Death of a Salesman - Act 1 questions and answers.
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Death of a Salesman
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Oxford University (OX)
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Death of a Salesman
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 swe...
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Death of a Salesman - Act 1 questions
and answers
Why is Willy home? Why is Linda alarmed that he's home? - answer 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 us about Willy? -
answer Willy is annoyed that Biff is not putting his talent, looks and personality, to use to make
money. He describes Biff as lazy then just a few sentences later says that one thing about Biff is
that he is not lazy. We learn about Willy's slipping grasp of reality, as he will continuously mix
the past with the present. It lets us know that Willy is living vicariously through his sons. He did
not achieve his own goals and he hopes that his sons will use the values that he holds dear and
has instilled in them to become successful, thus validating his own superficial views on life and
success.
How has the neighborhood changed? Why does it matter to the story that his surroundings are
no longer the way they used to be? - answer The neighborhood use to be more open, with
space and trees and a good view. The houses were new and well kept. This represents the ideal
of the American dream. Since then, the neighborhood has decayed, Willie's house in particular.
Willie's dream has died, just like the neighborhood. Willie is also all about the style over
substance. The decaying neighborhood illustrates just how faulty that thinking is.
How does Linda treat Willy? How do the boys feel about him? Is Biff trying yo spite Willy? Why
does Biff come home in the spring? - answer 1) Linda treats Willy like he's another child. --> she
tries to boost his ego and provide confidence in him
2) When the boys were younger, Willy placed many of his dreams into his son Biff. He looked at
Biff's athletic abilities and probably lived his dreams through Biff's accomplishments. He was on
the road often as a salesman but went his sporting events when he could.
, Willy's relationship with Happy was very different. Happy was often overlooked. He loved his
father and would do anything to seek out his approval and attention such as bringing it to his
attention that he had lost some weight. He continues to seek his father's approval even as an
adult.
Willy's relationship with Biff is crushed once Biff catches his father in the hotel room with a
female that is not his mother. He sees that Willy has given her the stockings intended for his
mother. This sets Biff back emotionally and places a wedge between his relationship with his
father.
3) Unintentionally yes, after witnessing Willy cheating, Biff unconsciously rebelled against his
father's hopes and dreams for Biff. Biff did this by not trying to be liked by everybody, doesn't
finish school, and doesn't try to have an ambitious dream.
4) Biff comes home in between the time he spends working as a farmhand.
Why won't Happy go out West with Biff, and why won't Biff stay? Why doesn't either son get
married and settle down? - answer The answers to both questions lie in the complicated
relationships between sons and father. Happy, as the younger son, has grown up in Biff's
shadow. He feels a deep-seated need to prove himself to his father. Hence, he won't go west
until he can achieve his father's approval. Biff can't stay because he has no respect for Willy.
Ever since he discovered his father's affair years ago, Biff harbors a hatred and disgust for his
father which often erupts in anger. It also leaves him unable to be satisfied in any job or location
for very long: thus, his restless wandering.
The second question is a bit more difficult to answer, but falls under the same reasons as the
first. While we can't really answer why someone doesn't get married (I mean, it's not like one
can walk up to a stranger and marry instantly), we can trace the problems in Biff and Happy's
relationships. Happy is a notorious adulterer and womanizer. Biff never mentions a girlfriend,
and seems uncomfortable with the idea. Both of these problems trace back to Willy's
relationship with Linda. The sons have seen their mother bullied, emotionally abused, and
ignored their entire lives. Biff also knows his father has cheated on his mother. So there's
definitely unresolved issues in dealing with their parents' relationship. This is the most likely
reason that Happy and Biff cannot "settle down".
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