AP Lang "Death of a Salesman" by Arthur Miller Study Guide

Who is Willy Loman?

The 63-year-old salesman protagonist who believes success depends on being "well-liked." His self-delusion and faith in the American Dream lead to his downfall.

Who is Linda Loman?

Willy's loyal, loving wife who defends him ("Attention must be paid") and represents emotional strength, endurance, and tragic devotion.

Who is Biff Loman?

Willy's eldest son; once a high school football star. Disillusioned after discovering Willy's affair; ultimately realizes "the truth" about their false dreams.

Who is Happy Loman?

Willy's younger son; shallow, womanizing, and obsessed with material success. Mirrors Willy's illusions and denial.

Who is Charley?

Willy's practical, successful neighbor who offers him money and a job. Embodies realism and compassion.

Who is Bernard?

Charley's studious son; becomes a lawyer. Symbolizes success through effort, not charm.

Who is Ben?

Willy's older brother who "walked into the jungle and came out rich." Represents the mythical American success story that haunts Willy.

What is the main theme of Death of a Salesman?

The illusion and destruction of the American Dream — the belief that personality and popularity guarantee success.

How does Miller portray capitalism?

As dehumanizing and exploitative; individuals become commodities measured by productivity.

What theme is shown through Willy's contradictions and delusions?

The conflict between illusion and reality — self-deception as a form of survival and self-destruction.

What does the play say about identity and self-worth?

Identity is fragile when defined by external success; real worth must come from authenticity, not social approval.

How does the play address family and legacy?

It reveals intergenerational pressure, betrayal, and the failure of patriarchal ideals to provide fulfillment.

What do the seeds symbolize?

Willy's desire to leave something behind; symbolize failed legacy and futile hope.

What does the flute represent?

Nostalgia for Willy's father and a simpler, creative life — the sound of lost authenticity.

What do the stockings symbolize?

Guilt and betrayal (Willy's affair); also materialism and commodified love.

What does the car symbolize?

The illusion of freedom and mobility that becomes the tool of Willy's suicide.

What does the jungle symbolize?

The risky, adventurous side of capitalism and the myth of quick success.

What do the transparent walls symbolize?

The collapse between past and present, illusion and reality — Willy's mental disintegration.

How is the play structured?

Two acts and a requiem (funeral); nonlinear narrative blending memory and present.

What kind of play is it?

A modern tragedy mixing realism and expressionism; focuses on the "common man" rather than a noble hero.

What's innovative about Miller's stage directions?

"Transparent walls," light changes, and music reflect Willy's inner world — psychological realism on stage.

How does Miller use tone and diction?

Simple, colloquial dialogue contrasts with lyrical, dreamlike monologues to highlight emotional tension.

How does the play redefine tragedy?

The common man's fall due to personal delusion and social pressure — modernizing Aristotle's tragic hero.

What rhetorical device dominates Willy's speech?

Repetition and contradiction — reflect confusion, denial, and emotional instability.

What rhetorical appeal does Linda use?

Pathos — appeals to compassion and moral duty ("Attention must be paid").

What rhetorical mode dominates the requiem?

Eulogy and irony — mournful tone highlighting the emptiness of Willy's dreams.

What does Miller use instead of flashbacks?

Expressionistic memory scenes — dramatize emotional truth, not chronological realism.

How does Miller use irony?

Willy dies to achieve "success" through insurance money — achieving "freedom" only in death.

"I'm not a dime a dozen! I'm Willy Loman!"

Willy's desperate attempt to assert individuality; irony: "Low man" signifies his ordinary, tragic status.

"He had the wrong dreams. All, all wrong."

Biff's realization that his father's values were false — epitaph of the American Dream's failure.

"Attention must be paid to such a person."

Linda's plea for empathy; rhetorical elevation of the common man's suffering.

"A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory."

Charley's recognition that illusion defines the salesman's life — bittersweet summary of Willy's existence.

"We're free… We're free…"

Linda's final irony — financial freedom comes only through Willy's death.

What is Miller's purpose in writing the play?

To expose the human cost of the American Dream and dignify the common man's tragedy.

What philosophical lens can be applied?

Existentialism — the struggle to find meaning in an indifferent, capitalist world.

What Marxist ideas are present?

Alienation of the worker; the human reduced to economic value.

What feminist reading applies?

Linda's self-effacement reflects gendered emotional labor and domestic oppression.

What psychological reading applies?

Willy's neurosis and hallucinations symbolize denial, repression, and identity collapse.

What is the play's central rhetorical argument?

That self-worth and meaning cannot come from economic systems or social approval — only self-awareness.

How does Miller appeal to emotion and reason?

Through pathos (Willy's suffering, Linda's loyalty) and logos (Biff's final recognition of truth).

How does syntax mirror theme?

Fragmented sentences mirror fragmented identity and loss of coherence.

What tone shifts occur throughout the play?

Hopeful → frantic → disillusioned → mournful.

How does Miller use juxtaposition?

Contrasts between past dreams and present failure heighten irony and pathos.

What happens in the Requiem?

Willy's funeral; only his family and Charley attend — showing the emptiness of his dreams.

What is Linda's final realization?

They're financially "free," but spiritually destroyed; the dream is meaningless.

How does Biff's ending differ from Happy's?

Biff chooses authenticity over illusion; Happy vows to continue Willy's false dream.

What are the big takeaways of Death of a Salesman?

It redefines tragedy for the modern era, critiques the American Dream, exposes capitalism's human cost, and values truth and authenticity over illusion.

How does Miller use memory and time?

He blends past and present to reveal psychological truth rather than linear events.

What role does setting play in the story?

The cramped Brooklyn house symbolizes confinement, economic pressure, and fading dreams.

What does the title "Death of a Salesman" symbolize?

Not just Willy's literal death, but the spiritual death of the American Dream itself.

What role does the flute motif play?

It recalls Willy's father and symbolizes lost artistry and simpler self-made values.

What does Willy's fixation on being "well-liked" reveal?

His belief that charisma and popularity matter more than hard work or skill.

Why does Biff steal the pen from Bill Oliver's office?

It symbolizes his rejection of the business world and realization of self-deception.

What does Linda's line "Life is a casting off" mean?

It shows her quiet endurance; she accepts loss and burden as her role.

What does Ben's success represent to Willy?

A mythic ideal of instant wealth that fuels Willy's unrealistic dreams.

Why does Willy reject Charley's job offer?

Pride and denial — he cannot accept help or admit failure.

What is the irony of Willy's dream house?

It's finally paid off when he dies — freedom comes too late.

Why is the play considered expressionistic?

It uses nonrealistic elements like memory, lighting, and symbolic music to show inner emotion.

How does Miller create pathos in the play?

Through Linda's loyalty, Biff's disillusionment, and Willy's self-delusion and despair.

How does Bernard's success contrast with Biff's?

Bernard works hard and stays humble; Biff relies on charm and collapses under false ideals.

How is Willy's death both tragic and ironic?

He dies thinking he's helping his family, but his death exposes the futility of his life's pursuit.

How does Biff serve as a moral compass?

He recognizes the family's lies and seeks authenticity, breaking the cycle of illusion.

What is the tone of the play overall?

Tragic, nostalgic, ironic, and emotionally charged.

How does Arthur Miller define the "common man's tragedy"?

He argues that ordinary individuals can experience tragic downfall through internal conflict and social pressure.

What modern societal issue does the play foreshadow?

Workplace burnout, mental health struggles, and identity loss under economic systems.

What rhetorical effect does repetition have in Willy's speech?

It mirrors his desperation, denial, and fragmented thought process.

What does the American Dream mean in the play?

A seductive but destructive ideal that promises success and happiness but delivers disillusionment.

What is the moral lesson of the play?

True self-worth cannot come from external validation; illusions destroy identity and relationships.