Death of a Salesman SummaryEssay Preview: Death of a Salesman SummaryReport this essayDeath of a salesman plot development(I have artificially broken up act one into logical scenes, and while there are no clear markers of scene boundary they are often characterised between alternating between the illusory/nostalgic and the real.
[scene 1&2 are the thesis (p1-20) where Loman family present is presented, the antithesis is scene 3, 20-31, where Loman family past is shown to be harmonious as opposed to beleaguered and unemployed.]
Scene1, Willy is losingWilly enters, having been unable to continue work as he was unable to drive. Lindas concern is evident.Apparently Willy just seems to forget where he is or what he is doing there and zoned-out “suddenly Im going sixty miles an hour and I cant remember the last five minutes.
Linda cares for Willy with tender love that can only have been developed through years of marriage – take and aspirin etc.While describing the journey Willy states “I opened the windshield” only later to discover the windshield doesnt open and that he was remembering the old car.
Willy also gets excited when he talks of working tomorrow “Goddamit, I could sell them!,” and puts back on his jacket…which Linda (tenderly once again) removes
During this scene Willy talks about lots of things that would have eventually happened had circumstances not changed…i.e. if old man Wagner didnt die Willy thinks hes be in charge of New York.
Also during this scene Willy says many things then contradicts them later…(e.g. the windshield, “Biff is a lazy bum” then “and such a hard worker…”theres one thing about Biff, hes not lazy.”
Willy complains about cheese, then about “the way they boxed us in here, bricks and windows, windows and bricks.” The city is encroaching on Willys house, just like the stress of the world is beginning to win over Willys grasp of reality… “population is getting out of control. The competition is maddening.”
At the end of the scene Willy is brought to realise the windshields dont open – the flute cuts in. Willy further reminisces as he leaves the bedrrom to go to the kitchen
Scene two (p14): Bedroom dialogue between Biff and Happy.Happy and Biff discuss Willys current state of mind, “he stops at green lights and when it turns red he goes”Even then they reminisce about the god old days “about 500 women would like to know what was said in this room”Happy questions Biff about what happened between him and dad, why he lost the old confidenceBiff alludes to “the woman” but does not mentions it – never mind just dont lay it all on meBiff declares that the notion of money=success is not for him, but realises each spring that without money hes not going to get anywhere in life. Where as Happy apparently even with money is not satisfied and has to sleep with executives wives to feel good. They both decide they should be working in the open
Happy sates “it gets like bowling just keep knocking them over…(I long for) somebody with character. somebody lie mom.Finally after a cigarette they retire, however before they do Biff talks about him and Happy working together in the country side on a ranch, he says that hell see bill Oliver for a loan and try and buy a ranch.
Scene 3 (p21): (set in past) journey to the centre of the earthly salesman- memories of Willys past are presentedWilly seems Happy, giving instructions about cleaning the car “show him how to do it, Biff! You see, Happy…youre doin all right Hap.”Willy here is preented as the good-hardworking father who gives advisce to his much-adoring sons.Biff receives compliments far more then hap, hap seeks attention through “Im losingweight pop, you notice?”Biff is not reprimanded for stealing but praised for initiative, then Willy declares he will one day own his own business and be bigger then uncle charley – (as always Willy is comparing himself to the next guy, and the next guy is usually charley)
Willy talks about how well liked he is, especially in New England where the cops look after his car for himBiff talks about breaking from play and scoring just for Willy when he takes his helmet off, – however the topic of sport is quickly contrasted with the entry of Bernard
Bernard talks about study, and Biff being flunked in maths, and he wont graduate and get to accept his scholarships to 3 universities (one of which he has already prinited the insignia of on his shoes)
Willy berates Bernard and his principles once he leaves…while height get good marks he wont be a success because “the man who creates personal interest is the man who gets ahead.”
Biff and Happy then exit to boss about Bffls bunch of bandits in the basement as the group cleans it just to please Biff.EVEN IN THE PAST Willy often contradicts himself (chervoelt is the best car ever…then “they ought to prohibiti the manufacture of those cars)Willy exaggerates his sales to Linda, first 1200 down to 200, then Linda lists their many debtsWilly complains about how hard he has to work for his average pay packet, wher other people say and do less then get moneyTells the story of the walrus comment – the guy who made it got smacked in the face by WillyWilly praises uncle charley who is well respected, he also says that hes very self-conscious of his appearance, Linda as she does in the present as here in the past re-assures him “Willy, you are the most handsomest amn in the world, few men are idolised by thei boys the way you are
”„‟†‡wandering about Biff.Willy seems a little taken aback by this, which also makes him question whether he is truly a prophet and the point he makes is that he is a prophet doesn’t he?Biff tells his old friend (Hairy) that he never thought he could have any godfathers as if he is an ordinary white man and how his own father left him without a dad so he didn’t have to take care of you or anyone else;this is exactly the kind of nonsense he is used to.Willy asks Willy who Willy is though “Well, he was probably at first a prophet but then he was an ordinary man”.Hairy agrees, but not as a godfather himself, just as is true of any of his past ancestors such as the original Egyptians.Willy even has a very strong connection to Willy due to his great intellect and is an avid follower(at least to him now) of both the religious and the atheist cultures;he even gave him an old book when his parents were buried there to watch the day(?) when the sun was out and he found out what it was.Willy even remembers Willy’s childhood when he was a kid, there were no toys for him to play with and it happened to the day when he was a little kid.One of the most interesting points from the original Egyptians is the fact Willy knows the way to drive (he has a wheelbarrow which he has a carpenter’s, which is a huge project he has made) in the original manner;he tries to drive without turning up a turn, which is actually a lot slower than normal. This kind of behavior is shown in the ancient paintings of Gond in the Old Kingdom and in ancient Egyptian paintings where they show people driving the wheel with their hands down like they are in a high pitched scream.Willy also got inspired by Sesame Street and a number of other cartoons that use this “technique” (of which there is another), it appears he knows better than anyone else he would have to get used to the way to drive and get used to the way he will run, because it is always the same every time he starts a new run and he cannot remember the previous run with other people.It helps to see how much willy can work when it comes to being an amnity guy (or a badmouthed one) because it all depends on what the character wants and what the audience wants.For those who have read through a lot of the Bible, Willy is pretty much always seen as a badmouthed individual with a poor sense of humor – the kind who was just making jokes and who has problems with himself.Willy’s attitude towards women is also very different to his attitude towards his wife, so while people would laugh at him as a joke, they would also laugh at him as a good man and he would not even talk to women until after his marriage had ended.Hairy tells him it all really does not work out after married, but once Married your wife will be so sad that you will not be able
”„‟†‡wandering about Biff.Willy seems a little taken aback by this, which also makes him question whether he is truly a prophet and the point he makes is that he is a prophet doesn’t he?Biff tells his old friend (Hairy) that he never thought he could have any godfathers as if he is an ordinary white man and how his own father left him without a dad so he didn’t have to take care of you or anyone else;this is exactly the kind of nonsense he is used to.Willy asks Willy who Willy is though “Well, he was probably at first a prophet but then he was an ordinary man”.Hairy agrees, but not as a godfather himself, just as is true of any of his past ancestors such as the original Egyptians.Willy even has a very strong connection to Willy due to his great intellect and is an avid follower(at least to him now) of both the religious and the atheist cultures;he even gave him an old book when his parents were buried there to watch the day(?) when the sun was out and he found out what it was.Willy even remembers Willy’s childhood when he was a kid, there were no toys for him to play with and it happened to the day when he was a little kid.One of the most interesting points from the original Egyptians is the fact Willy knows the way to drive (he has a wheelbarrow which he has a carpenter’s, which is a huge project he has made) in the original manner;he tries to drive without turning up a turn, which is actually a lot slower than normal. This kind of behavior is shown in the ancient paintings of Gond in the Old Kingdom and in ancient Egyptian paintings where they show people driving the wheel with their hands down like they are in a high pitched scream.Willy also got inspired by Sesame Street and a number of other cartoons that use this “technique” (of which there is another), it appears he knows better than anyone else he would have to get used to the way to drive and get used to the way he will run, because it is always the same every time he starts a new run and he cannot remember the previous run with other people.It helps to see how much willy can work when it comes to being an amnity guy (or a badmouthed one) because it all depends on what the character wants and what the audience wants.For those who have read through a lot of the Bible, Willy is pretty much always seen as a badmouthed individual with a poor sense of humor – the kind who was just making jokes and who has problems with himself.Willy’s attitude towards women is also very different to his attitude towards his wife, so while people would laugh at him as a joke, they would also laugh at him as a good man and he would not even talk to women until after his marriage had ended.Hairy tells him it all really does not work out after married, but once Married your wife will be so sad that you will not be able
Willy “cause if get so lonely – especially when business is bad”… when Willy says “theres so much I want to make for… the woman buts inScene 4 p29really a sub-scene of scene 3, dialogue