Death of a Salesman notes (1st edition)

Linda informs Willy that one more mortgage payment remains on the house. How long have they been paying it? How old was Biff when these payments began? (Page 54) 25 years. Biff was 9 years old when the payments began. Identify the speaker of the followings lines: "'Will you stop mending stockings?'" What is the symbolic significance of the stockings? (Page 55) Willy. The stockings remind Willy of his mistress in Boston. When Linda speaks with Biff on the phone, why does she t...

Willy Loman An insecure, self-deluded traveling salesman. He believes wholeheartedly in the American Dream of easy success and wealth, but he never achieves it. Nor do his sons fulfill his hope that they will succeed where he has failed. When his illusions begin to fail under the pressing realities of his life, his mental health begins to unravel. The overwhelming tensions caused by this disparity, as well as those caused by the societal imperatives that drive him, form the essential conflict o...

Willy did what on his way home from work at the beginning of the book? Steered off of the road and nearly crashed because his mind wandered and he forgot he was driving What does Linda recommend Willy does? Request a transfer to a local office job Where had Biff been for the last 10 years or so? Out West working as a farmhand Where did Biff spend a lot of his time while out West and why? In jail because he stole a suit Willy calls Biff lazy and then concludes that...

Why is Willy home? Why is Linda alarmed that he's home? He says that he is too tired to finish his trip. He says he was falling asleep and swerving off the road. Linda is worried about Willie in general. She thinks he works too hard and should not be traveling any more. She attributes Willie's swerving to bad steering in the car. She is also worried that he has smashed up the car again when he first returns. Why is Willy annoyed at Biff? How does he describe biff? What does this tell u...

"A melody is heard, played upon a flute. It is small and fine, telling of grass and trees and the horizon" -Stage directions Flute= eerie, associated with dreams and nature, not drawing attention to itself Horizon= hope is far away/ long gone "Towering, angular shapes behind it, surrounding it on all sides" "Angry glow of orange" -Stage directions Skyscrapers, intimidating, urbanisation Makes Willys home seem small and vulnerable Hostile environment, Willy belittled (no more ...

'Developed an iron repression of her exceptions to Willy's behaviour' Linda loves Willy, despite his mistreatment of her and how he underappreciates what she does for him. 'The mind is what counts, dear.' Linda recognises that Willy is tormented by his inability to achieve his dreams. '[She is taking off his shoes]' Linda is loyal, hardworking and does her best to ease the burden on Willy. 'You shouldn't have criticised him (Biff)' and 'You know how he admires ...

Hastings Refirgerator Willy's belief that well advertised proudcts are the best. Sneakers Biff's dreams-then he burns them (unfulfilled dream) Alaska Timberland Willy's missed opportunity with Ben Jungle Ben's success and the mystery behind how he became so rich. Mended Stockings Willy cheating (flashback) Fearless Characters Something Willy admires, his two sons Burning Woods Willy's crumbling dreams Green Velvet Slippers Dave Single...

Why has Willy returned home early at the beginning of the play? He had difficulty driving & almost crashed. Describe Willy. He's blunt, arrogant, angry, & suicidal. He wants to be loved. Describe Linda & explain how she treats Willy. She's Willy's wife & she admires him. She's also caring. How does Willy describe his son, Biff? He describes Biff as a lazy bum. Why has Biff come home & what's bothering him? He poses his return home as a choice to leave the ra...

Willy Loman An insecure, self-deluded traveling salesman. He believes wholeheartedly in the American Dream of easy success and wealth, but he never achieves it. Biff Loman Willy's thirty-four-year-old elder son. He led a charmed life in high school as a football star with scholarship prospects, good male friends, and fawning female admirers. He failed math, however, and did not have enough credits to graduate. Linda Loman Willy's loyal, loving wife. She suffers through Willy'...

What does the description of the setting suggest about the mood of this play? Small house surrounded by tall buildings suggests that the mood is depressing and nostalgic. How does Linda define her role as a wife and mother? She defines her role as a housewife, she obeys him, & she protects him from himself Describe the relationship between Biff and Happy. Biff & Happy are brothers and are thinking about living together and working together. What is wrong with Willy? Why d...