Death of a Salesman, Act I—Vocabulary Exercises
Words to Own—You are responsible for all the starred words. If you already know half
of the words, I want you to learn all the words on this list.
*reminiscences (n.) memories of the past;
*subside—sink to normal level; ebb; wane
remembrances; recollections
*avidly--enthusiastically
liable to—likely to
*pompous—pretentious; self-important;
incarnate--personified
stuck-up
*approbation—official approval and praise *laconic—using few words; brief and to
the point
*incipient—beginning to exist or appear
*trepidation—fear; alarm; panic;
apprehension
*anemic—sickly; weak and w/o energy
*valise—small hand luggage
*aura—distinctive quality about a person,
*stolid—emotionless
thing, or place
ignoramus—ignorant person
*authoritative—coming from the proper
authority; dictatorial; conclusive
simonize—polish with wax
specimen-an individual or item
representative of a species or whole
*imbue—to spread or diffuse through
gallantly—in a polite and courtly manner
(like a knight)
*evasive-intentionally vague or ambiguous; *audacity—excessive boldness, rashness,
elusive; slippery
daring
Vocabulary Exercises
When you respond to the vocabulary question, please use the word in a compelte
sentence. Also, try to use the word as often as you can, so it becomes part of your
working vocabulary.
1. reminiscences: What reminiscences do you have about your childhood?
a. Ex.) A few reminiscences I have about my childhood include…
2. avidly: What activities do you do avidly?
a. Ex.) I watched the basketball game on t.v. avidly because…
3. pompous: How does a pompous person act?
4. approbation: When did you receive approbation for your actions?
5. incipient: What are the signs of incipient skin cancer (or some other disease)?
6. anemic: Would an anemic person be good at lifting heavy things? Why?
7. aura: Lusher has a certain aura. How would you describe this aura? Why?
8. imbue: What morals did your parents imbue you with?
What substance imbued your shirt?
9. evasive: Why might you reply evasively to a question about your whereabouts last
night?
10. subside: What happened when the waters subsided?
11. laconic: Describe a person who is laconic. What words might they use?
12. trepidation: Why might a child you look under her bed with trepidation?
13. valise: What might you put in your valise?
14. stolid: Describe what a stolid person’s face would look like.
15. authoritative: Who is the most authoritative person you know? What things do
they do?
16. audacity: My sister/brother had the audacity to…
Literary Road Map: Death of a Salesman, Act I
Words to Own—You are responsible for all the starred words. If you already know half
of the words, I want you to learn all the words on this list.
*reminiscences (n.) memories of the past;
*subsiding—sinking to normal level;
remembrances; recollections
ebbing; waning
*avidly--enthusiastically
liable to—likely to
*pompous—pretentious; self-important;
incarnate--personified
stuck-up
*approbation—official approval and praise *laconic—using few words; brief and to
the point
*incipient—beginning to exist or appear
*trepidation—fear; alarm; panic;
*anemic—sickly; weak and w/o energy
*aura—distinctive quality about a person,
thing, or place
ignoramus—ignorant person
apprehension
*valise—small hand luggage
*stolid—emotionless
*authoritative—coming from the proper
authority; dictatorial; conclusive
simonize—polish with wax
specimen-an individual or item
representative of a species or whole
*imbue—to spread or diffuse through;
gallantly—in a polite and courtly manner
influence strongly; stain
(like a knight)
*evasive-intentionally vague or ambiguous; *audacity—excessive boldness, rashness,
elusive; slippery
daring
Literary Elements
Tragedy, tragic hero, tragic flaw
Tone
Symbol
Foil
Conflict
Theme
Essential Questions
 What is a tragedy, and why do we enjoy watching it?
 Is there anything to criticize about our American capitalist system?
 How do society’s values influence one’s ideas of success?
 How does one attain success in one’s life?
 How do one’s parents influence one’s own values, worldview, and morals?
 Is there such a thing as the American Dream, and do people ever attain it?
Getting Things Straight
1. Why is Willy home? Why is Linda alarmed that he’s home?
2. Why is Willy annoyed at Biff? How does he describe Biff? What does this tell us
about Willy?
3. How has the neighborhood changed? Why does it matter to the story that his
surroundings are no longer the way they used to be?
4. How does Linda treat Willy? How do the boys feel about him? Is Biff trying to
spite Willy? Why does Biff come home in the spring?
5. Why won’t Happy go out West with Biff, and why won’t Biff sty? Why doesn’t
either son get married and settle down?
6. How does Willy act toward the boys when they are young? How do they act
toward him? How does Willy feel about Charley and Bernard?
7. What does Willy’s reaction to Biff’s theft of the football tell us about Willy? He
says the boys look like Adonises. What other clues show that Willy believes in
appearances?
8. Willy praises and then curses the Chevrolet; he tells Linda that he’s very well
liked and then says that people don’t seem to take to him. What doe these
inconsistencies tell us about Silly?
9. “Five hundred gross in Providence” becomes “roughly two hundred gross on the
whole trip.” How does Linda take Willy’s stories? What does this reveal about
her? Why does Willy make a fuss about Linda’s mending stockings? How is this
important to the play?
10. Why does Charley visit? How does he feel about Willy? How and why do they
insult each other?
11. Who is Ben? Why does Ben appear? What does Willy think about the future?
About the past? What does Ben teach Biff? Why does Willy feel “kind of
temporary” about himself and want Ben to stay?
12. What does Linda think is the trouble with Willy’s life? Why is she angry at her
sons? Why does she put the rubber hose back after she had taken it? What does
this tell about her?
13. Why is Willy interested when Biff mentions Billy Oliver? Why do they argue?
How does Happy try to capture attention?
Delve In Questions
Choose two questions to answer in depth. Make a claim and integrate three
quotes/examples to “prove” your point. Use the “Delve In Paragraph” format.
1. How would you characterize Linda and Willy’s relationship?
2. What is Willy critical of?
3. What is Willy’s American dream?
4. Describe Willy and Biff’s relationship.
Academic Challenge
1. Read article on “Tragedy and the Common Man” by Arthur Miller and explain
what “tragedy” and “tragic hero” mean to Miller. Also, explain why he chose the
“common man” as a tragic hero.
2. Pick out 5 quotes from Act 1 and explain the context and the significance of the
quote to other themes in the play.
3. Come up with your own Delve In question and answer it using the Delve In
format.
To refresh your memory on Act 1…
Group 1: Summary of Act 1 (what’s happened so far?)
Group 2: Main characters (name them, describe who they are, their relationships with
other characters, what their concerns are, their personality)
Group 3: Conflicts (what are the characters struggling with? (with themselves? Other
characters? expectations? society? Describe at least 4-6 major conflicts so far.)
Vocabulary Exercises: “Death of a Salesman”, Act 2
*incredulous—skeptical; disbelieving
*candidly—frank; blunt; direct; open
*ominously—menacingly; threateningly
*implacable—impossible to placate,
appease, calm or satisfy
*contemptuous--scornful
*spiteful—malicious; filled with ill will
*ignoramus—an ignorant person
*salvation—act of being saved or
preserved from harm; redemption; rescue; a
means of preserving from harm or
unpleasantness
*raucous—rowdy and disorderly;
*vengeful—vindictive; desiring
unpleasantly loud and harsh
vengeance/revenge
*saccharine—fake sugar; having a
*proposition—proposal
cloyingly sweet attitude, tone, or character
*bewildered—perplexed; confused;
*elegiac—expressing sorrow, usually for
befuddled
things past
*gist—central idea; essence
*befuddled—confused; perplexed
Directions: Please answer each question in a complete sentence, using the vocabulary
word.
1. incredulous: What might you be incredulous of?
2. candidly: What might you candidly tell your friend while at dinner?
3. ignoramus: What would an ignoramus say or do?
4. salvation: Why did the man come to the drowning woman’s salvation?
5. raucous: Why was there raucous laughter at the party?
6. saccharine: Why might somebody give you a saccharine smile?
7. bewildered: Give me a situation where you feel bewildered.
8. gist: What is the gist of your favorite movie?
9. ominous: Why might a clap of thunder sound ominous to you?
10. implacable: Why might the baby be implacable?
11. contemptuous: Why does Willy act so contemptuously toward Bernard?
12. spiteful: What is a spiteful thing you could never do to a friend?
13. vengeful: In what situation might you become a vengeful person?
14. proposition: What kind of proposition might you make to your principal?
15. befuddled: Tell me about a time when you felt befuddled in school.
Literary Road Map: Death of a Salesman, Act 2
Words to Own—You are responsible for all the *starred* words.
*incredulous—skeptical; disbelieving
*ominously—menacingly; threateningly
*candidly—frank; blunt; direct; open
*implacable—impossible to placate,
appease, calm or satisfy
*ignoramus—an ignorant person
*contemptuous--scornful
*salvation—act of being saved or
*spiteful—malicious; filled with ill will
preserved from harm; redemption; rescue; a
means of preserving from harm or
unpleasantness
*raucous—rowdy and disorderly;
*vengeful—vindictive; desiring
unpleasantly loud and harsh
vengeance/revenge
*saccharine—fake sugar; having a
*proposition—proposal
cloyingly sweet attitude, tone, or character
*bewildered—perplexed; confused;
elegiac—expressing sorrow, usually for
befuddled
things past
*gist—central idea; essence
*befuddled—confused; perplexed
Essential Questions
 What is a tragedy, and why do we enjoy watching it?
 Is there anything to criticize about our American capitalist system?
 How do society’s values influence one’s ideas of success?
 How does one attain success in one’s life?
 How do one’s parents influence one’s own values, worldview, and morals?
 Is there such a thing as the American Dream, and do people ever attain it?
Getting Things Straight (pp. 52-112)
14. Why is Willy’s mood upbeat at the start of Act Two? What does he expect to
happen?
15. Why does Willy tell Howard about Dave Singleman? Describe the dramatic
effect when Howard listens to the voices of his family while Willy tries to talk
business. Why does Howard tell Willy to drop off his samples and forbid him to
go to Boston? Why is this such a blow to Willy?
16. What is Willy’s philosophy? How does Biff as a football hero embody his
father’s dreams? Why does Charley say Willy hasn’t grown up?
17. What is Willy’s impression of Bernard when he sees him in his father’s office?
Why does Willy exaggerate Biff’s importance? Why does Bernard ask what
happened after the game at Ebbets Field?
18. Why won’t Willy work for Charley? Why is Willy able to ask Charley for
money? How is Charley’s view of what a salesman needs different from Willy’s
view?
19. In the restaurant, how does Happy reflect Willy’s values? Why does Miller have
the girls come in?
20. How does Biff’s realization that his life is a lie underline the theme of the play?
Why does Biff take Bill Oliver’s fountain pen? Why can’t he tell his father what
happened with Bill Oliver? Why do Biff and Happy leave Willy at the restaurant?
21. Why did Biff go to Boston? What does he discover when he sees the Woman?
Why is it that Biff never went to summer school? Why can’t he believe in his
father?
22. Why does Linda tell the boys, “Get out of here, both of you and don’t come
back!”?
23. Why does Willy keep planting seeds if they’ve never grown before? Why does
Willy think Biff will be impressed with his funeral? Why does Ben say that Biff
will call Willy a fool?
24. Why doesn’t Willy want to see Linda? Why does he think that Biff is spiting
him? Why does Biff show him the rubber hose? Why does Biff confront Willy
and Happy?
25. What does Biff do that elates Willy? How does Happy try to attract Willy’s
attention? How does Ben influence Willy at this point?
Requiem
1. What is a requiem? What is the purpose of this final act? To what extent is it
successful?
2. Charley says: No man only needs a little salary.” To what is he referring? What
else does a man need?
3. Explain the irony of Linda’s last speech.
Delving In—You must choose two of these analysis questions to answer in a
fully developed Delve In paragraph.
1. In what ways does Willy not fit into the definition of an average working man
building a secure home for his family? In what ways does he represent
Everyman? How does Willy represent more?
2. How does Miller use tension in the family to underscore Willy’s character? How
does he use the stage to influence the audience’s perception of the tension?
3. What is the turning point in Willy’s life? Is Willy the main character in this play
or is Biff? Why? What does Biff discover about himself? How does this
discovery affect his relationship with Willy? How is Biff’s self-realization
dramatic? What is the climax of the play?
4. Who suffers most from Willy’s delusions? Why?
5. Does Linda help or hinder Willy in overlooking his small sales and his dishonest
attempts to make them seem bigger? How else does she influence Willy?
Discuss Linda’s remark, “Attention—attention must finally be paid to such a
man!” What is the effect of the switch in Linda’s speech to this very formal
statement? Why does Miller use it?
6. How is Willy’s killing himself for the insurance money symptomatic of the way
he has lived? What legacy does Willy leave his family?
7. What is Willy’s dream? What is he searching for throughout the play? Why
doesn’t he find it? Did he have a chance of fulfilling it? Did he have the wrong
dream? Inappropriate attitudes? Is he a born loser, or does he stand in his own
way to success? Explain.
8. How does what Biff learns in Boston influence his life? (Think about…Why
can’t Biff be what his father wants him to be? Why does Biff steal things? Does
Biff use Willy’s behavior as an excuse for his own waywardness? What does he
say to Willy about the way he wants to live and what Willy expects of him?)
9. Compare the way Biff treats his father with the way Happy does. Why is it hard
for Biff to tell Willy the truth? Why doesn’t Happy want him to?
10. How does Ben affect Willy? How does he influence the events in the play?
11. Discuss the symbolism of the two heavy sample cases and the stockings. How
does Miller use the characters’ names as symbols? What do they mean? What is
the significance of Loman? Why Willy instead of Bill? What other symbols does
Miller use and to what purpose?
12. How are the angular shapes and the lighting described in the opening scenes
important to the meaning of the play? Why does Miller have the buildings closed
in by other buildings? How does he use the stage setting as a statement about
time? What do the leaves stand for? How is music used?
13. What is the effect of having scenes from the past staged in addition to the current
action of the play?
14. What would say are the false values which the play reveals? What are the true
values which the play upholds? Prove your claim.
15. Some reviewers believe that the play is a criticism of capitalism and the American
way of life. Discuss your reasons for agreeing or disagreeing with them. What
are the social implications of the play?
Academic Challenge
4. Read article on Arthur Miller’s death. What are the subjects of his other writings?
What have critics said about his importance in modern drama? In what ways are
his experiences reflected in his writings, especially “Death of a Salesman”.
5. Research the signals which suicide victims usually give. What typical signals did
Willy give? Could Willy have been prevented from killing himself? What
resources are available in your community to help potential suicide victims?
6. Improvise some dialogue that could have been exchanged between Biff and
Bernard, or another character, which reveals something about their personality
differences.
7. Make a sketch of the stage set as you envision it from Miller’s description at the
start of the play.
Studebaker: The Studebaker is the car in which Willy kills himself. His first obvious
lapse in reality is when he admits that he thought that he was driving the Chevy the whole
day, when actually he was driving the Studebaker.
Chevy: The Chevy is the car Willy had when Biff was in high school. Willy remembers a
day when the boys were waxing the car after he returned from a trip. His comments about
the Chevy, first that it’s the greatest car ever built, then that they shouldn’t be allowed to
manufacture such junk, show his tendency to contradict himself.
Football: Biff stole the football from the locker room because the coach told him to work
on his passing. Willy tells him to return it, but then says that the coach would
congratulate Biff on his initiative instead of being angry that he stole it.
Fountain Pen: Biff steals the fountain pen from Bill Oliver’s desk when he goes to
borrow money to start a business. He can’t keep from taking it, and it ruins his chance to
get the loan.
Rubber Piping: Linda tells Biff and Happy about the rubber piping she found in the
basement with the attachment that fits around the nipple on the water heater’s gas pipe.
Willy’s been trying to kill himself with it, and although she often takes it from the
basement while he’s gone, she always puts it back before he returns, because she doesn’t
want to insult him by confronting him about it. Biff takes it from the basement and later
confronts Willy with the piping before Willy kills himself in the Studebaker.
Building Supplies: Biff and Happy stole building supplies from a construction site so
that Willy could build a new stoop. He pretended to scold them when they stole lumber,
but he really was proud of their theft, and his attitude encourages their deviant behavior.
University of Virginia sneakers: Biff printed 'University of Virginia' on a pair of
sneakers he had because that’s where he wanted to go play ball in college. The shoes
show up in Willy’s memory at the first mention of Biff having trouble with math. Later,
Bernard tells Willy that he knew Biff had given up his life when he threw those shoes
into the furnace after he got back from visiting Willy in Boston.
Frank’s Chop House : Frank’s Chop House is the restaurant where Willy met Biff and
Hap for dinner. Biff told Willy about the incident with Bill Oliver while they were in the
restaurant, and the disappointment sent Willy reeling back to the past. Biff and Hap left
Willy babbling to himself in the bathroom of the restaurant, and that was the final straw
for Linda. After that, she tells both the boys to leave and not to come back.
Major Characters
Willy Loman: Main character of the play. Willy Loman is a traveling salesman who
grew up inspired by the success of his craftsman/salesman father who left his family for
Alaska. His older brother, Ben, who also left when Willy was young, and made a fortune
in the diamond mines of Africa when he was only 21 years old, is another measuring
stick for Willy. Willy believes that success comes from being well liked, and he instilled
this belief in his sons, Biff and Happy, who were his brightest hopes in life. Although
Willy encouraged their success, he neglected to instill any sense of integrity or morality
in the boys, and it leads to their ultimate failure in his eyes. As Willy grows older and
realizes that he has failed to meet his own expectations as a salesman, his life seems
wasted. His sons are mediocre bums; he’s no longer able to provide for his family; no one
knows him anymore, and he feels like a failure. He decides that the best thing he can do
for his family is to award them the money from his life insurance policy by killing
himself.
Linda Loman: Willy’s wife, mother of Biff, and Happy. Linda is Willy Loman’s link to
reality. She sees what her husband is going through, and she supports him and loves him
despite his many failures and weakness. She realizes that Willy is just an ordinary man,
but she doesn’t fault him for it. If anything, she loves him more because of it. She
protects him when Biff fights with him, defends him to her sons who think he’s going
crazy, and she respects him enough to pretend she doesn’t know that he’s trying to kill
himself and that he’s lost his salary. Linda tries to protect Willy from himself, but her
efforts are in vain.
Biff Loman: Willy’s oldest son. Biff is Willy’s pride and joy. As the oldest son, Biff is
the personification of all of Willy’s dreams, and as a teenager, he worshipped his father.
Biff was everything Willy wanted him to be -- star athlete, popular with the girls, well
liked all around. Willy ignored his petty thefts because he was a hometown hero. Being
well liked wasn’t enough to help Biff graduate from high school; failing his math class
was the beginning of his adult failures, and his inability to hold a job. When Biff went to
Boston to tell his father that he wasn’t graduating, and ask him to talk to his Math
teacher, he found Willy with another woman. This crushed Biff’s image of his father;
Willy’s successful life has been only been a lie. Their relationship falls apart. As an adult,
Biff drifted from job to job, a failure in Willy’s eyes; after Biff comes home and ruins
another opportunity at success, he realizes that his life has been a lie; he no longer wants
to try to become something he‘s not. Biff does not want to end up like his father.
Happy Loman: Willy’s youngest son. Happy was often ignored by his parents while
growing up. Growing up in Biff’s shadow, Happy was always vying for Willy’s attention,
but never really got it. As an adult, Willy and Linda seem to brush him off in much the
same way they did when he was younger. Although Hap grows up to become more
financially successful than his older brother, his father still focuses his attention only on
Biff. Hap is a salesman who seduces the fiancees of store executives and takes bribes
from manufacturers. He has his own apartment, car, and plenty of women, and yet he is
still unhappy. He insists on fighting his way through the business world as a way to honor
Willy, even though he may never go further than his current position as an assistant’s
assistant.
Charley: Willy’s neighbor and long-time friend. Charley is a businessman who has lived
next door to Willy for a long time. Although Willy is condescending to him, Charley is
willing to help Willy through a rough spot. When Willy loses his salary, Charley loans
him money every week so that Linda won’t know what’s happened. Charley offers Willy
a job, but Willy is too proud to take it. Charley is an honest man who warns Willy about
the consequences of his boys’ behavior: stealing supplies from construction sites, etc.
Willy thinks Charley is ignorant because he is not well liked. Charley turns out to be the
only friend Willy has.
Ben Loman: Willy’s older brother. Ben left the family to search for his father in Alaska
when Willy was almost four. Ben ended up in Africa and got rich off of the diamond
mines by the time he was twenty-one. He only visited Willy twice (briefly) on his way to
and from Alaska. He encouraged Willy to keep teaching the boys to steal and to be
fearless, but acts condescending towards Willy, because he is an unsuccessful salesman.
Willy remembers Ben as a missed opportunity because Willy didn’t go to Alaska with
him. Ben is a symbol of all that Willy could have been but missed out on.
Minor Characters
Bernard: Charley’s son. Bernard is the nerdy neighbor who helped Biff study and gave
him the answers on tests. Bernard kept warning Biff that he wouldn’t graduate if he
didn’t study for his math test, but Biff and Willy both ignored him and made fun of him
for being nerdy. Willy insisted that because Bernard was not well liked, he would not do
well for himself when he grew up. But when Willy runs into Bernard as an adult, Bernard
is a successful lawyer who is arguing a case before the Supreme Court, while Biff, who
was well liked, is a bum.
The Woman: Willy’s out-of-town mistress. The Woman was a secretary for a store that
Willy sold to, and she would put him through to see the buyers. Willy bought her silk
stockings when he saw her, and seeing Linda mending her own because it is too
expensive to buy a new pair, racks Willy with the guilt of his infidelity. It was after Biff
discovered Willy with the Woman, that Willy and his son grew apart. Willy’s infidelity to
his mother crushed Biff, and after realizing his dad was a fake, Biff gave up on summer
school and the University of Virginia.
Howard Wagner: Willy’s boss. Wagner was the son of Willy’s original employer, and
because he does not have a position for him in New York, Willy had to drive to New
England. He later demotes Willy, who must work strictly on commission like a beginning
salesman. Willy goes to Wagner to request a salaried position in New York, and Wagner
fires him.
Bill Oliver: One of Biff’s old employers. Biff believes he was a salesman for Oliver a
long time ago, but he quit because Oliver suspected that he stole a carton of basketballs.
When he left, Biff claims that Oliver told him to come see him if he ever needed
anything, and so years later, Biff expects that Oliver will loan him ten thousand dollars to
start a sporting goods store. When Biff meets with him, Oliver doesn’t even remember
Biff because Biff was only a shipping clerk, and Biff, unable to control himself, steals
Oliver’s fountain pen and runs out of the office. It is this moment that makes him realize
his whole life has been a fraud.
Willy’s Father: Willy’s father made and sold flutes across the country; he would take his
family with him when he traveled by wagon to sell his flutes. One day he abandoned
them and went to Alaska. Ben, Willy’s older brother, went after him, but ended up in
Africa. Willy feels as if he’s missed out on a great deal because he never talked to his
father. He makes his father into a myth of courage and success and measures himself
against those imagined standards, but always seems to fall short.
Dave Singleman: Dave Singleman was an 84-year-old traveling salesman who made
sales from his hotel room because he was so well known and well liked. When he died,
buyers and salesman from all over New England attended his funeral. This is the life
Willy wishes for. Singleman was his inspiration for being a salesman and this dream was
the reason he went into sales and didn‘t leave for Alaska when his brother urged him to.
The Girls: The girls are two women (one a covergirl) Hap picked up at Frank’s Chop
House, where he and Biff took Willy for dinner. While Willy was in the restroom, Biff
took off and Hap and the girls followed him, leaving Willy alone and abandoned in the
restaurant. Linda considered the boys abandoning their father at the restaurant the final
straw, and when they came home, she told them both to leave and not to come back.