DOAS quotations

Question 1

Description of buildings at the start & end of book: (2)

Answer 1

1) “Towering, angular shapes.”
2) “The hard towers of the apartment buildings rise into sharp focus.”

Question 2

Description of Linda’s love for Willy:

Answer 2

“She more than loves him, she admires him.”

Question 3

Willy’s nature towards Linda:

Answer 3

“His mercurial nature, his temper, his massive dreams and little cruelties.”

Question 4

Willy’s fear of change (also in relation to consumer society):

Answer 4

“I don’t want a change! I want Swiss cheese. Why am I always being contradicted?”

Question 5

Willy’s admiration for old man Wagner:

Answer 5

“If old man Wagner was alive I’d a been in charge of New York now! That man was a Prince.”

Question 6

Willy talking about his house being empty:

Answer 6

“Work a lifetime to pay off a house. You finally own it and there’s nobody to live in it.”

Question 7

Willy’s contradicting opinions on Biff:

Answer 7

1) “Biff is a lazy bum!”
2) “A hard worker.”

Question 8

Willy speaking about his son’s failure:

Answer 8

“Biff Loman is lost. In the greatest country in the world a man with such personal attractiveness, gets lost.”

Question 9

Symbolism of Willy’s descent into madness:

Answer 9

“(He breaks off in amazement and fright as the flute is heard distantly.)”

Question 10

Happy’s sexualisation of women:

Answer 10

“Boy there was a pig.”

Question 11

Willy speaking about his wasted life:

Answer 11

“And every time I come back here I know that all I’ve done is to waste my life.”

Question 12

Happy’s sad life:

Answer 12

“My own apartment, a car and plenty of women. And still goddammit, I’m lonely.”

Question 13

Linda unleashing her repressed rage onto her sons:

Answer 13

“Did you have to go to women tonight? You and your lousy whores!”

Question 14

Willy picking on Bernard:

Answer 14

“Don’t be a pest Bernard! (To his boys) What an anemic!”

Question 15

Willy’s false perception of success:

Answer 15

“Bernard can get the best marks in school… but when he gets out into the business world you are going to be five times ahead of him. That’s why I thank almighty god you’re both built like adonises.”

Question 16

Motif of stockings: (2)

Answer 16

1) “And thanks for the stockings. Well, good night.”
2) “I won’t have you mending stockings in this house!”

Question 17

Willy’s affair: (3)

Answer 17

1) “Cause I get so lonely- especially when business is bad and there’s nobody to talk to.”
2) “You picked me, heh?”
3) “The woman bursts out laughing, and Linda’s laughter blends in.”

Question 18

Willy’s jealousy and idolisation of Ben:

Answer 18

“Walked into a jungle, and comes out, the age of twenty-one and he’s rich!”

Question 19

Willy and Charley: (2)

Answer 19

1) “A man who can’t handle tools is not a man. You’re disgusting.”
2) “I know you don’t like me… but I’ll give you a job because – just for the hell of it, put it that way.”

Question 20

Ben talking about opportunities:

Answer 20

“Opportunity is tremendous in Alaska, William.”
The Alaskan gold rush (1896) gave so many job opportunities and helped America out of a depression.

Question 21

Willy comparing Biff to a God.

Answer 21

“like a young god. Hercules - something like that.”

Question 22

Biff’s realisation of his father’s dreams:

Answer 22

“He had all the wrong dreams. All, all, wrong.”

Question 23

Happy falling into his father’s fate (cyclical):

Answer 23

“I’m staying right in this city, and I’m gonna beat this racket!”

Question 24

Motif of the flute coming back at the end of the play:

Answer 24

“Only the music of the flute is left on the darkening stage.”