Death of a Salesman

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Death of a Salesman

• Revision notes key themes and characterisation

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note

• These notes will give you an overview of the key
  moments in the play.
• They are not exhaustive and you will have to plan
  your essays carefully and may want to refer back
  to the play to find a different example or
  quotation
• These quotations are not fully analysed and you
  will have to think about the techniques the
  author uses, including his use of stage
  directions, to explain them fully.

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themes

• Willy is a failure in the terms set by the
  American Dream, which are that America is a land
  of opportunity and that with hard work and
  determination, anyone can make it.
• Making it is usually defined as material
  success most commonly making a good profit by
  setting up your own business, allowing you to
  live a good life.
• The 1950s ideal of a good life was a nice house,
  modern conveniences such as cars, fridges,
  washing machines, and importantly, family. A
  happy marriage and polite, academically
  successful children.
• Willys inability to accept that he has not
  achieved success in these terms is at the root of
  his mental tortureswinging between
  self-knowledge and delusion, unable to tell the
  past from the present.
• It is this fundamental self-delusion that lies at
  the heart of his conflict with his son, Biff, who
  becomes determined to reject his fathers values
  and visions as he sees them as the root of
  falsehood and unhappiness

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Characterisation of Willy setting

• Willy is introduced as an agitated and conflicted
  character, switching between vulnerable and
  aggressively unpredictable
• But its so beautiful up there, Linda, the trees
  are so thick, and the sun is warmAnd then all of
  a sudden Im off the road!
• The street is lined with cars. Theres not a
  breath of fresh air in the neighbourhood. The
  grass dont grow anymore, you cant raise a
  carrot in the backyard.
• Despite having worked his whole life to create a
  good life, it is clear that he feels trapped
  and suffocated by his life his home, his work
  and perhaps his family, as he clearly resents his
  son Biffs lifestyle.

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Why a salesman?

• The contrast between the rat race of corporate
  selling and a more traditional connection with
  the land and nature is presented as a source of
  Willys unhappiness. There is nothing valuable or
  necessary about his job, and this reinforces the
  emptiness of the American Dream.
• Willy is aware of this deficiency as we see
  though his conversation with his dead brother,
  Ben, who did successfully achieve the American
  dream of success. In the flashback where Willy
  has rejected Bens offer to go to Alaska, he
  tries to assure himself that he still has a
  strong connection to nature in his suburban home
• oh sure, theres snakes and rabbits and thats
  why I moved out here. Why, Biff, can fell any one
  of those trees in no time!
• He clearly admires Bens spirit of adventure and
  ambition and dearly wishes for his sons to have
  these qualities
• Thats just the spirit I want to imbue them
  with! To walk into a jungle! I was right! I was
  right! I was right!

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• A salesman is the epitome of American
  capitalism a system based on creating desires
  and needs through advertising. It is never
  entirely clear what Willy sells.
• Willy is portrayed as a victim of the false
  promise of the American dream, where consumerism
  is often equated with success and happiness. He
  is trapped a cycle by his home and possessions
  and has to work into his old age to maintain
  them.
• We see this clearly when he comes home with his
  paycheck and Linda adds up all the money they
  owe, revealing that Willy is never able to earn
  enough

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Willys false dreamsKey quotations To use
these in your essay you will have to provide
context and analysis

• There were clearly happier times, where Willy was
  able to believe in future success, and his young
  sons respected and admired him
• And when I bring you fellas up, therell be open
  sesame for all of us, cause one thing, boys I
  have friends. I can park my car in any street in
  New England and the cops protect it like their
  own.

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Dreams for Biff

• A major source of Willys disappointment is the
  failure of Biff to live up to his potential. The
  amount of pride he took in Biffs achievements
  blinded him to the danger of indulging his son.
  He laughs off Biffs increasingly serious bad
  behaviour.
• Bernard can get the best marks in school,
  yunderstand, but when he gets out in the
  business world, yunderstand, you are going to be
  five times ahead of him. Thats why I thank
  Almighty God youre both built like Adonises.
• Willy is full of hope when Biff and Happy tell
  them of their plan to set up a business, and
  thoroughly deludes himself and everyone else that
  this plan will work.

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Exploitation

• Willy has moments of self-realisation, where he
  knows he is losing the qualities of charm and
  popularity so essential for a salesman.
• Im fat. Im very foolish to look at, Linda.
  ..But they do laugh at me. I know that.
• Despite this, he refuses to accept Charleys
  offer of a job. Filled with hope in Biffs
  business plan, he decides to confront his
  employer.

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Key scene

• In this scene, he explains his vision of success,
  revealing how false and limited his dreams are as
  he describes Dave Singleman
• - when he died, hundreds of salesmen and
  buyers were at his funeralin those days there
  was personality in it , Howard. There was
  respect, and comradeship and gratitude in it.
• Despite continually lowering his salary request,
  Willy is fired by Howard, as he is no longer
  useful
• I put thirty-four years into this firm, Howard,
  and now I cant pay my insurance! You cant eat
  the orange and throw the peel away a man is not
  a piece of fruit!

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• This experience does not serve to teach Willy
  anything, and only drives him into another
  reverie, where he tells Ben his dreams of being
  the successful salesman and his hopes for Biff.
• Its who you know and the smile on your face!
  Its contacts, Ben, contacts!...a man can end
  with diamonds here on the basis of being liked!
  And thats why when you get out on that field
  today its important. Because thousands of people
  will be rooting for you and loving you.

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False pride

• A vulnerable and mentally fragile Willy is then
  confronted with Bernard, who has become a very
  successful lawyer. This underscores the irony of
  Willys earlier mocking of a young Bernard and
  his confidence in Biffs popularity and sporting
  success.
• (small and alone) Whats the secret?
• It is clear through his conversation that Biffs
  life changed when he learned of his fathers
  affair, and Willy finds this truth too much to
  cope with
• Willy looks up at him as at an intruderWhat you
  trying to do, blame it on me? If a boy lays down,
  is that my fault?

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Turning Point

• The restaurant scene is the turning point of the
  play, where Willy is no longer able to project a
  successful image of himself. He is confronted
  with reality when Biff fails to get a business
  loan, and this leads to his mental collapse.
• Im not interested in stories about the past or
  any crap of that kind because the woods are
  burning boys, you understand? Theres a big blaze
  going on all around. I was fired today.

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Turning point continued

• His inability to accept Biffs failure leads to a
  flashback of the Boston scene, showing that Willy
  is in some level aware of his own guilt and
  responsibility for Biffs fate.
• Biffs attempt to tell the truth leads to agony
  and torment for Willy
• You you gave here Mamas stockings! (His tears
  break through and he rises to go.)Dont touch
  me, you liar!...You fake! You phoney little
  fake! You fake!

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Turning point continued

• Willy is left utterly abandoned and very
  vulnerable when he emerges from the flashback to
  the Boston scene to realise that his sons have
  left without him.
• He has nothing, as far as he can see, at this
  point. All his dreams of work and family
  successes are destroyed.
• His fragile mental state is revealed through his
  plan to commit suicide and his fear of leaving
  nothing to show for his life.
• Oh, Id better hurry. Ive got to get some
  seedsIve got to get some seeds, right away.
  Nothings planted. I dont have a thing in the
  ground.

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Conflict with Biff

• At the end of the restaurant scene, we see Willy
  make his suicide plan as he talks to Ben. He
  clearly wants to compensate for his failures as a
  father to Biff.
• Oh Ben, how do we get back to all the great
  times? Used to be so full of light, and
  comradeship, the sleigh-riding in winter, and the
  ruddiness on his cheeks..Why, why cant I give
  him something nice and not have him hate me?
• Ironically, Biff does love his father and is full
  of compassion not for Willys lies, but for his
  efforts and determination to try to make a good
  life for his family.
• Miss Forsythe, youve just seen a prince walk
  by. A fine, troubled prince. A hard working,
  unappreciated prince. A pal, you understand? A
  good companion. Always for his boys.
• Happy, on the other hand, simply disowns his
  father.

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The conflict scene

• Linda is furious when Biff and Happy arrive home.
  She is fully aware of Willys fragility, despite
  his bluster, and knows how much the dinner with
  his sons meant to him.
• Get out of here, both of you, and dont come
  back! I dont want you tormenting him anymore.
• The contrast between Biff and Happy is clear
  Biff accepting responsibility and resolving to
  finally be honest with his father, whereas Happy
  shrugs off his behaviour.
• Now you hit it on the nose! The scum of the
  earth, and youre looking at him!

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• Despite Lindas protestations, Biff insists on
  speaking to Willy. We see him, utterly broken and
  tortured, resolving to commit suicide in a tragic
  effort to save the only remnant of his dream a
  well attended funeral, to prove that he was
  popular.
• Ben, that funeral will be massive! Theyll come
  from Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New
  Hampshire!... I am known, Ben, and hell see it
  with his eyes once and for all. Hell see what I
  am Ben!

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• Biff tells his father that he will leave and live
  his own life, on his own terms. Willy refuses to
  accept that Biff cannot live on his, Willys
  terms, and thinks that Biff is just trying to
  punish him.
• I want you to know, on the train, in the
  mountains, in the valleys, that wherever you go,
  that you cut down your life for spite!
• Biff tells his father a number of truths about
  himself
• the man dont know who we are! The man is gonna
  know! We never told the truth for ten minutes in
  this house!

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Biff

• He tells his father that he knows about the pipe
  in the cellar
• He tells Happy that he is just like Willy, full
  of lies and self- delusion
• They all lied to themselves about Biffs role in
  Bill Olivers company, elevating his status
• He admits that he was in jail, that he stole in
  high school, and that the problem for the whole
  family is that they think they are more than they
  are. They aspire to the American Dream, and end
  up with lies and unhappiness.
• I saw the things that I love in this world. The
  work and the food and the time to sit and smoke.
  .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!

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• Biff tells his father that neither of them are
  anything special, and that it is a failure to
  accept this that creates Willys unhappiness.
  This enrages Willy, as he is unable to let go of
  his false view of happiness and success.
• I am not a dime a dozen! I am Willy Loman, and
  you are Biff Loman!
• Ironically, it is this conflict scene that brings
  Willy the most happiness, as he realises that
  Biff does, indeed, love him. However, this only
  strengthens his conviction that he must die in
  order to give Biff a chance in life.
• Oh Biff! He cried! Cried to me. (He is now
  choking with his love, and now cries out his
  promise.) That boy that boy is going to be
  magnificent!

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The ending and requiem

• Willy, in the midst of his delusion and
  hallucinations, where Ben acts as his inner
  voice, does indeed commit suicide. Bens voices
  the idea that the only gift he can now leave Biff
  is the insurance money from his death.
• Not like an appointment at all. A diamond is
  rough and hard to the touch.
• Willy is unable to abandon his hopes and dreams
  for Biff, perhaps to ease his guilt, perhaps
  because he knows it is too late for him to be
  successful himself. This is in spite of
  everything Biff has tried to tell him.
• Imagine! When the mail comes, hell be ahead of
  Bernard again!

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Requiem

• The requiem shows how the other characters react
  to Willys death and displays their attitudes to
  the false dreams that Willy held so steadfastly.
• Linda and Happy are in contrast with Biff, as
  they are unable to make sense of Willys death,
  and Happy resolves to make him proud, to achieve
  what Willy himself was unable to.
• Biff, on the other hand, has achieved
  self-knowledge and acceptance and sees the danger
  of living a false, aspirational life.
• He had the wrong dreams. Wrong. All wrong.