Discerning Future Opportunities

Discerning Future Opportunities

"We are made wise not by the recollection of our past but by the responsibility of our future."

-George Bernard Shaw

YOUR JOURNEY

Playbills

Nancy Drew or Tintin?

What's in a Play?

You have read the play “Death of A Salesman”, Act I. Do you think this 1950 playbill cover of “Death of A Salesman captures the message of the play? Why?

1. One of the major characters in the play, Willy Loman did some daydreaming and slipped back to the past in the middle of a present conversation with his family. It happened in several scenes in the play. What do you call this type of literary technique?

2. What is the prevailing mood in the play? Describe it.

3. What are the symbols used by the author in Act 1? What do these symbols stand for?

4. What is the theme or message of the play prevalent in Act 1?

5. The author, Arthur Miller wrote the play during the height of American capitalism, what do you think is his purpose for writing Death of a Salesman?

6. Death of A Salesman is acclaimed by critics as the great American tragedy.

What does this mean?

7. American forefathers defined American Dream with a moral vision of liberty, equality and truth. Compare and contrast the American Dream of America’s founders with that of Arthur Miller in Death of A Salesman?

Plot the Events

Arrange the events according to how they happened in the play. Number them from 1 to 9.

Willy yells at Biff. Happy tries to change the topic by suggesting that he and Biff enter the sporting

goods business. Willy likes the idea and gives Biff tips on how to be successful at it.

Tired from an unsuccessful sales trip, Willy Loman returned to his home one night.

Willy has the habit of talking to himself in the kitchen. While he has doing this, Biff and his younger brother Happy who happens to be also visiting remember their growing up years together. They talk about their father’s babbling too which always lead to Willy’s dissatisfaction over what happened to Biff’s life career.

Willy talks about a successful sales trip but Linda makes him admit that his trip was not successful. As Linda consoles him, Willy engages in yet another daydream, he hears the laughter of his mistress whom he has given brand new stockings.

He continues with his flashback, this time with Linda in the kitchen mending her stockings. This

angers Willy and orders Linda to throw her stockings away.

The daydream ends but Willy continues to whisper to himself. Happy tries to quiet him. But Willy

shouts his regrets for not going to Alaska with his brother Ben.

Charley comes in having heard the noise. They play cards together with Charley offering him a job. Willy calls Charley Ben several times which agitates him. Charley leaves.

In yet another flashback, young Linda enters and meets Ben who talks about his travels and his

fortune in Alaska. Willy continues the daydream with Charley and Bernard telling him that Biff and

Happy have stolen lumber. Ben leaves but Willy continues to talk to him.

Reality sets in, Linda finds Willy outside. Mother and sons discuss Willy’s condition, scolds Biff for

arguing with his father. Biff tells her Willy is a fake but does not explain why. Linda tells them that

Willy has tried to kill himself. Happy rebukes Biff for not making it big in the business world.

Prediction Chart

Detective in the Making!

If you scored 15 points, it’s confirmed! You have the making of a detective. You could be the next Nancy Drew (the girl detective in a mystery fiction series )

or Tintin (the adventurer and hero of the comic series “The Adventures of Tintin). Keep predicting and develop your critical thinking skills.

It is an exciting world out there. A lot of new things are merging in our ever changing world. It is our responsibility to discern what to follow and what to believe in. While we enjoy the changes the world has to offer we should still be grounded on the values that shape our being. They will guide us in our journey through life and our quest for a better future for ourselves and for others.

Know Your Purpose...

WATCH

Death of a Salesman, Act I