Death of a Salesman

Describe Willy Loman when we first see him

Overworked and Unstable, easily distracted

Linda's role in Willy's life

-takes care of him

-protects him

-keeps everything together

-maintains family relationships

-calms Willy down

-sugarcoats things for Willy

-grounds Willy

- In denial when dealing with Willy and him losing his mind.

Why does Willy express frustrationwith Biff?

Willie has high hopes and expectations for Beth and still believes Beth can still become great but in reality that is not true. He still believes has greatness but he contradicts himself saying Biff is both lazy. (Shows he's losing his mind, he knows deep down what his son can do. Heidolizes Biff for greatness, but also calls him a lazy bum.)

How is Willy's dislike of the American cheese significant in establishing his character?

It represents his idea of life and how childish he is when it comes to change. Willy always wants something he doesn't have and lashes out when things don't go his way or when he's backed into a corner. He doesn't accept change in the same way he can't change his dreams of his boys becoming salesmen.

-"I don't want a change."

How is the setting of the apartment buildings significant?

There is a big change in the development of the neighborhood. It used to be full of gardens and how it is more urban. Willy complains about how he misses the rural aspects and how apartment buildings surround/suffocate them.

What mistake does Willy acknowledge regarding his Chevy?

Made a mistake about the way the windows open on the car. Thought about an older car he had. Right now Willy can catch his mistakes but by the end of the story Willy loses his hold on reality and clings to the past.

In what ways is Biff conflicted

His father expects a lot from him but he doesn't believe it to be who he really is. Biff cares about his father and what he thinks but he realizes he doesn't want to follow the conventional path and wants to be out and free. (Part of him recognizes he needs to settle down)

how are biff and happy the same and different

Happy and Biff both have staticky relationship with their father. Happy ignore most bad things while Biff blames Willy for most of his problems. (Willy favors biff because he is more athletic than happy)(Happy always wants to keep things happy, he always tries to lighten the mood) (Happy is willing to do what his dad says but biff does not)

Significance of Happy's lines, "I'm losing weight" and "I'm getting married"

Happy tries to get more attention from his father because Willy mostly focuses on Biff even when he's not there.

In what way does Willy's line, "Coach's probably congratulate you on your initiative" illustrate his approach to parenting with regard to Biff?

Willy thinks of Biff so highly. He believes everyone loves and adores Biff so much that Biff doesn't have to follow the rules. Willy believes Biff's bad behavior is a part of his charm and brushes off how rough he is with girls, saying "boys will be boys." Thinks Biff's bad behavior makes him more charming to others.

Describe the flashback, how does Willy and his son related to each other in the snapshot of the past?

Willy reminisces on when his sons were younger. At this time Willy and his sons have a good and loving relationship. (They are shining the car for their father, he bought them a punching bag, maybe next summer he says to go on a trip or open a business.)

Describe Willy's attitude towards Bernard during his flashbacks and in the present time. What makes Biff better than Bernard based on what Willy said?

Willy was arrogant toward Bernard in the flashbacks and belittled him with derogatory name calling. In the present, Willy is jealous of Bernard's success. It will be more successful in life because he is well liked rather than Bernard, who is not very well liked.

How does Willy's flashback begin to change? Why?

His memory begins to deteriorate because he begins to catch himself in his lies. Willy often over exaggerated and gave others false hope. (As Linda and Willy are talking his mind at that moment goes back to a time he was with another woman and spoke to her. (Starts the conversation flaking about how much he made but he keeps going more and more down in amount)(Linda tries to reassure him)(The flashbacks reflect the ideal but as time goes on it shows how his mind starts to unravel)

What does Willy sell?

We don't know but it doesn't matter because Willy is a true Salesman. He sells himself and can't function as others no longer want him.

Why does Willy cheat on Linda?

He gets lonely, especially when business is bad, she makes him feel special and unique (he wants to be liked, especially as a salesman)

How and why does Willy react to Linda's mending stockings?

Yells at her to stop. It reminds him of the affair and makes him feel guilty and ashamed that he can't afford to buy her new ones. He gave stockings meant for her to his secret lover.

How does the flashback degenerate ?

It changes from past to present, early flashbacks were happier ideally but as the story progresses, they get more sad and more bad, the idolized is actually not so good (he's driving without a license, he's fail math, he stole football, and he above all he is rough with the girls). He ignores and denies the truth to acknowledges it slightly( through whipping) (has everything is said to Willy and reality hit him. He tries to ignore and deny, but then he goes to acknowledge it by wanting to whip Biff.)(he acknowledges it but his fist or the answer, violence is never the answer)

Describe Willy's relationship with Charlie

Charlie is a successful businessman, he pays Willy $50 a week, every time Charlie pays Willy Willy believes he will pay him back at a later time, but Charlie knows it won't ever happen. (Willy doesn't want to take a job from Charlie , which makes him in denial)(if he takes the job and the money, he won't have pride, pride as well getting his way that leads him down the path he chose)

Why does Willy and admire Ben so much?

Then went out and made a fortune and did something important Willie didn't he admires Ben success, and looked up to him. Ben is the connection Willy has to his father.

Willy's fathers story

He was a flute maker, but he ended up going to the gold rush, and no one ever heard back from him.

Explain the dynamic that exist between Linda and her sons

She's a loving mother. She's very direct and is brutally honest with them because she knows what's best for them and their father.

Relationship between Linda and Biff

Linda is in the dark about what Biff knows but she always talks good about Willy to Biff. She always looks past the bed with Willy. Loves his mother that is why he doesn't want to tell her the truth because it would be too much for her in a very tough situation whether he should tell the truth to his mom and reveal his dad for who he is or not, and keep it a secret.

What evidence does Linda share with her sons to show that Willy is suicidal?

Insurance person said All the accidents form the year were no accidents. There was a woman witness who saw him intentionally drive his car off the road. Another evidence is the nozzle, which he puts on the carbon dioxide pipe trying to also kill himself.

Does Linda know about the other woman?

We aren't told but Linda knows all of Willy's imperfections and accepts every single one.

Explain Willy's thought process when he tells Linda not to interrupt on several occasions during his conversation with Biff.

Linda is the voice of reality and when she starts encouraging Biff too, he doesn't want to hear the lies he tells everyone else. Willy doesn't want to hear reality. He wants his fantasy world only to be composed of Biff and Him.

"Gee, look at the moon moving between the buildings"

When Willy is in a good mood he focuses on the things around him and has an optimistic view. Even though he's seen the same thing multiple times, when he's in a good mood he treats it as though it's unique and unheard of. When Willy is in a bad mood he focuses on materialistic things and Biff.

Why does miller create such a hopeful atmosphere at the end of act 1 and the beginning of act 2? What effect does it have on the play?

Willy goes to sleep Happy, linda is happy because Willy's happy, Biff is happy because he's going to see Bill Oliver tomorrow, Happy is happy because everyone else is happy. Miller tries to get us hopeful and then surprises us. He builds up the emotion so high that the fall of the plot is more dramatic.

What purpose is served here by Linda's phone conversation with Biff

She tells her son that she went down to se if that thing was on the pipe, it wasn't which she thought he took it off but Biff was the one who did. Lines then becomes disappointed (This is in the scene because - She brushes it off but it foreshadows that something is still not right with Willy. /She had hope Willy was ok)

Explain the significance of Howard's lines to Willy, "Sh, for God's sake" and "Wait a minute."

Howard treats Willy like Willy treats Linda. At work he is weak and overpowered by Howard but at home he is strong. At work he has no control over his life.

Explain the effect of the following line spoken by Howard to Willy: "they're only a hundred and a half."

Howard spent $150 on a recorder and treated it like nothing "only". Howard's insensitivity comes from his wealth. In Willy's view, $150 would pay off almost all of his bills, Willy struggles to make ends meet but Howard treats $150 as a small amount of money. (Howard is insensitive and rubs it in Willy's face that he has money)

How are Willy's references to Howard's Father significant?

Personal connections from the past have no impact in the present. Howard is a business man and he has to do what's best for his business. He cant rely on the promise of his father to Willy when Willy barely makes money or is barely a benefit to Howard.

In what ways did Dave Singleman inspire Willy?

Hundreds of people came to his funeral and even trains shut down, etc. Dave made sales from his bed on the phone, worked at 84. People didn't need to see him to buy from him, he could just speak to them on the phone.

How does Willy's demeanor change as he continues to speak with Howard?

Willy demeanor significantly changes, it builds and it builds. He becomes more and more frustrated and ends up losing it and yelling at Howard.

(Willy screaming and banging his desk leaves Howard in a tough position because Willy loses it and Howard notices he's unstable. Howard also need to run a business, if Willy hasn't made any money then Howard is losing money.

What points does Willy make to Howard when trying to win him over?

He says people don't know him anymore (Making the point that he is not a good salesman) but also makes the point that he can still do it. He also points out to his relationship with Howard's father, that Howard can't fire him because he had a good relationship with Howard's father, back then everything was based personal relationships and friendships with people. He also says back then Willy says he made a lot of money back then.

How is Howard's son's mistake regarding the capital of Ohio significant?

Despite Howard's wealth and status, his kid isn't perfect. His kid has errors like Willy's kids have errors.

Describe the effect of Willy's accidentally turning on the recorder. Why does Miller include this incident here?

Willy loses control and has a break down because he can't turn off the recorder and gets frustrated. The recorder represents the new world and Willy is ancient, no one wants him

How does Ben react to Willy job as a salesman

Ben saw success by what you have physically in your hand, Ben is materialistic. Willy says why should he take the risk with Ben, while he has a job, a wife and kids, and a home.

Describe the conversation between Willy and Bernard

Willy looks at Bernard and asks him what he did to succeed in life, Bernard said he worked hard. Bernard then says how is Biff, when he went up to Boston to ask about the math grade he never came back as the same person every again.

Explain the significance of Willy's comment to Charley about "highways, trains, and appointment"

A man is worth so much more dead than alive (Insurance). Charley says nobody is worth dead, to kinda steer him off of his ideas, which foreshadows the future.

Explain how Biff and Happy perspectives differ

Biff wants to tell the truth but happy just wants to brush the bad stuff off and stick with the good stuff. Biff has always tried to stay honest with his father but happy just wants everything to be happy he doesn't want anything bad.

How does Biff's perspective in the restraunt scene shift back and front here

Biff begins to tell Willy the truth, Willy doesn't want to hear it, Willy is refusing to agree with reality he says he doesn't want to know any more bad news. For a short period Biff does what happy does to make his father happy, but to Willy it's never enough so he keeps bothering him about it. He sees his dad as being desperate.

How and why does this plan change when Willy arrives?

Biff tries to tell the truth but he knows Willy won't listen and gives up.

What does Biff end up saying to Willy?

I'm gonna meet with Bill Oliver tomorrow

How is Linda's confrontation with Biff and Happy more severe than any other? Why is this the case?

Linda calls them bums, etc. and tells them to be ashamed of themselves. She is more than angered or disappointed in them. Doesn't allow them to see Willy and even kicks them out. Throws Happy's flowers to the floor. She does this when Biff and Happy leave Willy alone in the restaurant and when Happy denied Willy as his father for girls.

Significance of the seeds

Willy wants to leave a legacy because he knows he won't be there after that night.

"Not finding yourself at the age of 34 is a disgrace"

Willy

"Why do you get American when I like Swiss"

Willy

" I've always made a point of not wasting my life and every time I come back here I know that all I've done is to waste my life"

Biff

" I'm losing weight you notice pop"

Happy

He liked, but he's not well liked

Biff

"What an anemic!"

Willy

"You picked me?"

Willy

" I won't have you mending stockings in this house! Now, throw them out "

Willy

"The woods are burning"

Willy

"Why, boys, when I was seventeen I walked into the jungle, and when I was twenty-one I walked out. And by God I was rich."

Ben

Don't interrupt

Willy

"I'm gonna get married mom. I wanted to tell you"

Happy

"Gee look at the moon moving between the buildings"

Willy

" sure, they're only a hundred and a half

Howard

" you can't eat the orange and throw the peel away-a man is not a piece of fruit"

Willy

" the capital of Ohio is Cincinnati"

Howard's son

" After all the highways and the trains and the appointments in New Year's, you end up more than dead than alive"

Willy

"You- gave her mama's stockings!"

Biff

"I want you to know, on the train, in the mountains, in the valleys, wherever you go, that you cut down your life for spite!"

Willy

"Pop! I'm a dime a dozen, and so are you"

Biff

"I am not a dime a dozen"

Willy

"Isn't that—isn't that remarkable? He likes me!"

Willy

"He had a good dream, it's the only dream you can have—to come out number one man."

Happy

"Were free...We're free."

Linda