English lit - Death of a salesman - Level

• Happy - requiem - Happy ends the play, following the same ideals as Willy showing a lack of hope for the future as it foreshadows the tragedy repeating itself.

  "It's the only dream you can have - to come out number one man. He fought it out here and this is where I'm gonna win it for him."
• Happy - restaurant - Happy doesn't realise how harsh the business world is and therefore doesn't appreciate his father, neglecting him, like he was neglected.

  "No that's not my father. He's just a guy"
• Happy - restaurant - Happy lives in the same dream world as Willy, convincing himself he is successful, which contrasts Biff and highlights his need for success in every aspect of the business world including with women.

  "I sell champagne, and I'd like you to try my brand"/ "Biff is a quarterback with the New York Giants"
• What is the function of Happy's character?

  He represents the cyclical impact of the business world on future generations and shows how Willy's poor parenting has given him warped ideals.
• Linda - talks to the boys - Here we see how Linda always puts Willy first even before her own happiness and sons if it means sh can protect him from reality.

  "Either he's your father and you pay him that respect, or else you're not to come here."
• Linda - talks to the boys - Linda is conveying Miller's message and sees how he is lost in the business world and pities this rather than look down on him showing how she realises how harsh the business world is.

  "Be loving to him because he's only a little boat looking for a harbour"
• Linda - the requiem - She doesn't realise that Willy has become part of the business machine and his time is up (planned obsolescence) which creates Pathos for Linda. We also see how she realises they would have been free of their false reality.

  "I made the last payment on the house today. Today dear. We're free and clear"
• Linda - talk to the boys - Willy lives through his sons and teaches them the same mistakes as he makes and Linda realises that she has no power to help Willy so her only way to save him is through her boys.

  "he put his whole life into you and you've turned your backs on him"
• Linda - woman time slip - Links to the stocking motif and pushes her into the eternal wife figure.

  "I wont have you mending stockings in this house"
• What is the function of Linda's character?

  She is the vehicle to communicate Miller's message.
• Biff - requiem - Biff realises that Willy was living up to the wrong ideals and the power of the corruption of the American dream ultimately, having his moment of realisation for him.

  "He had all the wrong dreams"
• Biff - the affair - Biff can own up to his mistakes but also wanted to impress his father, idealising him and believing he can do anything, but after realising that he had cheated on Linda he no longer believes in him and breaks out of their dream.

  "Dad - I let you down" "He wouldn't listen to you"
• Biff - restaurant - - Biff appreciates his dad and realises how hard the business world is and his only way through is by lying. It also links to the idea that the tragic hero is of a noble background which Biff views Willy as.

  "you've just seen a prince walk by. A fine troubled prince."
• Biff - restaurant - Biff once agin sees the reality however, this quote shows how he found it easy to fall into the trap of lying to himself showing how easily the business world corrupts his workers but Biff's realisation of this saves him.

  "I realised what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been. We've been talking a dream for fifteen years"
• Biff - talking to Willy - Biff realises that they are not living the dream they think they are and in an effort to help his father out of that dream tells the truth, therefore becoming his foil as he can realise the truth where Willy will not accept it.


  "Pop! I'm a dime a dozen, and so are you!"
• What is the function of the character Biff?

  He is a foil of Willy and has his realisation for him, learning from his mistakes.
• Willy - talking to Charlie - Charley is trying to make Willy realise that he is living in a dream and his "well-liked" ideal means nothing in comparison to the material success of a salesman and trying to make him realise his failure in order to save him from the "death of a salesman"

  "The only thing you got in this world is what you can sell"
• Willy - Biff's game - This highlights Willy's corrupt ideal that you will be successful if you are well liked due to his misinterpreted view of Dave Singleman as well as his idea that success is tangible which is why he feels he is unsuccessful.

  "a man can end with diamonds here on the basis of being well liked"
• Willy - Restaurant scene - This motif shows how Willy feels there is little time for him to become a success and that the business world is closing in on him and will ultimately lead to his death. They may also link to the woods in Alaska and his missed opportunity for success.

  "The woods are burning... there's a big blaze going on all around. I was fired today"
• Willy - Willy and Linda talk - This shows Willy's concern about not only the planned obsolescence of all the things he owns that are a product of the business world that never allow him to be successful but also hints to his obsolescence and that when he is finally free of these pressures it will be too late and he will have been led to suicide.

  "I would like to own something outright before it's broken! I'm always in a race with the junkyard!"
• Willy - Howards Office - Willy is saying that the capitalist world can't just use their workers when they are successful and able, to disregard them in old age as the business world will ruthlessly fire loyal workers for its gain and Willy's twisted ideals made him believe that the business world cared for him.

  "You can't eat the orange and throw the peel away"
• What Is the function of Willy's character?

  He is a victim of the business world and shows how following the American dream can corrupt its workers leaving them to live in a dream.
• What is the importance of the character Ben?

  Ben become Willy's role model even though he is a representation of a corrupt business man who doesn't have time for Willy and makes him believe true success is tangible leading to his suicide.
• Explain Willy's ideal of being well liked.

  Willy's lack of a father figure meant he made bad role models, misinterpreting the American dream and possibly following the wrong dream all together.
• Explain the metaphor of the woods.

  Ben went to Alaska and became rich in the "jungle" and Willy regrets not taking this opportunity and so to him the business world becomes the woods. The ideas that they are burning make him feel like he is running out of time to be successful and when he feels his time is up he is lead to suicide.
• Explain the stockings motif.

  Willy gave Linda's stockings to the woman and when Linda repairs them it not only reminds him of the guilt he feels but also it reminds him that he is unsuccessful as he can't provide new ones for her.
• What are the author's intentions?

  Miller criticises the harsh business world that corrupts its workers, ultimately reifying them from themselves and others that leads to their obsolescence.