Assignment Example on Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

Act One

Q1. What is a requiem? Why this section is called a requiem?

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A requiem is an act of remembering the souls of the dead. The purpose of this section in the play is the last part of Miller's play that portrayed the sad truth of the salesman death and this was revealed to his family. It served the meaning where miller shows the death of Willy being an ironic end to his tragic life.

Q2. Are we surprised that no one has come to the burial? Why and why not?

It is not a surprise that no one attended his burial since many of his old customer's could have died a long time ago. This could be as a result of senility.

Q3. What is ironic about Linda's wondering why no one came to the funeral?

Because they all knew that their relative sold to people a long time ago and thus some of them could not make to come to the funeral due to their old ages. Additionally, committing suicide was something that people never cared about.

Q4. What does the end of the play suggest is in the store for Happy?

It is clear that Happy will not benefit anything from Willy's property since we see Biff giving him a hopeless glance.

Act Two

Q1. What is the source of optimism at the beginning of this act?

Optimism originates from the atmosphere since Biff has a meeting with the one who was his boss. He was called Oliver who had promised him a loan.

Q2. The scene with Howard, Willy, and the tape recorder goes on for nearly two pages. What is the purpose of this scene?

Willy goes into his boss's office and meets him and asks for another job. The boss his playing with a tape the recording machine since it was the newest invention of that time. They play with the machine thus the scene takes two pages as they conversed much about the newly invented machine.

Q3. What purpose does Howard serve for the audience?

The character of Howard shows how time moves and waits for no man. Howard is characterized as a symbol of all times.

Q4. What does Dave Singleman represent for Willy?

He represents' the salesman's epitomic character to Willy.

Q5. How accurately do you suppose Willy is remembering Dave Singleman? What is significant about Singleman's name?

It is not clear whether Willy can remember Dave Singleman in an appropriate way. When admiring people, one first looks at the things that they failed in and put them in the altar and imagining they would never do wrong.

Q6. How might Willy's comparing himself to an orange be interpreted as a criticism of the capitalist's system?

It says that a man is not like a piece of fruit. One is not supposed to use a man due to his talents and then leave them without helping them.

Q7. Judging from what Bernard says, what took the life out of Biff? What about Bernard irks Willy?

While they lived in the city of Boston, they argued and fought for a lady that they loved and thus they had a conflict. One of them considers themselves to be smaller than the other.

Q8. What important exposition do we learn from Bernard?

Bernard was a talented athlete and also academically, he shines more than many people. His career flourished on very well.

Q9. What is significant about the ways Biffs' meeting went with Bill Oliver?

Biff had an opportunity of taking his mind back and looked at his life in an honest manner

Q10. What suspense still lingers as we mount toward an obvious climax?

Happy and his father are both dishonest people. He tries to cheat people to be loved by the rest.

Q11. The climax of the play will obviously have something to do with the characters finally giving up their illusions and facing the truth of the past. Who seems to be the character that is going to make this happen?

Willy Loman makes the characters in the play remember their past lives since they never expected a successful salesman take his life away.

Q12. How would Willy and Happy prevent him from doing this?

They could not have told Willy that Oliver ignored Biff.

Q13. How does this final flashback represent the convergence of plotlines in the climax?

When the boys report that they had not managed to get money for their business their father looks at them and thinks they insulted him. He then starts blaming his son for the memories gong long time ago.

Q14. What is the lowest point of the sons' relationship with their father?

The lowest point was when they were in Boston and Biff met his father with a prostitute.

Q15. What do the seeds and Willy's planting a garden represent?

Willy has a feeling that disturbs him for most of the times that he could die without anything left for his sons as his father did. Considering his full occupation with the thoughts of leaving behind a legacy is one of the reasons why he brought the seeds in the garden.

Q16. What occurs in the absolute moment of climax that determines this play will be a tragedy?

Willy seems to be completely an enemy to him as he thinks so much about his dreams that confuses him in a very deluxe way. There is that inner conflict when he remembers he was once a rich man and now he has nothing left for him.

Q17. What is the guaranteed, 'gilt-edged' proposition to which Willy refers?

This was Willy's plan to commit suicide so that his family can have an opportunity to collect much money from the community.

Q18. What is the plot point that ends Act II and thrusts us into the Requiem?

Linda has no understanding of why people that his husband knew never came to the burial. Then his son Happy is unhappy that his dad committed suicide.

Q19. What do we realize is the irony of the title of the play?

The play is a tragedy that explains the end of an American dream that was represented by Willy. A salesman who died without anything is ironic in itself.

Q20. What is significant about the auto accidents that Willy has had?

The car crash in his car shows his mentality for the rest of his life. It is examined through his flashbacks and his current time all in the car crash. None of his plans went through.

Q21. What is the probable use for the piece of rubber hose that Linda found?

The rubber pipe is a representation that shows the implementation of the character that Willy hide in his mind so that he could commit suicide.

Q22. Why won't Linda remove it so that Willy cannot follow through on his intention?

The pipe demonstrated Linda's fear of stopping Willy's agency.

Q23. What does Linda mean when she says 'Attention, attention must finally be paid to such a person?" How realistic is such in line from a character in a play like this?

It is a suggestion that brought a division in Arthur Miller a division that became easily noticeable in the choosing of characters.

Q24. How likely is it that Bill Oliver will remember Biff the way Biff believes he will be remembered?

It is not as likely as it may seem. Biff is expecting Bill Oliver to remember him for the past athletic life. He does not remember that the glory's of high school does not apply anymore in modern life.

Q25. What is plot point one that ends Act I and thrusts the characters in Act II? On what note of suspense, intense hope, or impending doom does the act end?

Miller makes use of the first acts' segments while trying to bring a shadow to the following plot. Willy is worried by the troubles that bring dissatisfaction in his life.

References

Miller, Arthur, et al. Death of a Salesman. Caedmon, 2016