves; however, he defends Biff when Happy criticizes him. Biff’s action reflects his own struggle for order within his life. He steals the ball to practice so that he can play well during the Ebbet’s Field game. His goal is to please Willy, but he goes about it the wrong way. The fact that Willy reprimands him and then praises him for stealing only leads to further confusion and disorder later in Biff’s life. When Willy sanctions Biff’s theft, he emphasizes the idea that it is permissible to break the rules to get ahead. Furthermore, Willy reinforces the notion that Biff is immune to boundaries that bind other members of society.
