Death of a Salesman 1
Name _____________________________________ Date ________________ Period ________
Death of a Salesman Study Guide
Answer the following questions in complete sentences and on separate paper.
Act I pp. 11-19
1. Why has Willy suddenly returned home from his business trip?
2. What is Linda’s overall reaction to Willy’s return?
3. What is Willy’s opinion of Biff’s job on the ranch? Cite a specific quote to support your
answer.
4. What remark of Willy’s has caused an argument with Biff?
5. Why, in Willy’s opinion, is it especially difficult to understand why Biff is “lost”?
6. Point out at least one place where Willy contradicts himself.
7. What aspect of the surroundings does Willy complain about?
8. With whom or what are the following phrases connected?
a. “I’m vital in New England.”
b. “personal attractiveness”
c. “That is the most remarkable thing.”
Act I pp. 19-27
1. According to Happy, what is causing Willy’s problem?
2. With what kind of life does Biff express dissatisfaction?
3. Why has Biff returned home?
4. Before Happy joins Biff out West, what does he want to do?
5. How do both Biff and Happy appear to measure success? Choose a quote from the play (cite
page number) to support your answer.
6. What evidence does Happy use to assure Biff that he’ll be successful with Bill Oliver?
7. What element of dishonesty is there in Biff’s past?
8. As they talk, what action of Willy’s do Biff and Happy begin to notice?
9. In what way(s) are Biff and Happy similar?
10. Do Biff and Willy have any similar ideas about the city? What are they?
11. What does Happy think will bring him happiness? Will it? Is this what he truly wants?
Explain.
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12. Why does Biff resent Willy’s loud talking?
13. Why does Happy resent Willy’s loud talking?
14. What ideas of Willy’s are repeated in Happy’s comments to Biff?
Act I pp. 27-42
1. What allusion to Biff’s dishonesty is made in this flashback sequence?
2. What is Willy’s reaction to this dishonesty?
3. What evidence does Willy use to prove that he’ll be “bigger than” Uncle Charley someday?
4. When Bernard enters, what aspect of Biff’s future is foreshadowed?
5. What philosophy of success does Willy talk about? Quote him.
6. How “successful” was Willy’s latest business trip?
7. What doubts about himself does Willy express?
8. What is Linda’s reaction to Willy’s doubts?
9. Who is The Woman?
10. Why is Willy angered when he sees Linda mending stockings?
11. Who is Ben?
12. Why does Willy regret not having gone with Ben?
13. Characterize Willy’s relationship with Biff.
14. What is the relationship between Happy and Willy like? Give specific evidence.
15. In what respect does Willy seem inconsistent?
16. Overall, how did the boys seem to view Willy in the past?
Act I pp. 42-69
1. Compare Willy and Charley as businessmen and fathers.
2. In this scene involving Charley and Willy, how does Arthur Miller indicate that Willy’s mental
condition is steadily worsening?
3. In his approach to work and to life, how does Ben contrast to Willy?
4. What similarities do you see between Ben and Willy? Be specific.
5. What is Willy’s opinion of his older brother?
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6. In the conversation between Linda and the boys, what further evidence come out—about the
impersonal, harsh quality of today’s business world?
7. What reason is there to suspect that Willy is thinking of suicide?
8. What attitude does Linda have toward this critical situation?
9. How do the boys react?
10. How does the theme of questionable morality again show up as Happy and Biff talk about how
to get along in the business world?
11. As the act ends, what plans have been made for the future? Is there any specific indication
about how successful these plans may or may not be? Be specific.
Act II pp. 71-90
1. What evidence can you cite to show Willy is interested in life again?
2. Explain Willy’s irritation when Linda reminds him of their unpaid bills.
3. What does Willy ask Howard?
4. Why is Howard unsympathetic?
5. Who was Dave Singleman and what impression does he make on Willy?
6. Why doesn’t Howard let Willy go to Boston?
7. Describe Howard’s reaction to Willy’s problems.
8. Why does Willy look to Ben for help after his unpleasant meeting with Howard? Does Willy
get the help he needs?
9. Explain Linda’s reaction to Ben.
10. Describe Willy’s conflicting desires to be a pioneer like Ben and a salesman like Dave
Singleman.
11. What purpose does Ben serve in the play?
12. Note what Willy says on page 86. Do you agree with him?
Act II pp. 90-109
1. Describe Bernard’s success later in life.
2. What important question does Willy ask Bernard and what is Bernard’s response?
3. How does Willy react to Bernard’s suggestion?
4. What does Willy find incredible about Bernard’s success?
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5. What does Charley attempt to do for Willy? What is Charley’s advice?
6. Describe Happy’s behavior in the restaurant.
7. How does Biff react when he realizes that Bill Oliver doesn’t recognize him?
8. Why does Biff become upset with Willy?
9. Is Biff being needlessly cruel to his father? What about Happy?
Act II pp. 109-125
1. After Willy hears Biff’s news about Bill Oliver, what flashback occurs?
2. What happened between Biff and Willy in Boston?
3. Explain Willy’s comment: “Nothing’s planted. I don’t have a thing in the ground” (122).
4. Why doesn’t Linda accept the flowers from the boys?
5. What does Biff insist on doing when he comes home?
6. How does this scene reinforce the contrast between Biff and Happy?
Act II pp. 125-139
1. What is the twenty-thousand-dollar proposition Willy discusses with Ben?
2. How does Willy envision his funeral?
3. How does Ben respond to Willy’s proposition?
4. What does Biff intend to do to make life easier for Willy and Linda?
5. In his anger, what does Biff attempt to force Willy to recognize?
6. What does Willy learn from Biff’s emotional display?
7. Why does Willy decide to kill himself after he has been reconciled with Biff?
8. How does Willy kill himself and how is his death depicted?
9. What is Happy’s reaction to Willy’s death?
10. Do Biff’s remarks show that he understands his father? How?
11. How does Charley evaluate Willy?
12. What is ironic about the play’s title?