Précis-
In Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman (1949), he expressed the hardships one has to go through to achieve what everyone’s after, success. Willy is a common man, trying to earn a living to provide for his family. He had two sons, Biff, and Happy, along with a wife, Linda. Willy’s occupation is a salesman that travels. Willy hopes for Biff to become successful, to earn an honest living, but Biff is not able to fulfill his father’s expectations. Willy has this mid set that Biff is this man ready to take no the world, but in reality, Biff isn't fit to accomplish his father’s dreams for him. Miller shows the hardships one has to go through in order to become successful. The ending of Willy dying showed that some people can’t handle the struggle, and the hardships, that one has to go through to make it in America.
Vocabulary-
Insinuation- (n.) an indirect or covert suggestion or hint, especially of a derogatory nature.
Intrepid- (adj.) resolutely fearless; dauntless: an intrepid explorer.
Attentively- (adj.) characterized by or giving attention; observant.
Simonize- (v.) to shine or polish to a high sheen, especially with wax.
Mercurial- (adj.) changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic.
Jovial- (adj.) endowed with or characterized by a hearty, joyous humor or a spirit of good-fellowship.
Trepidation- (n.) tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation; perturbation.
Pompous- (n.) characterized by an ostentatious display of dignity or importance.
Indignantly- (adj.) feeling, characterized by, or expressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust,
offensive, insulting, or base.
Insinuates- (v.) to suggest or hint slyly.
Incipient- (adj.) beginning to exist or appear; in an initial stage.
Anemic- (adj.) lacking power, vigor, vitality, or colorfulness; listless; weak.
Laconic- (adj.) using few words; expressing much in few words; concise.
Rollicking- (adj.) carefree and joyous.
Poised- (adj.) (of a person) composed, dignified, and self-assured.
Nervy- (adj.) brashly presumptuous or insolent; pushy.
Audacity- (n.) boldness or daring, especially with confident or arrogant disregard for personal safety,
conventional thought, or other restrictions.
Imbue- (v.) to impregnate or inspire, as with feelings, opinions, etc.
Philandering- (v.) (of a man) to make love with a woman one cannot or will not marry; carry on flirtations.
Remiss- (adj.) negligent, careless, or slow in performing one's duty, business, etc.
Lamely- (adj.) crippled or physically disabled, especially in the foot or leg so as to limp or walk with difficulty.
Feasible- (adj.) capable of being done, effected, or accomplished.
Monotonous- (adj.) lacking in variety; tediously unvarying.
Pennants- (n.) a long, tapering flag or burgee of distinctive form and special significance, borne on naval or
other vessels and used in signaling or for identification.
Incredulously- (adj.) not credulous; disinclined or indisposed to believe; skeptical.
Candidly- (adj.) frank; outspoken; open and sincere.
Lavishly- (adj.) expended, bestowed, or occurring in profusion:
Frantically- (adj.) desperate or wild with excitement, passion, fear, pain, etc.; frenzied.
Fuddled- (v.) to muddle or confuse.
Sensuous- (adj.) perceived by or affecting the senses.
Implacably- (adj.) not to be appeased, mollified, or pacified; inexorable.
Tone-
Miller’s tone was sad, desperate, and pondering.
Rhetorical Strategies-
Rhetorical Questions- “Willy, when’re you gonna realize that them thing don’t mean anything?” (pg. 90)
Dialogue- “Willy: Sweetheart! Linda: How’d the Chevvy run?” (pg. 21)
Analogy- “Willy: You were his friend, his boyhood friend. There’s something I don’t understand about it.”
(pg. 71) [The comparison of Bernard and Biff’s success]
Allusion- “Willy: Sure. Certain men just don’t get started till later in life. Like Thomas Edison, I think. Or B. F.
Goodrich. One of them was def.” (pg. 7)
Telegraphic sentences- “Ben: His flute. He played the flute.” (pg.33)
Discussion Questions-
What was the importance of the rubber tube?
What purpose did the flashbacks hold?
Is achieving the “American Dream” worth all the suffering that Willy went through?
Memorable Quote-
“I realized what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been. We’ve been talking a dream for fifteen years.” (pg.81)
The rubber tube in the play serves as a solution for Willy to get himslef out of all the hardships he's facing, by killing himself only if he can't handle it anymore.
ReplyDeleteThe flashbacks give a background to the conversations being held, it helps understand what happened which adds tense to the play.
Achieving the "American Dream was not worth all that struggle that Willy went through but sometimes even of one tries to find solutions in different ways it just doesn't seem possible. Sometimes there is no other alternative but to find a way to get out of the whole situation.