Death of a Salesman

DOAS Response Journals (due by 4/18)

EQ: How do the literary elements of Willy Loman’s psyche and his interactions with his family develop the corrupted theme of the American Dream throughout Act One of Death of a Salesman?

Anticipation Guide

HW: Vocabulary Activity 1

(Due 4/5)

DOAS: Act One (pgs. 46-55)

Read INDEPENDENTLY (I promise, it will go faster, you will have less HW).

As you read, add @ least 3 more entries to your response journal.

Annotations (or entries) should focus on how Miller CHARACTERIZES Willy through dialogue, the surrealist dream atmosphere of the scene, and the theme of the American Dream.

DOAS: Act One (pgs. 40-45)

HW

GUIDED QUESTIONS

8. Willy praises and then curses the Chevrolet; he tells Linda that he’s very well liked, and then says that people don’t seem

to take to him. What do these inconsistencies tell us about Willy?

9. “Five hundred gross in Providence” becomes “roughly two hundred gross on the whole trip.” How does Linda take Willy’s

stories? What does this reveal about her? Why does Willy make a fuss about Linda’s mending stockings? How is this

important to the play?

10. Why does Charley visit? How does he feel about Willy? How and why do they insult each other?

11. Who is Ben? Why does Ben appear? What does Willy think about the future? About the past? What does Ben teach Biff?

Why does Willy feel “kind of temporary” about himself and want Ben to stay?

Discussion: How does Willy’s antagonistic behavior towards his neighbor Charley and his conversation about his brother Ben illustrate his internal issues of masculinity and mortality?

ACES to Act One EQ:

How do the literary elements of Willy Loman’s psyche and his interactions with his family develop the corrupted theme of the American Dream throughout Act One of Death of a Salesman?

Exit Tweet

It’s obvious that Linda and Biff have very divergent opinions of Willy. Who do you think has a more objectively truthful opinion of Willy? Why?

DOAS: Act One (pg. 34-39)

Characters:

Willy

Linda

Biff

Happy

The Woman

Bernard (neighbor, Charley, son)

Discussion: What is the significance of the woman who fades in and out of the scene? Is she a projection of Willy’s fantasy? A memory of an adulterous tryst? Explain.

Life of a Salesman

TED Talk: "The Battle Between your Present and Future Self"

http://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_goldstein_the_battle_between_your_present_and_future_self/transcript?language=en

Discussion: Willy Loman—the exception or the rule? In other words, what do you think are the psychological effects of being a salesman?

Discussion: How would seeing yourself as an old man/woman affect your choices right now, if at all?

Let's Get Old: http://makeovr.com/agetell/

Exit Tweet

Adonis was an extremely handsome man who was loved by two Greek goddesses. Why do you think Willy thanks God that both of his sons are “built like Adonises” (33)?

#superficial

#keepingupappearances

DOAS (pgs. 21-33)

Read INDEPENDENTLY (I promise, it will go faster, you will have less HW).

• As you read, add @ least 3 more entries to your response journal.
• Annotations (or entries) should focus on how Miller CHARACTERIZES Willy through dialogue, the surrealist dream atmosphere of the scene, and the theme of the American Dream

Death of a Salesman

Guided Questions (you should be able to answer these--possible quiz questions)

1. Why is Willy home? Why is Linda alarmed that he’s home?

2. Why is Willy annoyed at Biff? How does he describe Biff? What does this tell us about Willy?

3. How has the neighborhood changed? Why does it matter to the story that his surroundings are no longer the way they used to be?

4. How does Linda treat Willy? How do the boys feel about him? Is Biff trying to spite Willy? Why does Biff come home in the spring?

5. Why won’t Happy go out West with Biff, and why won’t Biff stay? Why doesn’t either son get married and settle down?

6. How does Willy act toward the boys when they are young? How do they act toward him? How does Willy feel about Charley and Bernard?

7. What does Willy’s reaction to Biff ’s theft of the football tell us about Willy? He says the boys look like Adonises. What other clues show that Willy believes in appearances?

DOAS (pg. 18-20)

Read Aloud & Response Journal entries

Discussion: How does the motif of nostalgia contribute to the surrealist scene (setting), as well as failure in the pursuit of success (theme)?

by Arthur Miller

Act One (pgs. 11-17)

Characters:

Willy Loman: tragic hero

Linda Loman: wife

Happy: youngest son

Biff: oldest son

Discussion: Why does Willy believe that over population is what is ruining our country? What impact does population have on those trying to achieve the American Dream?

Background & Cultural Context for DOAS

Journal 35

Choose one of the questions below to answer (you cannot answer the same question as J34).

DOAS Act One: pgs. 56-59

Directions: I will switch to a PPT. You will take notes on the following:

Miller's life in America

Elements of classical tragedy

Themes & symbols

Characteristics of tragic hero

Willy Loman as modern tragic hero

1. How is the American Dream characteristic of American ideals and philosophy? What are the differences between the materialistic and the idealistic values associated with the American Dream?

2. What was happening economically and socially in the United States in 1949? Was it fairly easy or difficult to get a job? What was America’s standing in the world?

3. What is your definition of salesman? How is a salesman different from someone in another occupation? What attitudes do you think a salesman should have to be successful? What attitudes would hinder him?

4. What effect do the expectations of parents have on the behavior of their children? In what ways might parental expectations be beneficial? In what ways might they be detrimental?

Characters:

Happy

Biff

Linda

DOAS Act One: pgs. 64-69

TED Talk: "How to Raise Successful Kids without Over-parenting"

Discussion: Now that Linda has revealed that Willy has been trying to kill himself, what is your opinion of him? How does aging impact his feelings of masculinity and agency?

http://www.ted.com/talks/julie_lythcott_haims_how_to_raise_successful_kids_without_over_parenting

Characters:

Happy

Biff

Linda

Willy

Discussion: How do gender roles affect both parent and child relationships? For example, how does having an overbearing father or an absent father affect his sons? Would the father figure affect a daughter differently?

Guided Questions:

12. What does Linda think is the trouble with Willy’s life? Why is she angry at her sons? Why does she put the rubber hose

back after she had taken it? What does this tell about her?

13. Why is Willy interested when Biff mentions Bill Oliver? Why do they argue? How does Happy try to capture attention?

DOAS Act One: pgs. 60-63

Characters:

Happy

Biff

Linda

Willy

Journal 34

The American Dream

Discussion: What does this phrase mean to you?

Choose one of the questions below to answer:

Discussion: Why do you think Willy reacts to Biff’s job opportunity so aggressively? How does Happy try to diffuse it?

TED Talk: "The New American Dream"

http://www.ted.com/talks/courtney_martin_the_new_american_dream?language=en

Exit Tweet

Based on Act One, what is Arthur Miller attempting to convey about the American Dream? Cite one piece of evidence from your response journal.

1. How is the American Dream characteristic of American ideals and philosophy? What are the differences between the materialistic and the idealistic values associated with the American Dream?

2. What was happening economically and socially in the United States in 1949? Was it fairly easy or difficult to get a job? What was America’s standing in the world?

3. What is your definition of salesman? How is a salesman different from someone in another occupation? What attitudes do you think a salesman should have to be successful? What attitudes would hinder him?

4. What effect do the expectations of parents have on the behavior of their children? In what ways might parental expectations be beneficial? In what ways might they be detrimental?

Discussion: Using what you know about the American Dream today (including what you learned from the TED talk), as well as the American Dream post-WWII, do you think the American Dream was ever truly achievable? Why/Why not?

#whatdoyoudoonceyouhaveit?

#capitalismcorrupts

#epicfail

#suicidal