Death of A Salesman Main Ideas
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 Stage
What is the American Dream?
 Themes
money
 work and suitability
house
employed
car
technology/machinery
 plot
 setting
 characters
 getting trapped by their debt
THEMES
 Suited to your work
Setting
House surrounded by apartment buildings
 Success and failure
( New York)
 Telling the truth
 MAN VS. SOCIETY
 MAN VS. SOCIETY (Willie)
 Relationship between father and son can affect the rest of your life
Symbols
 The flute music- representation of the mood
 Stockings or pantyhouse- symbol of Willies Guilt
suitcase (weighing Willy Down)
Death of a Salesman- Willy
 60 or more
 exhausted
 depressed
 suicidal
 temper
 cruel in small ways
 contradictory
 2 sons
 “very well liked”
 got in a car accident
 not a leader?
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Biff
 eldest son
 lazy (?)
 farm/ranch guy
 football/ jock ( athletic and popular)
 34 years old
 bully
 cant keep a job
 problem with his father
 Biff has a problem with theft (basketballs, football, lumber)
 Cheats in schoolwork
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Happy
 steady job
 womanizer (dating women in his company)
 youngest
 accepts bribes
 admires Biff
 real name is Harold
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Linda
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i. supportive
ii. delusional
iii. loves Willy
iv. Defends Willy
v. Truth teller
 Lots of stress
 Grey hair- she decides to stop covering up the truth of her age
 Protective
Ben
 Traveler/explores
 Chance taker (risks)
 dead
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Bernard
nerd
lawyer
successful—arguing before Supreme Court used to help Biff cheat
used to help Biff cheat
truth-teller
treats reality as it is
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Charley
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 successful
 gives Willy money
 raised Bernard well which can affect his own success and Bernard’s
 Wllie’s only friend
 Offers Willy opportunities such as a job
 Important character
 Very practical to Willy and tells him that those things such as being well liked don’t
matter in the business world…. That what is sold is what matters
 Willy is jealous of him- his success in money and success in raising his son right. Willy
recognizes Charley as the only friend he got
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