"After all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive." (II, pg. 1603)
I thought this quote was interesting because it demonstrates how invaluable Willy thinks life is. He believes that when he dies, he will be worth more to his family because of the money they will receive. This could have been a big factor into Willy's suicide. He just wanted to make his family happy. Some of his flaws are that he is too proud, wants to be well-liked, and he wants the American dream. He is willing to do anything to try to get this American dream. Society's flaws, as well as his own, contribute to his downfall. Society demands so much of him, but he couldn't do it and didn't accomplish his dreams.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Death of a Salesman - 2
"Don't say those things to him! Enough to be happy right here, right now." (II, pg. 1594)
Willy is most likely the protagonist in this play because the audience sees all the action in his perspective. The audience sees the daydreams, flashbacks, and Willy talking to himself because his character allows them to see that. In the daydreams, Willy acted as if Ben, his dead brother, was there and allowed Ben to control what he what going to do. The antagonistic force in this case would be his career because it is trying to take him away from his family. Jobs try to get him to move away from his family, but Linda refuses for him to accept these jobs. If Biff is the protagonist, then the antagonist is not the same. The antagonistic force would then be his lack of success in his life. When he failed the math class, that forced him to be ineligible for graduation and ruined his life's goals.
Willy is most likely the protagonist in this play because the audience sees all the action in his perspective. The audience sees the daydreams, flashbacks, and Willy talking to himself because his character allows them to see that. In the daydreams, Willy acted as if Ben, his dead brother, was there and allowed Ben to control what he what going to do. The antagonistic force in this case would be his career because it is trying to take him away from his family. Jobs try to get him to move away from his family, but Linda refuses for him to accept these jobs. If Biff is the protagonist, then the antagonist is not the same. The antagonistic force would then be his lack of success in his life. When he failed the math class, that forced him to be ineligible for graduation and ruined his life's goals.
Death of a Salesman - 1
"First time in about thirty-five years we were just about free and clear." (II, pg. 1629)
This quote shows how many problems that this family has had through in the past number of years. They were never very content with the relationships within the family until Biff told Willy that he loved him. This action cleared up all the negative in their relationships and made the family "free and clear" of problems.
In this play, Willy can be considered the tragic hero as he has admirable characteristics and noble motivations. Some of his admirable characteristics are that he is hard-working and that he has good intentions. These qualities help others to see as such a hero. He is also noble because he commits suicide in order to help his family. By dying, he gives his family the money they need to survive and possibly enough money for Biff and Happy to start the business that they dreamed of making. After he finds out that Biff loved him, Willy is willing to sacrifice his life for his family.
This quote shows how many problems that this family has had through in the past number of years. They were never very content with the relationships within the family until Biff told Willy that he loved him. This action cleared up all the negative in their relationships and made the family "free and clear" of problems.
In this play, Willy can be considered the tragic hero as he has admirable characteristics and noble motivations. Some of his admirable characteristics are that he is hard-working and that he has good intentions. These qualities help others to see as such a hero. He is also noble because he commits suicide in order to help his family. By dying, he gives his family the money they need to survive and possibly enough money for Biff and Happy to start the business that they dreamed of making. After he finds out that Biff loved him, Willy is willing to sacrifice his life for his family.
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