The Generation of Pathos Flashcards
Who? Linda Loman
When? To Biff and Happy, whilst Willy regresses
“I don’t say he’s a great man. Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. He’s not the finest character that ever lived. But he’s a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid… attention must finally be paid to such a person”
Who? Willy Loman
When? To Linda, at the beginning of the play
”I’m tired to the death”
Who? Willy Loman
When? In reference to his affair
- ”I’ll make it all up to you, Linda”
- In response Linda says ”There’s nothing to make up”
Who? Willy Loman
When? To Charley, after Howard fires him
”After all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive”
Who? Willy Loman
When? In the garden, following his second regression
”Gotta break your neck to see a star in this yard”
How does Miller characterise Linda in the opening sequence?
”She has developed an iron repression of her exceptions to Willy’s behaviour- she more than loves him”
How does Miller characterise Happy in the first section of the play?
”He, like his brother, is lost, but in a different way”
Who? Happy
When? At the beginning of the play, talking to Biff about Willy’s deterioration
”It got so embarrassing I sent him to Florida”
Who? Happy
When? In a regression, early on in the play
”Im losing weight, you notice, Pop?”
Who? Willy Loman
When? In a regression early on in the play, in reference to business trips
”’Cause I get so lonely”
Who? Willy
When? When he sees Linda mending stockings because they’re so expensive
2 Quotes
- ”I won’t have you mending stockings in this house!”
- ”Will you stop mending stockings? At least while I’m in the house. It gets me nervous. I can’t tell you. Please”
Who? Willy Loman
When At the end of his first regression
”The woods are burning! I can’t drive a car!”
Who? Willy Loman
When? To Ben, in reference to his sons
”Ben, how should I teach them?”
Who? Willy Loman
When? Talking to Ben in a regression after their Dad
”Dad left when I was such a baby and I never had a chance to talk to him and I still feel- kind of temporary about myself”
Who? Linda
When? In conversation with Biff and Happy about Willy’s condition
”A small man can be just as exhausted as a great man”
Who? Happy
When? In conversation with Biff, at the beginning of the play
”I don’t know what the hell I’m workin’ for. Sometimes I sit in my apartment—all alone. And I think of the rent I’m paying. And it’s crazy. But then, it’s what I always wanted. My own apartment, a car, plenty of women, and still, goddamnit, I’m lonely”
Who? Linda
When? Referring to their house, after Biff goes off to see Bill Oliver
”After this payment, Willy, the house belongs to us”
Who? Willy Loman
When? To Linda, after she tells him they have one payment left on the house
”All the cement, the lumber, the reconstruction I put in this house! There ain’t a crack to be found in it any more”
Who? Willy & Howard
When? In Howard’s office, as he’s firing Willy
- ”They’re working on a very big deal”
- ”This is no time for false pride, Willy”
Who? Howard
When? In his office, as Willy breaks down
”Pull yourself together, kid, there’s people outside”
