What does Howard's attitude towards Willy, in his office, show in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman?

When
Willy goes to Howard's office to ask for an easier position, the audience sees an important
aspect of Willy's dilemma. While the posting cited below offers a strong interpretation of the
dynamics of this scene, it's possible to add additional commentary. We can presume that Willy
was a sufficient salesman in his younger days. He was able to provide his family with the
American Dream, if what that meant was a house of their own and opportunity for the younger
generation to do better than its parents. At the same time, in the Requiem, Biff claims that
Willy "had the wrong dreams." The crux of the play is to evaluate those, and our own,
dreams.

Essentially, Willy's dream was to be "remarkable," by
which he mean "well liked." He looks down on Charley and Bernard for their material
success but lack of being "well liked." For all of Willy's unrealistic exaggeration
and lies and delusions, what Willy seems to most seek is love and dignity. This is what Linda
seems to acknowledge in him,...