Death of a Salesman Exam Questions with Complete Solutions

Death of a Salesman Exam Questions with Complete Solutions ACT I - Describe the first impression which the audience is given of Willy Loman. (pg 5) - Answer-Overwhelmed, exhausted, helpless, and clustered. Smashed the car. Wife is concerned. Good insight of who he is as a person. Brutal honesty. What comment does Willy make about the scenery during his drive home, and how is this significant? (pg 6) - Answer-Beautiful with big trees. Couldn't keep his mind focused on one thing (driving). Easily distracted. Thinks nature is comforting. How does Willy contradict himself during his opening remarks about Biff? (pg 8) - Answer-Originally calls him lazy, but three lines later calls him not lazy not lost. Describe Willy's reaction to the American cheese? What commentary is Miller making about his character here? (pg 8) - Answer-He says he doesn't like change and wants his usual Swiss cheese. The cheese is representative of his inability to accept the changing world around him. How does the open window reflect Willy's attitude towards his environment? (pg 8) - Answer-He finds comfort in nature and likes the fresh air and outdoors. He sees the window as closed. He closed himself in and can't physically see the open window. The window is symbolic of his open-mindedness. They were closing a lot of the farmland in Brooklyn and opening more apartment buildings. When Willy reflects on the past on the top of p. 9, what attracts him? - Answer-Nature was so beautiful to him and reflects the relationship with Biff. He misses the flowers that were chopped down and the relationship with his son. When comment does Willy make about the Chevvy on p. 10? - Answer-He realizes now that earlier today he thought he was driving his old 1928 red Chevvy. Linda is more grounded but is not aware of his different cars. He's very irritable and misses his old car. What is the significance of Biff's comment to Happy: "I can't get near him"? (pg 12) - Answer-Biff is very bitter and says Willy is always mocking and criticizing him. There's fear of telling his father what he wants to do and longing of their past relationship. Biff cares about Willy and tries to rekindle the relationship but is frustrated. How does Biff's remark about wasting his life reflect his personality? (pg 13) - Answer-Biff tells Happy that he's had 20-30 jobs and once he gets comfortable he thinks it's not going anywhere and moves on. He wants to make his future but doesn't know what to do with himself. Every time he comes back home, he realizes he wasted his life and he's unsettled. Home represents what his life could have and should have been, in large part, because of his father