2/16/2011 3:01:00 PM
ISM English 3
Death of a Salesman Questions
You need to think carefully about the following points:
- Willy’s mind is beginning to unwind.
- There is a big gap between Willy’s (and the boys’) talk and their reality (Biff is
the only one who eventually realizes this)
- Biff is Willy’s favorite and he desperately wants him to succeed.
Section 1 (pages 1-16)
1. The stage appearance is very important in setting the mood of the play.
What, do you think, are the elements that do so and what mood do they create?
2. Why does Willy come home early from his trip? What is his mood like?
3. Willy always ‘talks big’ about his ability to sell and be successful. Write down
two quotes from page 4 that demonstrate this.
One aspect of Willy is that he contradicts himself often.
4. Find two examples in the first 8 pages.
5. Why do you think he does this? What does it tell us about the state of his
mind?
Biff and Happy are Willy’s sons who have returned home.
6. What is the relationship between the two of them? What is the relationship
between Willy and Biff like? Between Willy and Happy?
Another aspect of Willy is that his mind is beginning to split into two time zones,
if you like. He has ‘real time’ – time when he is in the present – and ‘dreaming
time’ – time when he is thinking about the past.
7. What is the first sign of this? Why do you think he is doing this?
8. The American Dream plays a big part in this drama. Find three examples of
how the characters have been failures in their own eyes because of the
American Dream.
Section 2 (pages 16-24)
1. On page 16 Willy has slipped into his dreaming time. What is he thinking
about?
2. Read this section carefully. Does Willy’s memories sound entirely realistic? Is
Biff really that popular? (Remember we are seeing the past through the eyes of
a man who is looking for happiness and answers to his present failures) What
would the purpose of idealizing the past be for Willy?
3. The conversation with Bernard and the Lomans tells us something about the
values Willy has. Explain and prove with two quotes.
4. On page 22 Willy’s approximation of his earnings changes drastically. Explain
why. What does this say about their financial circumstances?
5. On pages 23-4 Willy’s explanations of his relationships with other people
alters suddenly. What is the truth and what is the illusion? How do you know?
Section 3 (pages 24-37)
1. The appearance of ‘The Woman’ is very important in this play. What is being
said at the precise point when she appears? What does this suggest about her
possible role in Willy’s past life? (The woman is in Willy’s ‘Dreaming Time’)
2. At what point does she disappear from Willy’s mind? What happens in real
time?
3. Why does Willy get angry with Linda for darning stockings?
4.How does Willy feel about his affair with the woman in Boston? How do you
know?
5. On pages 26-7 we get a different impression of Biff as a young man. What is
it? Which version of Biff is the true one – Willy’s dream version or the
conversation on pages 26-7? Why do you think that?
6. When Charley and Willy are playing cards Willy gets angry at Charley at least
twice. Why is he so antagonistic towards Charley?
7. Why does Willy refuse the job offer from Charley?
8. When Ben arrives on the scene (in Willy’s mind) what is the first thing Willy
says to him? Why?
9. In the conversation with Ben what do we learn about Willy’s father? About
when Willy last saw Ben?
10. How does Willy want to impress Ben? Why?
Section 4 (p38 – 51)
1. Why do you think Willy gets so angry when Biff is coming home (p 38)?
2. What does Linda tell the boys about Willy (p40-1)?
3. Why does Linda put the hose pipe back every day (p43)?
4. Is Biff keen on going to see Bill Oliver to borrow money? Why(p45-6)?
5. What is Happy’s idea to make money? Do you think it is a good idea?
Why/why not? (p46-7) How does Willy’s mood change when he hears
about the idea?
6. How does Willy treat Linda during this conversation? Why? (p47-8)
2/16/2011 3:01:00 PM
2/16/2011 3:01:00 PM