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1.
What is Willy’s dream? What is he searching for
throughout the play? Why doesn’t he find it? Did he ever have a chance of
fulfilling it? Biff says of Willy: “He had the wrong dreams. All, all, wrong”
(111). Do you agree? Does Willy have the wrong dreams? Inappropriate attitudes?
Is he a born loser or a tragic hero who stands in his own way to success?
Willy's dreams of a successful family and successful career is the main reason for his purpose in life. He is searching to be "well-liked" and a successful salesman, but fails at achieving this. As a result, Willy pushes his disappointment and regret onto his family, especially Biff. When Biff says of Willy: "He had the wrong dreams. All, all, wrong" (111) I believe that Biff was correct. Willy had dreamed of materialistic success and tried to achieve this through shallow means. His attitude also played a large role in contributing to his failure. Willy lacked the ability to acknowledge and see his own faults and attributed his failures to others or situations rather than himself. I believe Willy is a tragic hero, who could have gained the success if his approach and knowledge of success was different.
Willy's dreams of a successful family and successful career is the main reason for his purpose in life. He is searching to be "well-liked" and a successful salesman, but fails at achieving this. As a result, Willy pushes his disappointment and regret onto his family, especially Biff. When Biff says of Willy: "He had the wrong dreams. All, all, wrong" (111) I believe that Biff was correct. Willy had dreamed of materialistic success and tried to achieve this through shallow means. His attitude also played a large role in contributing to his failure. Willy lacked the ability to acknowledge and see his own faults and attributed his failures to others or situations rather than himself. I believe Willy is a tragic hero, who could have gained the success if his approach and knowledge of success was different.
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2.
Why does Miller combine scenes from the past and
Willy’s hallucinations alongside the current action of the play in the present?
How does this movement between past/present/ and Willy’s imaginings add to the
dramatic effect of the play?
Miller chooses to combine scenes from the past and Willy's hallucinations alongside the current action of the play in the present to show how much impact past memories have had on Willy. His emotions connected to the past are effecting him in the present in form of hallucinations and flashbacks. Miller also allows the flashbacks to give knowledge to the audience. This helps the audience understand what is going on in the relationships between Biff and Willy. For example, the flashback to Biff visiting Willy in Boston and finding out that Willy is cheating on his mother allows the audience to see why Biff would have resentful feelings towards his father in the present. This adds to the dramatic effect of the play
Miller chooses to combine scenes from the past and Willy's hallucinations alongside the current action of the play in the present to show how much impact past memories have had on Willy. His emotions connected to the past are effecting him in the present in form of hallucinations and flashbacks. Miller also allows the flashbacks to give knowledge to the audience. This helps the audience understand what is going on in the relationships between Biff and Willy. For example, the flashback to Biff visiting Willy in Boston and finding out that Willy is cheating on his mother allows the audience to see why Biff would have resentful feelings towards his father in the present. This adds to the dramatic effect of the play
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3.
What do you notice about
the use of music, sound effects and lighting in this section of the play? Note
any specific instances that struck you and discuss how these aspects were used
and for what effect. How did these dramatic techniques reinforce the action and
meaning of the play?
Throughout this part of the play, there are many instances were music was used in the stage directions. For example, whenever the flute music is heard in the play, it brings the memory of Willy's father, who was a flute maker and salesman. The flute music is connected with the past of Willy. On page 136, the stage directions state "crashes down in a frenzy of sound" when Willy is about to commit suicide when driving his car. This not only represents the actual sound of the car crashing but also the state of the play - in chaos before Willy's death. The audience hears the music "develop into a dead march" (136), which allows the audience to realize that Willy is actually dead. This allows the audience to interpret and understand what is happening on stage through different senses. The sound effects of "a car starting and moving away at full speed" (136) help the audience to hear the literal sound of the car crashing for emphasis of the event.
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4.
What would you say are the false values which the
play reveals? What are the true values which the play upholds? Here, consider
Miller’s commentary on success and failure, the business world, identity,
dreams, popularity, integrity. What is one key understanding you’ve taken away
from the play that relates to your own life and why?
The false values which the play reveals are the values of what true success is. Willy's view of success was skewed and Miller shows this through the end that Willy comes to. Willy believed that he would achieve success by feeling "well-liked", popular, and rich. He attempted to make himself feel better by having an affair with a woman or by putting down his own wife with harsh words. However, Willy always felt inadequate and tried to raise his sons with pride. This led to Biff's lack of reality and Willy refused to see Biff's faults in the business world as unsuccessful. Willy's dreams were also false - by pursuing the career of a salesman, Willy was led to his downfall. As Biff states at the end of the book, if Willy didn't have the "wrong dreams" then he could have been successful. The true values which the play upholds are integrity, shown through other characters like Bernard and Charlie. One key understand that I've taken away from the play that relates to my own life is how the life lesson of integrity and thankfulness. I believe the Willy had a lot to be thankful and was successful. He had his own home, car, and loving family. Willy spent so much time looking for acknowledgement in other places, he was blind to the success he had right in front of him. Linda was a loving and faithful wife, and was patient with Willy, despite all of his faults. He also had two sons that looked up to him despite his mistakes. Willy's guilt from the past caused him to make certain decisions in the present that eventually led to his downfall. Instead of being deceitful, if Willy was truthful and faithful, he would not have the burden of being guilty and inadequate. In the work and relationships that I have, I hope to stay truthful and faithful, so that I do not regret my decisions in the future. I also want to remember that I have a lot to be thankful for, and what society defines as success does not mean it is true success.
The false values which the play reveals are the values of what true success is. Willy's view of success was skewed and Miller shows this through the end that Willy comes to. Willy believed that he would achieve success by feeling "well-liked", popular, and rich. He attempted to make himself feel better by having an affair with a woman or by putting down his own wife with harsh words. However, Willy always felt inadequate and tried to raise his sons with pride. This led to Biff's lack of reality and Willy refused to see Biff's faults in the business world as unsuccessful. Willy's dreams were also false - by pursuing the career of a salesman, Willy was led to his downfall. As Biff states at the end of the book, if Willy didn't have the "wrong dreams" then he could have been successful. The true values which the play upholds are integrity, shown through other characters like Bernard and Charlie. One key understand that I've taken away from the play that relates to my own life is how the life lesson of integrity and thankfulness. I believe the Willy had a lot to be thankful and was successful. He had his own home, car, and loving family. Willy spent so much time looking for acknowledgement in other places, he was blind to the success he had right in front of him. Linda was a loving and faithful wife, and was patient with Willy, despite all of his faults. He also had two sons that looked up to him despite his mistakes. Willy's guilt from the past caused him to make certain decisions in the present that eventually led to his downfall. Instead of being deceitful, if Willy was truthful and faithful, he would not have the burden of being guilty and inadequate. In the work and relationships that I have, I hope to stay truthful and faithful, so that I do not regret my decisions in the future. I also want to remember that I have a lot to be thankful for, and what society defines as success does not mean it is true success.
