Death of a Salesman Guided Reading Questions Digging Deeper

Expiry of a Salesman | Discussion Questions 1 - x

Why is the description of the house important in the opening stage directions of Death of a Salesman?

The stage directions describe a "solid vault of apartment houses around the small, frail-seeming habitation." The description of the Loman firm every bit pocket-size and fragile is both literal and figurative. In the shadow of the groovy ambitions of the American Dream that are represented by the large buildings and the surrounding hustle and hurry of New York Urban center, the Lomans are lost and fragile. They are unable to reach the same heights equally those effectually them, and they are unable to accept their failure to achieve these standards. The blueish light that showcases the business firm contrasts sharply with the orange light of the "angular" surrounding buildings, suggesting that household peace is threatened by the sharp, called-for expansiveness of the American Dream.

In Human activity 1 of Decease of a Salesman, why does Willy say, "In that location's more than people! That's what's ruining this country!"?

Willy decries the growing population and goes on to say, "The competition is maddening!" This ascertainment reveals Willy's ambition and the ongoing tension Willy feels betwixt his desire to achieve the American Dream and his inability to do so. In part, he blames this disability on the number of people with whom he must compete to become ahead in the workplace. Ironically, Willy misunderstands an important part of the dream. Information technology is contest in the marketplace that fuels the seeming attainability of the American Dream―anyone with skill and a willingness to work can be successful regardless of by circumstances. However, Willy views this competition as the source of his failure to achieve the dream.

In Human action 1 of Decease of a Salesman, how do Willy's interruptions affect Biff and Happy's first chat?

Willy'due south comments in this scene show him bragging well-nigh his accomplishments and talking to Biff in the past. The playwright uses these occasional interruptions by Willy to build an overarching sense of confusion and uneasiness regarding Willy's grip on reality. The interruptions also reinforce Happy'due south contempo observations regarding his father and introduce the newly arrived Biff to his father'south deterioration. These interruptions besides symbolically suggest the plot trajectory of the play. Everything on which the Lomans have congenital their frail psyches and senses of social success is nearly to be interrupted past Willy's mental breakdown. Information technology is as if Willy's heed rebels confronting the lies of his past and takes a stand up in favor of family truth.

In Act 1 of Death of a Salesman, why is Biff's idea to become money to outset a ranch significant?

Every bit Biff and Happy talk in their bedroom about their disappointments, Biff shares with Happy an thought almost asking his quondam employer, Bill Oliver, for investment money to start a ranch. The ranch is significant because its potential success would ally two conflicting parts of Biff's personality: his desire to succeed in the eyes of his father and his desire to live and work in the country: "I could do the work I similar and notwithstanding exist something," Biff says. The ranch besides reflects the theme of Nature versus Man-Made Environment―a theme that suggests a re-envisioning of the American Dream every bit simplistic natural living rather than complex material living.

In Deed i of Death of a Salesman, how does Willy reveal his mental attitude toward women every bit he advises Biff about women?

Willy advises Biff to be conscientious with girls, not because Willy respects women, but because girls "always believe what you tell 'em." He explains that in the future, "at that place'll be plenty of girls for a boy like you." Even so Biff is now single and in his 30s at a fourth dimension when people generally married in their 20s. This generalization regarding the connection between Biff's good looks and personality and his ability to become lots of girls reveals that Willy does not agree women in high esteem; in fact, he equates the ability to get women with success. Willy's attitude becomes more obvious at the finish of this section when an unknown woman laughs in the background, foreshadowing Willy's affair and his betrayal of his family.

What does Biff'due south theft of a football in Human action 1 of Death of a Salesm an reveal about Willy'south moral code?

Willy's initial disapproval of Biff's beliefs quickly turns to adoration for his "initiative." On one level, Willy has a conventional sense of morality—he knows that stealing is wrong. However, he also lacks deep conviction regarding this conventionalities because his want for his son to get alee and exist someone is greater than his commitment to what is objectively right. Willy believes that he and his sons are exceptions to the rules that govern others and that they are somehow special: "If somebody else took that ball there'd be an uproar," he explains to his boys. This belief in exceptionality lies at the base of Willy'southward and Biff'southward lifetimes of self-deception. Note that Biff claims to accept "borrowed" the ball, illustrating the early foundation of family unit lies and self-charade that plague the Lomans.

How does Willy dissimilarity his sons with Bernard in Act 1 of Death of a Salesman?

Willy believes his sons are set up for success because they are outwardly handsome, strong, and admired in contrast to Bernard, who gets proficient grades merely is not well liked. Willy values superficiality above substance. He says, "The man who makes an appearance ... is the man who gets ahead." In this contrast, Willy reveals one of the recurring themes of the play: a good reputation, part of the American Dream, is more valuable than the actual work 1 does. This conventionalities is undercut later in the play when Bernard achieves success every bit a lawyer arguing before the Supreme Court while Biff grapples confusedly with his ambitions.

In Act 1 of Death of a Salesman, what is the issue the playwright creates with the phase directions regarding The Woman, "dimly seen, ... dressing"?

By softly illuminating the woman in the background equally Willy speaks to his wife, Linda, the playwright highlights Willy'southward betrayal of his family. Linda speaks of how much Biff and Happy idolize their father, and Willy says that Linda is "the best there is." The paradigm of The Woman emphasizes the falsity of this dialogue. Willy is non an admirable father and husband, but rather a lying cheat. This disparity between reality and illusion is at the heart of the Lomans' dysfunction. They choose to live in lies rather than the truth, and, equally a event, the family rots from the inside out.

In Human action ane of Death of a Salesman, what does Willy's harsh treatment of Linda reveal about his own struggles?

Willy chides Linda for mending her stockings even though she has just reiterated her praise that he is "the handsomest man." He also gets angry at her when she agrees with Bernard's concerns about Biff'southward math grades. Willy's harshness with Linda comes, in office, from his sense of guilt. He knows that he has betrayed Linda even though she has been a faithful and loyal wife who believes in him. His harshness besides reveals his inability to confront the truth nigh Biff's failures, even as Linda tries to be realistic well-nigh her son. He makes exceptions for his son because "he's got spirit, personality," drawing another contrast between Biff and the alleged "worm," Bernard.

In Human activity 1 of Expiry of a Salesman, what is the impact of the first mention of Willy's brother, Ben?

The initial reference to Ben comes from Willy, who muses over why he did not travel with his brother to Alaska long ago. Willy praises Ben's genius and success: the homo who "started with the clothes on his dorsum and concluded up with diamond mines!" This reference helps to analyze Willy's definition of success—someone who gains wealth based on his own initiative and pursuit of opportunity. While Willy, too, tries to follow this formula, success and Ben, who represents a lost connectedness to Willy'southward past, elude him. Willy also refers to Alaska, where Ben first traveled, which introduces the symbol of Distant Lands, or places that symbolize escape and independence.

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