Conclusion. The play ends
with a tragedy when Willy decides to commit suicide hence the
title death of a salesman (Miller, 46). He had no genuine friends to attend his funeral attended by his brother Charlie and his family.
What is the main message of Death of a Salesman?
The Play's Themes
The American Dream
is the dominant theme, or main idea, in Death of a Salesman. Willy Loman's notions of the American Dream equate success with being well-liked. Likeability is an important quality for a salesman like Willy, yet he is unable to achieve the success he desires.
What are 3 themes in Death of a Salesman?
- By Theme.
- American Dream.
- Self-Deception.
- Family.
- Money.
What do the stockings symbolize in Death of a Salesman?
Stockings assume a metaphorical weight as the
symbol of betrayal and sexual infidelity
. New stockings are important for both Willy's pride in being financially successful and thus able to provide for his family and for Willy's ability to ease his guilt about, and suppress the memory of, his betrayal of Linda and Biff.
What is the introduction of Death of a Salesman?
Death of a Salesman is
a tragedy about the differences between the Loman family's dreams and the reality of their lives
. The play is a scathing critique of the American Dream and of the competitive, materialistic American society of the late 1940s.
What is the theme of the story Death of a Salesman Act 1?
In Act I, Scene 1, Miller introduces the three major themes of Death of a Salesman:
denial, contradiction, and order versus disorder
. When Willy returns home early from a sales trip, Linda casually asks if he wrecked the car.
What are the conflicts in Death of a Salesman?
In Death of a Salesman, the primary conflict is
the unsolvable struggle the salesman, Willy, has against himself
. His inability to control his pride and to care for himself and others grows a tremendous tension that drives himself to suicide.
What does the red Chevy symbolize in Death of a Salesman?
The car symbolizes
Willy's struggle and eventual failure to achieve the American Dream
. Nothing was ever as good as the dream of what it should have been. Chevrolet is an American car brand and was the kind of car that the character Willy Loman owned in the play Death of a Salesman.
What does Biff mean by a carpenter is allowed to whistle?
Biff tells Willy “
We should be mixing cement on some open plain, or-or carpenters
. A carpenter is allowed to whistle “(Miller 1522) he is telling us not everyone is meant to work a desk job.
What does the refrigerator symbolize in Death of a Salesman?
The refrigerator reflects
the idea of the American Dream
. Willy's distorted views on being successful are reflected on his refrigerator. He states that if he had the more popular General Electric one like Charley then it would likely last longer, while comparing his Hastings refrigerator as being unknown.
What was Willy's problem in Death of a Salesman?
Willy's problem is his personality, or lack of it:
he's like a cancer within his family
. He refuses to see his weaknesses, blaming his son Biff for them instead. In sales, you accept you have weaknesses, but you work on them while playing to your strengths.
Why is it called Death of a Salesman?
The title also refers to the death of Willy's salesman dream—the dream to be financially successful and
a father to hotshot sons
. By the end of the play, Willy is flat broke and without a job. It's pretty clear that his dream of being a big-time salesman is already dead.
Is Death of Salesman a tragedy explain?
Death of a Salesman is a
tragedy play
based on middle class salesman called Willy Loman. He lives in an old house middle of developed city with his wife Linda and two sons, Biff and Happy. In a tragedy, the story details the downfall of the protagonist.
What is the most important scene in Death of a Salesman Why?
The scene in Willy's Boston hotel room is important
because it explains a great deal about Biff's unfocused life, his continuing hostility toward his father, and Willy's repressed guilt
.
What is the climax of the story Death of a Salesman?
Biff gets honest and destroys Willy's dream; Willy finally realizes that Biff loves him
. This climax earns its stripes in two different ways. … This is followed by much shouting and crying, and at last Willy finds out that Biff really does love him.
What was Willy's dream for Biff Death of a Salesman?
He wants his sons to do better than what he has done with his life and achieve more success. Willy ‘s dreams for his sons are a
source of tension and anxiety for Biff and Happy
. Their desire to please their father clashes with what is deemed moral and the right way to act.
What does the woman symbolize in Death of a Salesman?
Not only does she function as
the plot device that disillusions Biff Loman about his father's identity
, she also serves as a ghost of truthfulness throughout Miller's play.
What does Biff mean by we should be mixing cement on some open plain 61?
When Willy's oldest son, Biff, made a clear statement “We should be mixing cement on some open plain, or-or carpenters” that awakened Willy's anger because to him,
Biff's remark was that Willy was incapable of being a salesman (61)
.
What does the flute music symbolize in Death of a Salesman?
The flute represents Willy, the protagonist's, memories of his father. As the play begins, flute music plays symbolizing
Willy's overwhelming life as well as his abandonment issues
. The flute appears again and portrays Willy's father's haunting him.
How is the relationship of Biff to his father?
Willy and Biff are father and son who have
an irreparable relationship
. According to the author, Biff represents a failure in that his father does not think he has a credible job, his father feels he is trying to spite him, and his father is disappointed in his bad grades.
What does Biff's sneakers symbolize?
It is a symbol of good times. … Biff stole the football, so its a symbol of deceit and lies. Biff's sneakers. It is a symbol of
Biff's hopeful future
, he burnt it after seeing his father's affair because he no longer believed in him, thus did not have a parent figure to assist him to his hopeful future.
What does Biff's sneakers symbolize in Death of a Salesman?
Biff's shoes represent
his hopes and dreams
. His UVA shoes show his dream of playing football in college and being successful. After discovering his dad's affair, Biff burns his dreams along with the shoes. The rubber pipe represents Willy's depression and hopelessness, as well as his hope for his family.
Who is the tragic hero in Death of a Salesman?
In Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, we meet
Willy Loman
, who has become a modern tragic hero.
What is the tragic flaw in Death of a Salesman?
Willy's Tragic Flaw
In classical tragedy, the main character frequently suffers from the tragic flaw of
hubris, or excessive pride
. But the tragic hero of Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman, doesn't necessarily suffer from pride. Instead, he suffers from a false vision of what helps a man achieve the American dream.
Why did Arthur Miller say that Death of a Salesman was a tragedy?
A tragedy does not always have to end pessimistically; it could have an optimistic ending. The play Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, is a tragedy because
it's hero, Willy Loman, is a tragic figure that faces a superior source, being the American dream and the struggle for success
.
