WILLY AND LINDA'S CONVERSATION Flashcards
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- Establishes Willy as the common Man as discussed by Arthur Miller
Me after having a 3 lesson day o
WILLY+LINDA’S CONVERSATION: FRAGILITY/POWERFULNESS
“I’m tired to the death” (page 8)
- impending tragedy
- foreshadows Willy’s fate
- He is powerless when it comes to his job
sudden
WILLY+LINDA’S CONVERSATION: FRAGILITY/POWERFULNESS
“I suddenly couldn’t drive anymore.” (page 9)
Emphasises his exhaustion
cheese
WILLY+LINDA’S CONVERSATION: FRAGILITY/POWERFULNESS + FEAR
“I don’t want change I want Swiss cheese” (page 12)
“How can they whip cheese” (page 12)
- shows his disorientation and fragile mind
- indication of his hamartia from the first act- his wish for nothing to change
What is Linda to Willy
WILLY+LINDA’S CONVERSATION: FRAGILITY/POWERFULNESS
“You are my foundation and my support” - relies on her bc otherwise he’ll fall apart
growth
WILLY+LINDA’S CONVERSATION: FRAGILITY/POWERFULNESS
“You can’t grow a carrot in the backyard” - no room for growth in capitalist society
light has been blocked off by towering buildings- city is changing around them and there is nothing to be done
2 quotes that show Willy’s inflated sense of self
WILLY + LINDA’S CONVERSATION:
POWER
“If old man Wagner was alive, I’d a been in charge of New York by now.” + “I’m vital in New England.”
- He believes he holds more power than he does
Stage direction
WILLY + LINDA’S CONVERSATION:
POWER
“She more than loves him, she admires him.” (page 8) He holds power over her subconsciously - she will defend him always
Imperatives
WILLY + LINDA’S CONVERSATION:
POWER
“Go down, try it and be quiet.”
- Linda is able to tell him what to do- signifies that she is perhaps the strong character
What does Linda do for Willy
WILLY + LINDA’S CONVERSATION:
SUPPORT
[She is taking off his shoes] - she wants him to be comfortable and calm down so she will do what she can to make him happy
Reasurring him
WILLY + LINDA’S CONVERSATION:
SUPPORT
“You make mountains out of molehills.” - calling him out on his hamartia
Willy’s suicidal thoughts
WILLY + LINDA’S CONVERSATION: FEAR
“I have such thoughts, I have such strange thoughts.” - afraid of what he is capable of
Linda afraid
WILLY + LINDA’S CONVERSATION: FEAR
[With a covering laugh] - won’t admit that him yelling scares her because she loves him too much
Idea of inevitability from Linda
“Well dear life is a casting off. It’s always that way.” - saying everyone has to come to terms with this and this is just how it is.
Willy’s disdain with Biff
- “Biff is a lazy bum!”
- “In the greatest country in the world, a young man with such-personal attractiveness, gets lost”
How can we see Willy’s psychological state is falling apart already?
- “I opened the windshield.”
- “No the windshields don’t open on the new cars.”
