Death of a Salesman - Death

A-Level English Literature B AQA 'Death of a Salesman' Text

"I search and I search and I search, and I can’t _______ it”

"I search and I search and I search, and I can’t understand it”

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* Linda is left alone from Willy’s death and unsure of her place in the world - even though Willy may have died trying to financially support her, emotionally he has just stunted her further.

“He had the wrong ____. All, all wrong.”

“He had the wrong dreams. All, all wrong.”

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* Biff does not necessarily critisise his father, but in his fathers death, he reflects on the system his father bought into and can recognise that capitalism, ultimately, played a part in his fathers death.
* His death leaves a great division between his two sons - one who chooses to follow in his fathers footsteps, and another who chooses to learn from his mistakes.

“I’m going to show you and everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vain. He had a good dream. It’s the only dream you can have - to come out ______ ____ ____”

“I’m going to show you and everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vain. He had a good dream. It’s the only dream you can have - to come out number one man”

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* Happy believes he had the right dreams and just got ‘beaten by the racket’
* Happy thinks capitalism and consumerism is the way to be happy, and his father never achieved it fully and that is why he was unsuccessful, when in reality it was the capitalist and consumerist mindset (and his failure in such) that ruined Willy Loman

“He’s going to ___ ______, don’t you know that?”

“He’s going to kill himself, don’t you know that?”

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* Even though Happy has always been the one to buy into his fathers ideology and try to impress and live up to him, by the scene in the restaurant Biff accuses Happy of not caring about their father and his issues - even though Biff disagrees with his father, he cares for him more

“Its twenty thousand dollars on the ________.”

“Its twenty thousand dollars on the barrelhead.”

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* Willy feels he can finally sacrifice himself for his family, to support them - and ultimately, in the gruesome ending, he does get that dream. His death pays off the house and they are in no financial trouble. (Worth $216,000)

“Ben, that ______ will be massive! They’ll come from Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire!”

“Ben, that funeral will be massive! They’ll come from Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire!”

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* Willy, even in his death, is only concerned about appearances and who may come and how big his funeral may be.
* This line is ironic as his funeral ends up only being 4 people, 3 of which are his immediate family