Death of A Salesman: Key Quotes Flashcards

Opening Atmosphere: The play opens with a dreamlike quality that contrasts with the harshness of reality.
Willy’s Exhaustion: Highlights Willy's physical and emotional fatigue from the pressures of his life.
Linda's Admiration: Linda’s deep love for Willy includes a sense of admiration, illustrating complex emotional dynamics in their relationship.
Willy's Mercurial Nature: Willy is characterized by contradictory emotions—his dreams are grand, but his behavior can be harsh and capricious.

Delusions About Job Importance: Willy believes he holds significant value in his local job, showcasing his denial about his reality in the competitive business world.
Attitude Shift in Career: Reflects on changing attitudes toward work over time, from personal care to a more ruthless, outcome-driven perspective.
Frustration with Materialism: Willy expresses disillusionment with the capitalist system, feeling ownership lacks meaning if devoid of companionship.
Misunderstanding Biff’s Choices: Willy's inability to comprehend Biff's preference for meaningful work over financial success underscores his narrow viewpoint.

Contradictions in Biff: While Willy perceives Biff as lazy, Biff's journey reveals a deeper truth about ambition and desire for authenticity.
Nostalgia for Nature: Biff’s longing for the natural world reflects his conflict about personal desires versus societal expectations.
Rejection of Material Success: Biff yearns for a simpler life closer to nature, emphasizing the theme of seeking genuine fulfillment beyond wealth.

Shared Dreams: Happy resonates with Biff’s dream for a meaningful life, contrasting with his current superficial ambitions.
Commodification and Desire: Happy’s fascination with financial success highlights journalistic perceptions of financial worth connected to personal identity.
Search for Meaning in Relationships: Both brothers reflect their search for depth in life and relationships amidst a materialistic backdrop.

Perception Issues: Willy's concern about being overlooked illustrates his deep insecurities and the challenges of his profession.
Relationship with Linda: Displays a dependency on Linda for emotional support, reinforcing gender roles and the dynamics of their marriage.

Life Choices and Regrets: The characters confront their life choices, resulting in feelings of regret and wasted potential, particularly in Biff's acknowledgment of his past.
American Dream: The tension between traditional American values and modern societal pressures forms a critical backdrop for character motivations and interactions.
Emotional Disconnection: The characters struggle with connections to each other and themselves in the pursuit of their dreams, ultimately questioning the cost of societal expectations.