Act 1- (Pages 1-51)
Journal 1 (Before Reading)
• The American Dream has been encompassed
as a "life that is better, richer, and fuller for
everyone, with opportunity for each affiliated
with ability or achievement" regardless of
social class or circumstances of birth. Diane’s
American Dream seemed to come true. She
had a good job, saved money. Are you in
compliance with this definition? What is your
“American Dream”?
• You will need at least
for ACT 1, which spans from page 1
to page 51.
• Use a
of your literature terms. You
need not list them in verbatim from the
text…paraphrasing is acceptable.
Journal 2
• After seeing the provided pictures and reading
the first portion of Death of a Salesman, how
would you define the American Dream? Is it
different for each person? Is the American
Dream the same today as it was in the 1940s
and 1950s?
Themes for Act I – Part I
• Discuss and give
from
Act 1. Make sure and use
to support your
examples and discussion.
Themes for Act I- Part I
– While many critics have presented this as
an attack on American values– it is clearly
not what Arthur Miller intended. It is an
of the
of those
and the cost of this in human terms.
Basically, Willy completely
of his society that he judges himself
by standards rooted in
.
1. Why is Willy home, and why is Linda
apprehensive about his arrival? Be specific.
2. Why is Willy contemptuous towards Biff?
From his description of Biff, what can we
deduct about Willy? Give specific examples of
the times that Willy is the most annoyed with
Biff.
3. How has the neighborhood deteriorated and
why does it matter? Think about the American
Dream.
4. Happy agrees to go out West and then
abruptly changes his mind… why? How is this a
characteristic of Willy as well?
5. Postulate how Linda and the boys feel about
Willy. Why do you think that is?
Characters in Act I Part I
– an aging salesman, he suffers from
depression and anxiety about his failing career. As the
play progresses, Willy loses the ability to distinguish
between past and present.
– Willy’s wife, she is his defender and
attempts to salvage her family. She defends Willy at all
costs, even if it means indulging his fantasies and denying
his suicidal thoughts.
– The Loman’s oldest son, he has been
estranged from Willy for fifteen years. He represents
failed potential and is unable to hold a job. He knows
Willy’s secret.
– Loman’s younger son, he is a womanizer,
driven by sexuality. He exaggerates his authority at his
job.
- Willy’s older brother, he made a fortune in
Africa. He appears only in Willy’s memories and fantasies.
- she is only in Willy’s memories.
– Willy’s neighbor’s son– he is all that Willy
wanted Biff to be.
Journal 3
• How have your parents/family helped you to
evolve into the person that you have become
and help you as you have flourished and
become the person that you ultimately want
to be?
•
Irony- The contrast between what is expected to and what actually
exists or happens. Three types- Dramatic, Situational, and Verbal.
•
Foreshadowing- A writer’s use of hints or clues to indicate events
that will occur later in a narrative. This technique often creates
suspense and prepares the reader for what is to come.
•
Conflict- The struggle between opposing forces and is the basis of
plot in dramatic and narrative literature. Two types– Internal and
External.
•
Tragic Hero- A central character in a drama who is dignified or
noble. A tragic hero possesses a “tragic flaw” that brings about or
contributes to his or her downfall. The tragic hero recognizes his
or her own flaw and its consequences, but only after it is too late to
change the course of events.
Act I Questions
• Willy seems to have a very empathetic relationship with
his brother Ben. He seems to want to make Ben happy at
all costs, yet he has an innate feeling of jealousy. Explain
Ben and Willy’s relationship and are there any
similarities to Biff and Happy’s relationship?
• What kind of men do you discern Ben wants Willy to
raise? Why? Is Willy on track for accomplishing that?
• Biff seems to know something about Willy that no one
else does. What can you speculate that it is? How does
this affect Biff’s opinion about Willy?
• Linda asserts that Willy’s life is in Biff’s hands… do you
believe this to be a true and fair statement?
• Do you believe that Willy feels encumbered by his
dreams?
Journal 4
• Is the American Dream more of callous joke
than a reality? Why?
• Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is often
referred to as the great American tragedy. It is
referred as a tragedy for the simple reason
that Willy Loman has a constant need to
evaluate himself against a flawed society or
the flawed “American Dream”
Wounds suffered in the past sometimes never heal.
Consider the above statement and analyze its
validity in relation to the play so far.