Death of a Salesman

1. Journal questions Death of a Salesman

2. The American Dream – 2/13 • What was the American dream in the 1950’s? Is the American dream the same today as it was then? Is the American dream the same for both men and women? How are they different today? • List the material characteristics (ex: a new car) and the idealistic values (success through the people you know not hard work) associated with the American Dream.

3. American Dream • In the 1940’s and 1950’s success was defined in monetary ($$) terms. • The characteristics for success were thought to be masculinity, competitiveness and popularity. The myth was that becoming rich was simple a matter of using your personal qualities as an individual. It was believed that the more money you made the more successful you were. • Success was demonstrated by the number of material possessions you had – house, car, boat, swimming pool, etc. Working in some form of business was the way to achieve success. Starting at the bottom, working faithfully, being loyal to the company, never questioning the boss, being totally devoted to working for the business 24 hours a day were qualities that were demanded and the hope that one would eventually get to the top was held out like a jewel. • Working with your hands, being a laborer was looked down upon.

4. Capitalism… • Capitalism is a political system that depends on the continual encouragement of wants. People must want more and buy more in order to fuel the economy and enable people to work to produce these goods. • In Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller is disparaging about the capitalist system which encourages people to want more and more goods, such as cars and refrigerators, as if this is the ultimate point of existence. • The play describes the economic boom and increasing desire for material goods that followed the war. For anyone who lived through the Great Depression of the 1930’s when it became clear that American society could not provide opportunities for all, and some might starve, this consumerism must have seemed a troubling development. • The consequence is a spiritual vacuum and, to his credit, Willy notices this.

5. What is a salesman? 2/13 • What is your definition of a salesman? How is a salesman different than someone in another occupation? What attitudes do you think a salesman should have to be successful? What attitudes would hinder him?

6. Salesman • A salesman in the 40’s and 50’s was someone who went door to door to sell products for a company. They are different as they are out in the community trying to persuade their audience to buy products – they must be personable, charismatic, trustworthy, knowledgeable, persuasive and look the part. • Some of the attitudes would be positive, outgoing, many of the above. It would hinder him to seem negative, unreasonable, unfriendly.

7. Parent/child relationships 2/13 • 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?

8. Children… • Children were expected to fulfill their parents’ dreams, to follow in their footsteps, to make them proud, to give them a reason for living. No one was allowed to be his or herself, to develop their own potential, grow as they wanted. Conforming to the social code was very important. The myth is that failure to achieve the American dream indicated a failure of personality.

9. Roles 2/13 • What was the role of men during the 1950’s? • What was the role of women during this time period? • What was the role of children?

10. Role of marriage/woman • Marriage was a must for everyone as soon as possible. • The wife was uneducated, was expected to keep the house clean, to raise the children and to be totally devoted to her husband.

11. Question for 2/21 • What is the tone and mood of the play we are reading? How do we know this? What words give us clues? How do the stage directions add to the mood?

12. 2/24 • What do we learn about the past in the first and second flashback? What do the Contradictions in the play reveal to us about Willy?

13. March 2nd • What are we learning about Willy so far and his struggle between reality vs. illusion? • A foil is a character in a literary work (novel, play, story) who, by sharp contrast, serves to stress and highlight the distinctive temperaments of the protagonist. Who is Willy’s foil in the play? Explain how that person serves as Willy’s foil, noting specific differences between them.