Death of a Salesman
Act I Questions
Name: _____________________________________________________
Real time
1. Why is Willy home? What happened on the road?
2. How does Linda respond to his explanations of what happened? What does this show about her
character?
3. Why is Willy annoyed with Biff? How does he describe Biff? What does this show about Willy?
4. How has the neighborhood changed? Why does it matter to the story that Willy’s surroundings are no
longer the way they used to be?
5. Describe Biff’s predicament and his current job situation. What is Happy’s job situation?
6. Why does Biff come home in the spring? Why won’t Happy go west with him, and why won’t Biff stay?
Flashback (bottom of p. 27)
7. How does Willy treat/act toward the boys when they are young? Be specific about each one.
8. How does Willy feel about Charley and Bernard?
9. Explain the story of Biff and the stolen football. How does Willy react to it? What does this show about
Willy?
10. Willy praises and then curses the Chevrolet; he tells Linda that he’s very well liked, and then he says
that people don’t seem to take to him. What do these inconsistencies suggest about Willy’s character?
11. What’s going on with “The Woman”? Why does Willy order Linda to stop mending her stockings?
Real time (top of p. 41)
12. Who is Charley, and why does he visit? How and why do they insult each other?
Flash…sideways? (begins bottom of p. 44, changes to flashback/sideways middle of48)
13. Who is Ben and why does he appear? What does Willy think about the future and the past?
14. What does Ben teach Biff?
15. Why does Willy feel “kind of temporary” and want Ben to stay?
Real time (middle of 52)
16. What does Linda think is the trouble with Willy’s life? Why is she angry with her sons?
17. What is going on with the furnace and the rubber hose? Why does she put it back after she has taken it?
18. Why is Willy interested when Biff mentions Bill Oliver? Why do they argue? How does Happy try to
capture attention? (how is this behavior familiar?)
Big Picture
19. What are Willy Loman’s strengths? How might they also be viewed as or associated with his
weaknesses?
20. Biff and Happy are both older than you would initially think. What are their weaknesses? Why are they
in the house?
21. What does the simonizing story tell about the family, beyond the obvious? You may need to look up
“simonize.”
22. Linda is described in an odd way. She “more than loves him” but represses her disapproval because she
“shares the turbulent longings within him.” What does this say about their marriage? Explain.