Key quotations

Act 1": ‘As more lights appear we see a… fragile-seeming home. An air of the dream clings to the place’

Powerful opening stage direction hints at the vulnerable ‘fragile’ state of the Loman family symbolised through their home

Techniques- Symbolism, Foreshadowing, staging

The dream alludes to the American dream of- The frontiersman which is Biff’s dream to go West (a man living between settled and unsettled country), The entrepreneur which is Willy’s dream ‘own my own business’, and ultimately living in a happy ‘nuclear’ family

Act 1: ‘Biff Loman is lost. In the greatest country in the world a young man with such - personal attractiveness, gets lost. And such a hard worker. There’s one thing about Biff- He’s not lazy’

moments before- ‘Biff is a lazy bum’

Willy expresses his disappointment at Biff’s inability to live up to his ambitions in his adult life, problematic father-son relationship established.

Techniques- Irony, tone

It is ironic when Willy contradicts himself, the sudden change in tone suggests how easily confused and erratic he is. It shows his conflicting feelings of pride and disappointment towards his son.

He speaks with strong national pride ‘greatest country’, this is sadly ironic as the capitalistic system in America has caused Willy to become dissatisfied - later in act 1 we see how he has been forced to work on commission at his age of 63.

We see Willy thinks the attributes that will get you success are ‘personal attractiveness’, his ideologies have not worked for him as he has gotten older and it shows Miller’s critique of a culture predicated upon industry and to only think of yourself to make it to the top.

Act 1: ‘The man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead’ , ‘Be liked and you will never want’

This is as Willy is criticising Bernard (who becomes a successful lawyer) and is celebrating what he values in his sons- popularity and physical strength. Misguided advice Willy offers highlights his delusions and false about how you can become successful in a capitalist society.

Techniques- Irony, repetition

Noun of ‘man’ repeated reflects his patriarchal outlook as he excludes women. ‘Gets ahead’ he instills competitiveness.

His closing phrase is Willy’s personal motto- he gives the advice to the boys of what he really craves which is popularity and approval which we can interpret was caused by the lack of male role models in his life.

Act 1: ‘Did you see the ceiling I put up in the living room?’

Willy speaking to Charley. Again his crave for approval is highlighted, his manual skills. It hints that manual work may have been the better path for Willy as his father who created and sold flutes.

Techniques- Symbolism, Irony

Symbols of entrapment and suffocation ‘ Ceiling’, instead of towering apartments entrapping him he has put this up himself.

Later Willy asks Biff to paint it which he refuses showing his resistance to his father’s ideals.

Boastful of his achievements, as he isn’t given as much attention from his boys.

Act 2 Willy‘You can’t eat the orange and throw the peel away- a man is not a piece of fruit!’

Willy talking to his boss Howard

Techniques: metaphor

Themes: betrayal and abandonment

Willy uses a fruit metaphor showing how Howard and his job are throwing him away like a peel after consuming the best years of his life, discarding him like he is no longer needed

Contradicts himself as that is how you eat oranges, he feels unappreciated

Symbolic of an unsentimental capitalistic system that treats employees as expendable and can be replaced

Act 2 Howard to Willy ‘Kid, I can’t take blood from a stone I-… Willy(desperation is on him now)’… ‘Pull yourself together, kid, there’s people outside’

Techniques: metaphor

Howard saying he can’t make something out of nothing - the money