The Death of a Salesman

Act I: the Lowman Family & their American/Capitalist Dreams

Outline Starting Questions Social Conditions & Stage Directi

ons Plot Summary Willy Lowman –his Present Linda’s Role Biff vs. Happy – their Dreams

and Efforts Willy Loman’s Dream, its Sources

and Influence

Other Examples of Success in Capitalism

Willy/Biff vs. Charley/Bernard

End of Act I: High Hope and Inherent Problems

Act I: Discussion Questions –

The Characters’ Dreams and EffortsA. The Characters’ Dreams, Efforts

and Frustrations 1. Where does Willy get his dream?

How is Willy’s dream different from and similar to Ben’s? How is he supported by Linda?

2. How about Happy’s and Biff’s dreams? How are they educated?

3. How do Charley and Bernard serve as a foil to Willy and Biff?

4. What social conditions do the characters exist in?

Act I: Discussion Questions –

Stage Directions—Memories and Dreams What troubles Willy? What is he pre-

occupied with? 1. What the lines does Willy repeat? What

moments does he re-visit frequently? 2. What’s the significance of the woman? The

flute, the car and the rubber tube?

Relevance to you…1. Do you have relatives who hold an American

dream? 2. Do you have a parent or relative like Willy—

who is old, fatigued and nostalgic, who seeks to fulfill him/herself through one

of his/her own kids, or who has a hard time adjusting to changes in

society?

Social Conditions Settings: New York City and Boston in the

late 1940s The places mentioned: New England (the

East) -- the West, the South (Texas, Florida), Alaska, Africa – borders of the US expansionism

Major Issues: American Dream –-- of expansion westwards, to Alaska and

then Africa -- of materialist success

Social Conditions: Capitalism (Industrialization & Installment Plan)

Cars and salesman buying things on credit (installment plan

or mortgage) e.g. cars and houses p. 1658/35 (they owe 120 dollars by the 15th—

fridge, carburetor, washing machine, roof) p. 1676/72 (fridge broken all the time,

insurance premium, car, house mortgage) Willy's only relief is that after twenty-five

years he has finally paid off his home mortgage

Expressionism & Stage Direction

Miller once said that "Any dramatic form is an artifice, a way of transforming a subjective feeling into something that can be comprehended through public symbols." (Introduction to Collected Plays from the Viking version p. 156)

Pay attention to the expressions of subjective

feelings

Thru’ public symbols

Stage – apartment houses in the back, and a fragile house at the front (source and more images)

Stage: curtain, kitchen table

Stage: the invisible walls & spaces of memories

Photos by Mark Parrott and UNI Theatre Staff Photographer

Theatrical performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtA-BIQm-hs

Stage Direction –Symbolic of their dream and social conditions the house with "one-dimensional" roof-line vs. the

angular shapes behind it – apartment buildings & skyscrapers representing over-population and power

Kitchen, refrigerator and 3 chairs – the center of life for this family

Elements of dream –silver trophy Willy and the flute “small and fine, telling of

grass and trees and the horizon“ [1646, 1647, 1650/18, 1665/48] p. 1649 Willy’s complaints about “this country.”

The apron as backyard with or without wall-lines the colors –blue sky (suggests desire for

freedom), angry orange (of constraint and competition)

Act I: Plot Summary Willy Loman returns to his New York home,

expressing fatigue and worries over Biff; 1650/19 Biff and Happy talk about the past and

their present problems, which ends Biff’s decision to visit Bill Oliver, and ask the latter for a job.

Flashbacks: 1) 1654/27 Willy talks to Biff and Happy when they

were in high school; Biff was popular then, but Bernard warned him that he may fail his math. Strong father-son bond.

2) 1658/34 Willy and Linda discussed their financial problems, which was followed by Willy’s expressions of diffidence, Linda’s confirmation, the appearance of a woman, and then Bernard’s searching for Biff.

Act I: Plot Summary (2) 1661/41 The present: Happy tries to comfort Willy first

(“retires him for life”), and then Charley appears and plays cards with Willy flashback: 3) 1663/44 Willy imagines talking to

Ben. 1667/52 Ben gone; Willy is gone in his slippers; Linda

reveals W’s problems with Biff, their financial difficulties to her sons; Linda suspects that Willy uses a tube to asphyxiate himself with gas.

Biff promises to stay and try again to work; as they talk, Willy comes in and the four of them talk about their plans, argue with each other while showing their love.

Willy –What’s bothering him? (1) Exhausted, he drives a long way to do business.

Outdated – Not well-treated by the young boss (Howard;

1648/14) Refuses changes: cannot take American whipped

cheese (1649/17) "How can they whip cheese?" Not well-known anymore: business now is "all cut

and dried, and there's no chance for bringing friendship to bear--or personality. […] They don’t know me anymore” (Act 2 1681/81)

Willy –What’s bothering him? Contradictory views on Biff:

Upset by Biff’s being a farmhand, his not “finding [himself] at the sage of 34.”

Thinks that Biff is lost, not lazy – “In the greatest country in the world a young man with such - personal attractiveness, gets lost.”

Nostalgic about the past (flashbacks and more later) and his father (Act 2 1681/81) His mind wanders off (1650-54/19-27; 1663-64/45/46), talks to himself –or to Biff. e.g. 1204 “What a simonizing job”

Linda –Supportive, perceptive and blind Linda: “admires” Willy (1646/12);

“iron repression of her exceptions to Willy’s behavior”

Serves Willy, normalizes the situations while she is actually worried about him (pp. 1647; 1650)

Gives suggestions – rest, work in New York;

speaks for Biff to Willy (1648-50/15-17); for her children and tries to improve the father-son relationships.(1667-71/53-)

Linda –(2) blind and perceptive Her speech(1667-71):1. sees Willy’s emotional changes re.

Biff without knowing why (68);2. Well respected and loved by the

two boys; 3. Defends Willy (1668)—love him or

don’t come back. 4. Demands attention to and

sympathy for Willy 5. Reveals his suicidal tendencies,

finds it a shame 6. “a woman” –seems to suspect

something without knowing it. (1670)

Biff and Happy-(1650--) & Their Dreams & Efforts

Similarities: lost, confused Nostalgic – old beds,

“dreams and plans” Attractive to women when

young; Still keeps empty dreams of

success –about having a ranch; about getting married to a girl; about running a company “The Lowman Brothers” 1652 without knowing how to do it.

“Bill Oliver” as a possible rescuer think big; The Lowman Line 1672;

Happy – self-deceiving seemingly more content; controls his bashfulness now.

seek revenge against his superiors by taking their women out. 1653

Biff – (now) wears a worn air; less successful; unhappy about being a clerk or a cowboy * 1652

(past) introduces Happy to women.

Interested in handiwork or farm work (1670) “we don't belong in this nuthouse of a city!”

Willy vs. Biff/Happy p. 1207 Simultaneity (1204-

07) –Willy missing the past and Biff/Happy talking about the past.

Biff: we don’t belong here.

Happy defends Willy, ask Biff to talk to him, while Biff criticizes him 1651; 1654

Defending Linda 1673

"There are no flashbacks in this play but only a mobile concurrency of past and present.. ." Arthur Miller

Willy Loman’s Dream, its Sources and

Influences

Dream – in His Son & SalesmanshipSource: Ben and the FluteInfluences: Biff and Happy

Dream (1): His Salesmanship—What is he proud of?

House – his craftsmanship: adding a hammock, work on the ceiling and the front stoop

His car and salesmanship – “well-liked” (popularity) 1656 –

Self-deceptive – 1. actually he is not making enough money (1658)2. His sense of diffidence and guilt – 1658-59

talks and jokes too much; like a walrus; has an affair.

Dream (1): His Son—What is he proud of?

Biff – polishes the car carefully; Adores and is close to his father; good at playing football (1656-57); adored by many boys and girls

p. 1675/68 –”Like a young god. Hercules -- something like that. […] God Almighty, he'll be great yet. A star like that, magnificent, can never really fade away!”

Self-deceptive –Biff getting anywhere (1661).

Willy Loman’s Dream (2): Source –Ben (& Their Father) Willy Ben: 1663

"There was a man started with the clothes on his back and ended up with diamond mines”

Ben --"Why, boys, when I walked into the jungle, I was seventeen. When I walked out I was twenty-one. And, by God, I was rich“

"Never fight fair with a stranger, boy. You'll never get out of the jungle that way”

Ben’s – imperialist capitalist (plundering in a foreign land)

Loman--"It's Brooklyn, I know, but we hunt too“ (1666)

Their Father next slide

Willy Loman’s Dream (3) The Flute "It is small and fine, telling of grass and trees and

the horizon" Willy’s father 1665

"great inventor" who would "stop in the towns and sell the flutes he'd made on the way."

"With one gadget," Ben tells Willy, "he made more in a week than a man like you could make in a lifetime"

Willy’s Father’s – in the age of mercantile capitalism: an untamed natural man and the westward-bound pioneer; the artisan, a great inventor, and a successful traveling merchant; he sold what he made.

Willy does not remember him except as an image.

Willy – industrial capitalism, where the role of traveling salesman gets less important.

-Ben, how should I teach them?

Willy as a Father

Willy Loman’s Teaching (1) Jungle Spirit His gift (1655) : a punching bag with Gene

Tunney’s signature Believes in names and reputation:

Biff expresses his hatred of the business world because "They've laughed at Dad for years (1671)... “. Willy responds in a characteristic manner: "Go to Filene's, go to the Hub, go to Slattery's, Boston. Call out the name Willy Loman and see what happens! Big shot!" (1672)

"That's just the spirit I want to embue them with! To walk into the jungle!" (1667)

Competitiveness "Knocked 'em cold in Providence, slaughtered 'em in

Boston" His advice to Biff in asking Bill Oliver for a loan, Willy's

advice is "Knock him dead, boy" (1674)

Willy Loman’s Teaching (2) Permissive and not teaching them

practical skills or the spirit of hard work: congratulates Biff on his initiative for

borrowing a regulation football to practice with (1636)

encourages the boys to steal sand from the apartment house so that he can rebuild the front stoop (1666)

advises his sons to be well liked and make a good appearance in order to get ahead in the world

Expects Bernard to give answers to Biff in exams; refuses to face Biff’s failures and problems. (1660 more later)

Willy’s Ways to Success (1) –

Human Connections --What he tells his son: “Be liked and you will never want.”

proper language and dress -- What is revealed in his talk to Linda about his weaknesses: Words: A man oughta come in with a few

words. (But not too many words—Willy himself talks too much.)

Appearance: I gotta overcome it. I know I gotta overcome it. I'm not dressing to advantage, maybe.

Willy’s Ways to Success – Proper manners -- Act I, talking about how Biff

should behaves in front of B. Oliver: Be quiet, fine, and serious. Everybody likes a

kidder, but nobody lends him money. But remember, start big and you'll end up big.

Ask for 15. (1673) Start off with a couple of your good stories to

lighten things up. It's not what you say, it's how you say it--because personality always wins the day.

success results from "who you know and the smile on your face! It's contacts ... being liked“ (Act 2)

Other examples of American Dream and its acquisitiveness Happy: “[His] own apartment, a car and plenty of

women” Happy about his friend:

He's a good friend of mine, and he just built a terrific estate on Long Island. And he lived there about two months and sold it, and now he's building another one. He can't enjoy it once it's finished. And I know that's just what I would do. I don't know what the hell I'm workin' for.

I tell you ... I'm gonna take my camera, and my bandsaw, and all my hobbies, and out they go. This is the most fascinating relaxation I've ever found (Howard Act 2)

Willy/Biff vs. Charles/Bernard Charles and Bernard -- Less athletic.

Bernard – Willy “What an anemic” “Between him and his son Bernard they can’t hammer a

nail!” Charley—cannot handle tools “disgusting” to Willy. Charley—more practical (matter-of-fact),

slow and clumsy in words says “Don’t get insulted” three times (more later) “There’s no bone in heartburns.” ( Willy’s suggestions

of vitamin is useless.) “When a deposit bottle is broken, you don’t get the

nickels back.” (referring to Biff)

Willy/Biff vs. Charley/Bernard Bernard and Charley – Both law-abiding:

Charley: Listen, if that watchman . . . Willy: I gave them[the watchmen] hell, understand. But I

got a couple of fearless characters there. Charley: Willy, the jails are full of fearless characters. Barnard: The watchman’s chasing Biff! Shut up! He’s not stealing anything!

both loyal to their friends “Pity” in whatever he says; Charley –plays cards with Willy to help him relax; (Act 2)

lends money to Willy Bernard – keeps asking Biff to study math with him;

helps Biff pass the exams by cheating.

End of Act I: High Hope and Inherent Problems Hope – Willy is going to Howard, and Biff, to Ben

Oliver, in order to change their lives. Inherent Problems: 1. In Biff – he steals 2. In Willy– his malfunctioned mind, his high hope

for Biff and reality (the rubber tube and a job without salary)

3. between Biff and Willy Biff defends his mother (Your hair got so gray); (Don’t

yell at her, will ya) Against Willy “I know he’s a fake and he doesn’t like

anybody around who knows” Something Linda is not aware of (“Willy dear, what has

he got against you?” )

Willy’s Preoccupations --Summary Past family life:

Remember those two beautiful elm trees out there?

What a simonizing job! eighty thousand miles

Past possession: Red Chevvy

Present Changes: How can they whip cheese?

Willy’s Preoccupations --Summary Lessons:

Just be careful with those girls, Biff. Be liked and you’ll never want.

Sense of Incompetence How Ben did it.