Death of A Salesman

1. Death of A Salesman Arthur Miller

2. Arthur Miller • 1915-2005 • Born in Harlem, New York • Died at the age of 89 • As Arthur was growing up, his family was very well off up until Arthur was in his teens.

3. Arthur Miller • Remarried three times including Marilyn Monroe. • Worked odd jobs so that he could attend the University of Michigan where he wrote his first play, No Villain • His playwright professor Kenneth Rowe inspired his career. • Wrote 25 stage plays including The Crucible

4. Foundation • Setting: • Late 1940s in Brooklyn, New York • A few flashbacks that go to about 1930s • Point of view: • No point of view because it’s a play

5. Primary Characters • Willy: the salesman, Biff and Happy’s father • Biff: Willy’s oldest son that enjoys working on a farm • Happy: Willy’s youngest son that tries to keep the family together • Linda: Willy’s wife, Biff and Happy’s mother

6. Secondary Characters • Charley: Willy’s successful neighbor • Bernard: Charley’s son that worships Biff • Ben: Willy’s older brother that died previously, Willy’s role model • Ms. Francis: The Woman that Willy cheated on Linda with when his boys were younger • Howard Wagner: Willy’s boss • Stanley: a waiter • Miss Forsyth and Letta: the girls Happy picks up at the restaurant

7. Plot • Biff comes home to visit everyone after he had been working on a farm making very little money and Willy is back home from traveling for his job. • Linda informs Biff and Happy of Willy’s mental state and his suicide attempts. • She tells Biff that he needs to get serious and help his father out. • Biff and Willy get excited about future job opportunities. Biff decides to go talk to a former boss about a possible job, and Willy asks his boss Howard about staying in town.

8. Plot • Biff ends up waiting for over 6 hours to find that his former boss doesn’t remember him. • Howard makes Willy take a break because of his confusion about who he is. • Biff realizes that none of them are as successful as they make themselves out to be. • He argues with Willy about this. During this argument Willy sees that Biff does love him. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1lazBK1Pec • Willy imagines his brother Ben is in the room with him. Ben convinces Willy that he can help his family by killing himself and they will receive insurance money. • At Willy’s funeral, everyone realizes just how confused Willy was about who he was.

9. Connections in Literature • Raisin in the Sun: • A father that wants to be more successful • The Great Gatsby: • Gatsby and Willy both hide who they are from those around them • Both include characters having an affair • Each have American dream theme

10. Quotes • “Why must everybody conquer the world?” • Linda says this to Willy close to the end of the play. She doesn’t understand why Willy is so caught up in being well known and successful.

11. Themes • The American dream • Betrayal • Pride • Loss of identity • Contradiction • Denial

12. Symbols • Seeds: • "Nothing’s planted. I don’t have a thing in the ground“ • Willy plants seeds to make up for his failure of being a salesman • Stockings: • betrayal • Diamonds: • Materialistic • Wealth