Death of a Salesman @deathofasalesmanjg - Tumblr Blog

Significant Quote (cont.)

Geraldine- “Pop, get this now, will you? Everytime I’ve left it’s been a fight that sent me out of here. Today I realized something about myself and I tried to explain it to you and I - I think i’m just not that smart enough to make any sense out of it for you. To hell with whose fault it is or anything like that.” -Biff page 128

This quote exemplifies how fed up and done Biff is with trying to get through to his father. Like any dad, Willy wanted nothing but the best for his child. He constantly worried about Biff and his future, as first seen in the beginning of the play. So when Biff attempts to land a meeting with Bill Oliver, Willy raises his expectations very high. But unfortunately, Biff came back with bad news- news that his father wouldn’t understand or accept. With Willy’s old age, stubbornness, and troublesome episodes, Biff knew it was going to be impossible to get Wily to try to understand what he loves to do, and that’s being out in an open field. This quote embodies Biff’s clash with the ideas of his own plans for the future with those of his fathers.

#significantquote

Significant Scene

Michael- Willy’s first flashback (27)

Early in Act 1 starting on page 27 we are transported to Willy’s past through one of his flashbacks, in this flashback Willy is speaking to his two sons and can easily be portrayed as happier than he is now. This scene is crucial to the text because this is the first time we see Willy really talking to himself. the flashback shows how hard Willy is trying to cling to the past and just how fond he was of a happier time.

Jenny- Willy Loman getting fired (76-84)

During this scene, Willy approaches his boss, Howard, to ask if he could stop traveling and work in town. However, Howard doesn’t have any available positions suitable for him. Willy tries to negotiate his pay in order for himself to get a stationary job, but Howard doesn’t crack. This conversation leads into Howard telling Willy that he cannot represent the company any longer. Due to the abrupt news, Willy tries to take back everything he’s said, but it’s too late. The remainder that Willy had left of his purpose and dreams have been taken away. This scene was the turning point for Willy in his life because being a salesman was the one thing he was good at. Now that he no longer has his job, he no longer has a purpose to live for.

Geraldine- Willy Loman’s affair (pages 120-121)

Upon visiting his father in Boston, Biff discovers an undressed woman in Willy’s hotel bathroom. Willy, of course, tries to convince his son that she was a buyer who had to take a quick shower in his room since they were painting up hers’. Biff doesn’t believe a word he says after Willy succumbed to the woman’s demands to give her Linda’s stockings. In the scene above, Biff (in the yellow and red shirt) is just about to leave the room, calling his own father a phony little fake and a liar. Willy (in the white shirt) is shouting, “She’s nothing to me, Biff. I was lonely, I was terribly lonely.” Willy Loman looks helpless, as one should feel after being caught with another woman by their own son.

Joshua - Success v. Failure (48-52)

Willy holds Ben in high regard after becoming successful at the age of twenty-one. He uses Ben as an example that, “The greatest things can happen!” (48), and contrary to how Ben details on his success, he did not simply enter at seventeen and come out twenty-one rich, the path on the left. It is important to note that Ben probably encountered the path on the right where constant obstacles of failure were scattered about on his path---he just overcame them to reach his success. The road to success is not linear and clear. Ben is trying to teach Willy that he needs to accept and learn from failure to stay on the path to success. If he dwindles in the past, he will never be able to reach or help his sons reach their goals.

Louis - Suicide (58-60)

Willy Loman, a depressed aging man has been said to have been getting into accidents in his car, but witness say it’s suicide. (pg 58) “Linda: He’s been trying to kill himself.” “Remember I wrote you that he smashed up his car again? In February?” “ The insurance inspector came. He said that they had evidence. That all these accidents in the last year - weren’t- weren’t- accidents.” This wakes up Biff to the fact that he hasn't been there for his father. This moves him to try and accomplish something with his brother in order to become successful and live up to his father’s expectations.

#significant scene

Issue of Social Concern / American Identity

Michael- Lies and betrayal

In the novel there are many lies told not only to each other but to the character themselves. Betrayal in the play was extremely evident while simultaneously absolute. Willy’s affair with the woman is a betrayal of marriage and family. this betrayal transcended into Biff’s betrayal of himself thus causing him to stray away from his hopes and dreams. Though saddening the deceit in the play was important in which the characters could develop and progress from their former selves.

Joshua- Family

Money is a primary topic of concern and people are willing to go to great lengths to increase the amount of money that they can acquire. Ben decided to travel to Alaska and in return became extremely rich. Willy travels to many locations in hopes of making money from commissions. As a result there seems to be a less emphasis on maintaining family relationships. Willy’s sons need a huge indicator that their father needs help. It’ll be up to the actions of each of them to keep the relationship alive.

Jenny- Greed

Throughout the novel, Willy Loman is faced with the everlasting burden of having enough money. Willy becomes obsessed with having money that he even worries about his grown children and their financial issues. During the scene when Willy is getting fired by Howard, Willy’s loyalty means nothing to the company. All that matters is that Willy is barely making any commission for the company. Howard suggests that Willy’s sons can help him out, but Willy doesn’t want to become a cripple. Happy makes enough money to support his parents. However, he never brings up the idea in fear of losing his lavish lifestyle. Everything comes back to money. In American, everyone has the same aspiration to make money. In some cases, people will do whatever it takes to get ahead and make the extra buck even if it means giving no remorse to others.

Louis- Falling short of success.

Everyone dreams about success, whether its about them or their children. As Willy ages, he has less chances of achieving the amount of success that he wants. Raising his son Biff, he notices that he has more potential than he and raises him to always look ahead. He implants that nothing can bring him down, yet it’s the way that he was raised to led to his failure. For Willy, he falls short of success himself in his job, and in raising a successful son.

Geraldine- Promiscuity

Willy gets into a huge problem when Biff unexpectedly arrives at his old man’s hotel door.

Divorce rates in American are climbing

#social concern

Significant Quote

Michael- “I realized what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been”-Biff Loman

This is Biff’s turning point in the novel, this is when Biff finally comes to terms with who he truly is. He realizes that his father’s expectations of him are simply just expectations and nothing more. Biff finally realizes that he has spent his whole life living up to standards of himself that were never truly real.

Joshua- “Every day I go down and take away that little rubber pipe. But when he comes home, I put it back where it was. How can I insult him that way?… It sounds old-fashioned and silly, but I tell you [Willy] put his whole life into you and you’ve turned your backs on him… Biff, his life is in your hands!” -Linda (60)

Here, Linda is trying to communicate to her sons that Willy needs help and she can’t be the only one to be involved. Linda wants to take action but is hesitant on how she should go about it so she calls to her sons for help. Luckily, with the boys aware of a problem, they will try to resolve it and in doing so will help Willy recover.

Jenny

WILLY: Like a young god. Hercules—something like that. And the sun, the sun all around him. Remember how he waved to me? Right up from the field with the representatives of three colleges standing by? And the buyers I brought, and the cheers when he came out—Loman, Loman, Loman! God Almighty, he’ll be great yet. A star like that, magnificent, can never really fade away. (68)

Willy is still holding onto memories of Biff’s glamorous past and is using those memories to pave the way for the future. When Biff and Happy brought up the idea to sell sporting goods, Willy couldn’t have been any happier. Willy’s dream of his sons, especially Happy, being successful is finally coming true. Through their idea, Willy is able to slowly piece together a successful future for Biff, like the one he almost had.

Louis

“Charley: Why must everyone like you? Who liked J.P. Morgan? Was he impressive? In a Turkish bath he’d look like a butcher. But with his pockets on he was very well liked. Now listen, I know you don’t like me very well, and nobody can say I’m in love with you, but I’ll give you a job because- just for the hell of it, put it that way. Now what do you say?”

Willy is being hard headed and won’t accept a job from Charley. He already asks him every week for money and he just lost his job, yet he won’t get this job because of his pride. He can work close by and with decent pay. He can be accomplished in supporting his family, his wife, his dreams, yet he succumbs to jealousy and pride.

This quote exemplifies how fed up and done Biff is with trying to get through to his father. Like any dad, Willy wanted nothing but the best for his child. He constantly worried about Biff and his future, as first seen in the beginning of the play. So when Biff attempts to land a meeting with Bill Oliver, Willy raises his expectations very high. But unfortunately, Biff came back with bad news- news that his father wouldn't understand or accept. With Willy's old age, stubbornness, and troublesome episodes, Biff knew it was going to be impossible to get Wily to try to understand what he loves to do, and that's being out in an open field. This quote embodies Biff’s clash with the ideas of his own plans for the future with those of his fathers.

#significantquote

Questions

Michael- Though underwhelming, a soft flute playing is constantly heard throughout the play, what do you think this represents and how does it affect your understanding of certain characters?

Answers:

By Geraldine- I think the flute is a representation of Willy’s father who traveled around America selling flutes that he made. It signifies how Willy’s father’s legacy of a successful salesman will always be with Willy. The significance of the flute heard throughout the play affects my understanding of the main character, Willy. Since his father was a very wild-hearted man and well liked by others, Willy had grown to believe that being well liked all around was what it took to become a successful salesman. Therefore, the flute served as a reminder to Willy of his father’s accomplished life as a salesman. (information found on page 49)

By Joshua- The flutes are connected with Willy’s father who led a successful career as a salesman. Willy is trying to match the level of success that his father had and in doing so is blinded by the fact that he just doesn’t work well as a salesman. Biff realizes this concept, that he as well as himself are not ideal for their jobs and attempts to let Willy know, only to be completely shut down by Willy.

Joshua- Why does Willy place a lot of emphasis on making money and why does he contradict himself when offered a job by Charley and turning it down?

Answers:

By Louis- He never thought of Charley as someone to look up to. When they played cards, he thought he didn’t know how to play the game. When Charley is now in a higher position than him in life, he refuses to accept that and wont let him be his boss. It’s a sense of pride for Willy, as that’s all that he has left.

Jenny- If you were in Biff’s position to go to summer school, would you allow your father’s affair affect your decision?

Answers:

By Geraldine- If I were in Biff’s position, my decision to go to summer school would definitely be driven by my father’s affair. Knowing that my father was able to lie straight to my face after having a naked woman walk right out of his hotel bathroom would surely lead me to rebel. I would decide not to go to summer school in spite of what he did to hurt my innocent, loving mother.

By Michael: If i were in Biff’s shoes i would try not to let the affair get to me. But deep down i would know that I was hurt by his actions, and that my choices are definitely going to be affected by his foul judgement.

By Louis- Finding out my father was in an affair, the father that I idolized and looked up to, I would be scarred for life. He’s the no-wrong doing father and it will definitely make me question my views on him. One bad news after another, I would run away from the problems, therefore not going to summer school etc.

Geraldine- What would you have done if you were Biff and discovered that your father was cheating on your mother?

Answers:

By Jenny- I wouldn’t tell Linda because of how fragile she is. Her love life revolves around Willy’s happiness. Therefore, her hearing about the incident might cause her to become suicidal. I would solely just confront Willy about his actions.

By Michael: I would immediately go up to Willy and confront him about it. I would ask him why and to explain himself. If his answers portrayed regret i wouldn't tell Linda.

Louis-Why doesn't Willy like to see his wife, Linda, mending stockings?

Answers:

By Jenny- Willy doesn’t like to wife mending stockings because the stockings are a reminder of his past affairs. Every time he would go away on business he would buy his wife stockings. However, when he was having the affairs, he would give the stockings that he bought for his wife to the other women.

By Joshua: There used to be a time when Willy was indifferent to Linda mending stockings. This all changed when he started to share a relationship with The Woman, in which he gave her stockings as gifts. Knowing that the relationship shows his unfaithfulness to Linda, he tries to keep the relationship a secret and seeing Linda mend the stockings brings back memories of the affair. Ultimately, he gets found out by Biff changing the relationship between those two forever.

#questions

Central Themes

Joshua - Abandonment

Story revolves around Willy needing help from his friends and family (particulary his sons), but not receiving it.

“Willy, you can’t go to Boston for us...I don’t want you to represent us. I’ve been meaning to tell you for a long time now...I think you need a good long rest, Willy...And when you feel better, come back, and we’ll see if we can work something out.” -Howard (83)

“You invite him for dinner...then you desert him there...Not one, not another living soul would have had the cruelty to walk out on that man in a restaurant!” -Linda (123-124)

“Didn’t do a damned thing. How do you like that, heh? Left [Willy] babbling in a toilet.” -Biff (124)

Jenny- Loss of Purpose

Throughout out the story, Willy, Biff, and Happy struggle to find their purpose or accept the fact that their purpose is no longer there.

“Hap, I’ve had twenty or thirty different jobs since I left home before the war, and it always turns out the same. I just realized it lately..I’m not getting anywhere! What the hell am I doing playing around with horses, twenty-eight dollars a week. I’m thirty-four years old I ought to be makin’ my future. . .” (22)

“All I can do now is wait for the merchandise manager to die. And suppose I get to be merchandise manager? He’s a good friend of mine,and he just built a terrific estate on Long Island. And he lived there about two months and sold it, and now he;s building another one. He can’t enjoy it once its finished. And I know that’s just what I would do. I don’t know what the hell I’m working for. Sometimes I sit in my apartment-alone. And I think of the rent I’m paying. And its crazy. But then, It’s what I always wanted. My own apartment, a car, and plenty of women. And still, goddammit, I’m lonely.” (22)

Michael- Contradiction of self

As you progress through the story you realize that Willy’s psyche is obviously battered and bruised. He is constantly lying to those around him but this is only because he lies to himself. Several times throughout the novel Willy can be seen deceiving himself thus creating this self image that he wishes to be yet deep down recollections of his actual self remain, this disturbs and tortureshim mentally.

“ Willy: Oh, I’ll knock ‘em dead next week. I’ll go to Hartford. I’m very well liked in Hartford. You know, the trouble is, Linda, people don’t seem to take to me. [They move onto the forestage] Linda: Oh, don’t be foolish. Willy: I know it when I walk in. They seem to laugh at me. Linda: Why? Why would they laugh at you? Don’t talk that way, Willy. [Willy moves to the edge of the stage. Linda goes into the kitchen and starts to darn stockings.] Willy: I don’t know the reason for it, but they just pass me by. I’m not noticed.” (28)

Geraldine- American Dream

Willy, being exposed to the successful lives of those around him, becomes so absorbed in the idea of the “American Dream” that he fails to keep his job as a salesman and have a healthy relationship with his son, BIff.

“Biff: I am not a leader of men, Willy, and neither are you. You were never anything but a hard-working drummer who landed in the ash can like all the rest of them! I’m one dollar an hour, illy! I tried seven states and couldn’t raise it. A buck an hour! Do you gather my meaning? I’m not bringing home any prizes any more, and you’re going to stop waiting for me to bring them home!

Willy, directly to Biff: You vengeful, spiteful mut!

Biff, at the peak of his fury: Pop, I’m nothing! I’m nothing, Pop. Can’t you understand that? There’s no spite in it any more. I’m just what I am, that’s all.

Willy, astonished: What’re you doing? What’re you doing?

To Linda: Why is he crying?

Biff, crying, broken: Will you let me go, for Christ’s sake? Will you take that phony dream and burn it before something happens? “ (page 63)

Louis- Betrayal

The theme of betrayal runs back and forth between father and son, Willy Loman and Biff Loman. Willy feels betrayed for Biff’s actions. He expected Biff to become like him and to be successful, yet Biff rejects and runs away from any chance of being successful. For example, not going to summer school, flunking math, and running from his interview. On the other hand, Biff also feels betrayed from his father’s affair and his lies of fortune and success.

“ Biff: Listen kid, I took those balls years ago, now I walk in with his fountain pen? That clinches it, don’t you see? I can’t face him like that! I’ll try somewhere else.

Page’s Voice: Paging Mr.Loman!

Willy: Don’t you want to be anything?

Biff: Pop, how can I go back?

Willy: You don’t want to be anything , is that what’s behind it?”

#centralthemes

Vocabulary

Michael (11-36)

1. Jovial- joyous, cheerful

~ “ Most often jovial, she has developed an iron repression of her exceptions to Willy’s behavior -” (12)

2. Mercurial- quick and changeable in temperament

~ “ She admires him, as though his mercurial nature, his temper, his massive dreams and little cruelties” (12)

3.Crestfallen- disheartened; dejected

~ Linda: He was crestfallen, Willy. (15)

4. Bashful- Self-consciously timid

~Biff: I bet I forgot how bashful you used to be. (21)

5. Enthralled- held spellbound; captivated

~ Happy ( enthralled): That’s what I dream about, Biff. (24)

6. Pompous- puffed up with vanity

~ Happy: I gotta show some of those pompous, self-important executives over there that Hap Loman can make the grade. (24)

7. Insinuate- To introduce or insert in a subtle manner

~ Music insinuates itself as the leaves appear. (27)

8. Approbation- official approval

~ “He pauses, then nods in approbation for a few seconds, then looks upward.” (28)

9. Incipient- in an initial stage; beginning to happen or develop.

~ Willy: (stopping the incipient argument, to Happy) Sure, he’s gotta practice with a regulation ball, doesn’t he? (30)

10. Anemic- lacking vigor or energy

~ Willy:Hey, looka Bernard. What’re you lookin’ so anemic about, Bernard?(32)

Joshua (Pages 37-63)

‣ laconic [adj.] - using few words in speech or writing

“[Charley] is a large man, slow of speech, laconic, immovable.” (41)

‣ trepidation [n.] - a state of alarm or nervousness

“In all he says, despite what he says, there is pity, and, now, trepidation” (41)

‣ valise [n.] - a small suitcase

“Uncle Ben, carrying a valise and and umbrella, enteres the forestage...” (44)

‣ gallantly [adj.] - exceptionally polite and attentive to women; courtly

“LINDA: Is this Ben?

BEN gallantly: How do you do, my dear.” (47)

‣ imbue [v.] - to cause (someone or something) to be deeply affected by a feeling or to have a certain quality

“That’s just the spirit I want to imbue them with!” (52)

‣ watch fob [n.] - short ribbon or chain attached to a watch and hanging out of the pocket in which the watch is kept

“Didn’t [Ben] give me a watch fob with a diamond in it?” (53)

‣ surlily [adv.] - irritably sullen and churlish in mood or manner

“HAPPY, surlily: Just don’t call him crazy!” (56)

‣ balance [adj.] - mental and emotional steadiness

“No, a lot of people think he’s lost his---balance.” (56)

‣ indignantly [adj.] - feeling or showing anger because of something that is unfair or wrong

“HAPPY, indignantly: I didn’t know that, Mom.” (56)

‣ remiss [adj.] - not showing enough care and attention

“All right, pal, all right. It’s all settled now. I’ve been remiss. I know that Mom...” (60)

Jennifer

1.Buck(v.)- to make someone happier

~“Come on Biff, let’s buck him up.” (65)

2.Caliber(n.)- the quality of someone’s character or level of somebody’s ability.

~”The average young man today- he is getting into be- is got a caliber of zero.”(67)

3.Blow (v.)- to spoil

~” They’re gonna blow you to a big meal!” (74)

4.Saccharine (adj.)- of the nature of or resembling sugar

~”And your saccharine?” (75)

5.Bandsaw (n.)- a saw consisting of an endless toothed steel band passing over two wheels

~”I tell you Willy, I’m gonna take my camera, and my bandsaw, and all my hobbies, and out they go.” (78)

6. Crack up (v.)- To mess up

~”What happened? What’re you doing here? You didn’t crack up again, did you?” (79)

7.Comradeship (n.)- the company and friendship of others with common aims

~”There was respect, and comradeship, and gratitude in it.” (81)

8. Cripple (n.)- a person with a severe limitation of a specified kind

~”I can’t throw myself on my sons. I’m not a cripple!” (84)

9. Timberland (n.)- land covered with forest suitable or managed for timber

~”I’ve bought timberland in Alaska and I need a man to look after things for me.” (85)

10. Gay (adj.)- happy

“The gay music of the Boys is heard.”

Louis

Incredulously (pg. 88) Adj. - Showing deisbelief

“Willy, furiously: Casino! Incredulously: Don’t you realize what today is?”

Carte Blanche (pg. 92) Noun - Unconditioned authority

“ Long distance, carte blanche, special deliveries.

Candidly (pg. 92) Adj. - Open and sincere

“Bernard, taking off his glasses: Willly, do you want to talk candidly?”

Strapped (pg. 97) Adj.-Needy or wanting

“Willy: Charley I’m strapped, I’m strapped. I dont know what to do. I was just fired.”

Ignoramus (pg. 97)Noun- An extremely ignorant person

“WIlly, furiously: You big ignoramus, if you say that to me again I’ll rap you.”

Rap (pg. 97) Verb - Strike quickly and light

“WIlly, furiously: You big ignoramus, if you say that to me again I’ll rap you.”

Strudel (pg. 100) Noun - A eye opener; a pretty lady

“Happy: Strudel’s comin’.”

Numb (pg. 103) Adj.- incapable to feel emotion

“I’m all numb, I swear.”

No soap (pg. 104) An old phrase saying nothing was accomplished

“Even tried to date his secretary, so she’d get me to him, but no soap.”

Clinches (pg. 112) Verb- to settle or secure

“Biff: Listen kid, I took those balls years ago, now I walk in with his fountain pen? That clinches it don’t you see?”

Geraldine

1. Malted (page 117): frothy drink of milk and flavoring, sometimes fruit or ice cream

“Willy: Biffo, what’s this about? Putting his arm around Biff: Come on, let’s go downstairs and get you a malted.”

2. Sheers (page 119): transparently thin; diaphanous, as some fabrics.

“The Woman: You had two boxes of size nine sheers for me, and I want them!”

3. Valise (page 120): a small piece of luggage that can be carried by hand, used to hold clothing, toilet articles, etc; suitcase; traveling bag.

“Willy, after a pause: Well, better get going. I want to get to the school first thing in the morning. Get my suits out of the closet. I’ll get my valise.”

4. Louse (page 124): a contemptible person, especially an unethical one.

“Biff, still on the floor in front of Linda, the flowers I his hand; with self-loathing: No. Didn’t. Didn’t do a damned thing. How do you like that, heh? Left him babbling in a toilet.

Linda: You louse. You…”

5. Barrelhead (page 126): in advance or on demand

“Willy: It’s twenty thousand dollars on the barrelhead. Guaranteed, gilt-edged, you understand?”

6. Gilt-edged (page 126): government backed or guaranteed.

“Willy: It’s twenty thousand dollars on the barrelhead. Guaranteed, gilt-edged, you understand?”

7. Simonizing (page 127): to shine or polish to a high sheen, especially with wax

“Willy: And never even let me carry the valises in the house, and simonizing, simonizing that little red car! Why, why can’t I give him something and not have him hate me?”

8. Contemptuous (page 132): showing or expressing contempt or disdain; scornful; disrespectful.

“Biff: And I looked at the pen and said to myself, what the hell am I grabbing this for? Why am I trying to become what I don’t want to be? What am I doing in an office, making a contemptuous, begging fool of myself, when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am!”

9. Elegiacally (page 135): lamenting; mournful; plaintive

“Willy, elegiacally, turning to the house: Now when you kick off, boy, I want a seven-yard boot, and get right down the field under the ball…”

10. Pulsation (page 136): a beat or throb, as of the pulse.

“As the car speeds off, the music crashes down in a frenzy of sound, which becomes the soft pulsation of a single cello string.”

#vocabulary

Happy Loman (Neil Patrick Harris) by Jenny

Character Description- Willy Loman’s 32 year old son. He works as an assistant to the assistant buyer in a department store and is next in line to be merchandise manager. Hap has a great sense of self importance, confidence, and ambition. However, he prioritizes himself over others of higher superiority and sleeps with their girlfriends.

Significance to Text- Happy Loman embodies his father’s traits of ambition and a cunning business man. Although Happy lived in his brother Biff’s shadow for most of his life, he was able to attain a well paying job. Happy signifies the lies beneath the American Dream. He grants himself great importance to his job even though he’s just the assistant to the assistant buyer. Happy has no true ambition; the only thing that’s keeping him going is his raging sex drive.

Quote:“That’s what I dream about, Biff. Sometimes I want to just rip my clothes off in the middle of the store and outbox that goddam merchandise manager. I mean I can outbox, outrun, and outlift anybody in that store, and I have to take orders from those common, petty sons-of-bitches till I can’t stand it anymore.” Pg.24

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths: Ambitious, Confident, Caring

Weakness: Self-centered, Promiscuous

Biff Loman (Dawson Cole) by Geraldine

Character Description: Biff Loman is a lost yet ambitious young man determined to find himself in the world that he lives in. He doesn’t have the best of relationships with his father because Willy’s plans for Biff differ greatly to the plans Biff has set out for himself. Biff’s anger towards his father is fueled even more after discovering a secret his father never shared with the family. Biff is a strong, attractive, independent, ambitious, and stubborn man struggling to fight the chains of a money-oriented lifestyle but failing to do so in a world that caters to those who successfully fulfill the American dream.

Significance to the text: As a child, Biff Loman was his father’s pride and joy, his greatest achievement, his soon-to-be successful son. However, things took a turn for the worse when Biff fails a subject and learns that his father is having an affair. Throughout the play, Biff (as an adult) attempts to rekindle the relationship he once had with his father. The two characters clash as they’re not seeing eye to eye.

Quote: “Hap, I’ve had twenty or thirty different kinds of jobs since I left home before the war, and it always turns out the same. I just realized it lately…. And whenever spring comes to where I am, I suddenly get the feeling, my God, I’m not getting’ anywhere! What the hell am I doing, playing around with horses, twenty-either dollars a week! I’m thirty-four years old, I ought be makin’ my future. That’s when I come running home. And now, I get here, and I don’t know what to do with myself.” –Biff, page 22

Strengths: He is not clouded by his father’s expectations and attempts to live a life solely based on his decisions. He is truthful to his dad about what happened in Bill Oliver’s office despite Happy interjecting at times calling out false events that occurred in the meeting between Bill and Biff.

Weaknesses: He is still finding himself at the age of thirty-four. He causes his father to have so much stress and worry, leading to Willy’s decrease in health.

Character description (Michael): Wife of Willy Loman, Linda is easily on of the most sensible,kind, and sympathetic characters in the play. She simultaneously plays the role of a loving, caring wife and a stern tough mother. She is the force of reason between Willy and the rest of world. Throughout the text it is clearly visible that she will go to great lengths to be their for her family through thick and thin. Linda is the scale that keeps the family balanced, without her the family would fall apart

Significance: Linda plays a conservative and traditional role throughout the play. She learns to walk on eggshells around Willy knowing that he is a fragile man and is willing to do anything for the man she loves. instead of trying to help Willy and his mental problems she instead feeds Willy’s vision of himself. Linda is one of the strongest characters in the play and without her care the play would have a lot less “love”.

Quote: “ Linda: Willy, darling, you're the handsomest man in the world”

“ I don't say he's a great man. Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper... But he's a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid. He's not to be allowed to fall into his grave like an old dog. Attention, attention must be finally paid to such a person.”

Strengths: Caring, loving, sensible

Weaknesses: naive

Link to image: http://www.rediff.com/news/report/immigration-practice-should-be-limited-to-lawyers/20110408.htm

Character Description: Benard is the son of Charley and the parenting style of Charley reflects that. Benard is a hard-worker and while he was never was as popular as Biff, became far more successful than him. Benard is a caring friend and has always wanted to help Biff out for better or for worse.

Significance: Benard was once seen as someone to look down upon by Willy (which can be attributed to being the son of Charley). Despite this, Benard continues his friendship with Biff, supporting him when he can such as with math in highschool. He attempts to find out what happened to cause his friend to astray from the path of success but is stopped by Willy who denies the idea that he (Willy) is the source of Biff’s problems.

“I’ll never forget this, it always mystifies me. Because I’d thought so well of Biff, even though he’d always taken advantage of me. . . I’ve often thought of how strange it was that I knew he’d given up his life. What happened in Boston?” -Benard (94)

Strengths: Studious, Humble --- Traits that resemble his father, who just like himself always attemps to help their respectice Loman (Benard--Biff, Charley--Willy).

Weaknesses: Although he has tried to emphasize the importance of Biff passing math, he was not taken seriously enough. There was also the lack of “pressing forward” for information leaves Benard in the dark when he inquires about Biff’s actions.

#characters

Cliff Robertson

Character Description: Willy (William) Loman is an idolized father of two very lost young men. He works hard for his wife and his two sons that grew to appreciate him less and less. Working for the son of his late boss, he is underappreciated once and again and is laid off of his job that he has been working for over 34 years. All he desires he success and for his sons to find their lives and a well paying job.

Significance: Raising his two boys, all he ever wanted was for them to become successful. Rather than being spiteful of his rich brother, he idols him and makes examples of him to his sons. He will go through anything to try and achieve success, from trying to talk to his son’s teacher to finally asking for a different job position. As modern time catches up to him, there’s nobody else left to listen but his wife. She’s the only person left that truly cares about him.

“No! Boys! Boys! Young Biff and Happy appear.Listen to this. This is your Uncle Ben, a great man! Tell my boys Ben.”

Ben Page 48

Strenght: Idolized (Well liked),

Weakness: Reminiscent, Suicidal

#characters #louis

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