Death of a Salesman
Content Questions
Setting the Stage
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Describe Willy’s house
Why is the setting nearly transparent?
Describe Willy as he first appears.
What do the introductory remarks reveal about Linda?
What hints of possible tensions or problems are given in the opening remarks?
Describe the devices or techniques in this section which are surrealistic or expressionistic.
Act I
1. Why is Linda worried when Willy returns unexpectedly from a sales trip?
2. What is Willy’s explanation for his return home?
3. Analyze Linda’s response.
4. Why isn’t Willy working in New York?
5. What is the tension that exists between Willy and Biff?
6. Why did Willy expect Biff to amount to so much more?
7. What gives Willy the feeling that he is being boxed in?
8. What evidence is there that Willy is living in the past?
9. How are Biff and Happy different?
10. How does Happy interpret his father’s problem?
11. What are some of the jobs which Biff has held?
12. Why doesn’t Biff like being at home?
13. Is Happy enjoying his way of life?
14. How does Happy respond when Biff suggest that they go West together?
15. What else emerges about Happy’s character?
16. Who is Bill Oliver and what does Biff hope to get from him?
17. Why does Happy want Biff to have a talk with Willy?
18. What were some of the things Willy tried to teach Biff when Biff was a boy?
19. IN the scenes from the boys’ childhood, how does Willy’s treatment of Biff differ from his treatment of Happy?
20. How does Willy respond when he discovers that Biff has stolen a football?
21. Why doesn’t Willy encourage Biff to study for his math test?
22. Why is so much emphasis given to Willy’s income and debts?
23. What are Willy’s and Linda’s reactions to the realization that Willy is not getting ahead?
24. What does the introduction of the Woman at this point accomplish?
25. Contrast Biff and Bernard. What further insight into Biff’s character does Bernard provide?
26. What do you suppose Willy means when he says “the woods are burning”?
27. Why does Willy reject Charley’s offer of a job?
28. Why is Willy so proud of his ceiling?
29. Why does Willy envy his brother Ben?
30. What do we learn about Willy’s father?
31. In his discussions with Ben, what does Willy reveal about his hopes for his sons?
32. What does Willy’s pawning of his diamond watch fob indicate?
33. Why is Linda so upset with Biff?
34. What does Linda mean when she tells Biff that Willy is dying?
35. What is Biff’s attitude toward the business world?
36. What idea does Happy have that pleases Willy?
37. Explain Willy’s allusion to Hercules.
Death of a Salesman
Content Questions
Act II
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What evidence can you cite to show that Willy is interested in life again?
Explain Willy’s irritation when Linda reminds him of their unpaid bills.
What does Willy ask Howard?
Why is Howard so unsympathetic?
Who was Dave Singleman and what impression did he make on Willy?
Why doesn’t Howard let Willy go to Boston?
Describe Howard’s reaction to Willy’s problems.
Why does Willy look to Ben for help after his unpleasant meeting with Howard? Does Willy get the help he
needs?
9. Explain Linda’s reaction to Ben.
10. Describe Willy’s conflicting desires to be a pioneer like Ben and a salesman like Dave Singleman.
11. Describe Bernard’s success in later life.
12. What important question does WIllly ask Bernard and what is Bernard’s response?
13. How does Willy react to Bernard’s suggestion?
14. What does Willy find incredible about Bernard’s success?
15. What does Charley attempt to do for Willy?
16. Describe Happy’s behavior in the restaurant.
17. How does Biff react when he realizes that Bill Oliver doesn’t recognize him?
18. Why does Biff become upset with Willy?
19. Is Biff being needlessly cruel to his father? What about Happy?
20. After Willy hears Biff’s news about Bill Olive, what flashback occurs?
21. What happened between Biff and Willy in Boston?
22. Why doesn’t Linda accept the flowers from the boys?
23. What is the twenty-thousand dollar proposition Willy discusses with Ben?
24. How does Willy envision his funeral?
25. How does Ben respond to Willy’s proposition?
26. What does Biff intend to do to make life easier for Linda an Willy?
27. In his anger, what does Biff attempt to force Willy to recognize?
28. What does Willy learn from Biff’s emotional display?
29. Why does Willy decide to kill himself after he has been reconciled with Biff?
30. How does Willy kill himself, and how is his death depicted?
31. What is Happy’s Reaction to Willy’s death?
32. Do Biff’s remarks show that he understands his father?
33. How does Charlie evaluate Willy?
34. What does Linda say she doesn’t understand?