Death of a SalesmanDeath of a SalesmanContrast between 1940s and 2000s Salesmen,Contrast between 1940s and 2000s Salesmen,

And a brief history from 1880-2013And a brief history from 1880-2013By Josh DeutscherBy Josh Deutscher

“And it’s a measly manner of existence. To get on that subway on the hot mornings in summer. To devote your whole life to keeping stock, or making phone calls, or selling or buying. To suffer fifty weeks of the year for the sake of a two-week vacation, when all you really desire is to be outdoors, with your shirt off. And always to have to get ahead of the next fella. And still — that’s how you build a future.”

A Brief History: 1880-2013A Brief History: 1880-2013

1883: Brooklyn Bridge in New York City finished1885: Statue of Liberty gifted by France1891: Birth of Basketball1899: Invention of Aspirin1901: First vacuum cleaner invented1914: Beginning of World War I1919: 19th Amendment gives women the right to vote1924: Invention of Television1932: Amelia Earhart is first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic1939: Beginning of World War II1945: U.S. drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki1949: NATO Established1954: First atomic submarine launched1958: NASA Founded1962: Cuban Missile Crisis1963: JFK Assassinated1971: VCRs Introduced1984: Poison gas leak in Bhopal, India1986: U.S. bombs Libya1991: Soviet Union collapses1993: Use of the internet grows exponentially1997: Scientists clone sheep2001: 9/11 terrorist attack in the U.S.2005: YouTube is launched2009: Barack Obama becomes first black U.S. president2010: Haiti is hit by devastating earthquake

The Loman FamilyThe Loman FamilyOf 1949Of 1949

Willy Loman: Age 63,Father and Husband, Salesman

Linda Loman: Housewife, Mother

Biff Loman: Age 34,Former High School Football Player,Willy and Linda’s Older Son

Happy Loman: Age 32,Willy and Linda’s Younger Son

Willy Loman is the father of two boys, Biff and Happy Willy Loman is the father of two boys, Biff and Happy Loman, husband to Linda Loman, but above all, a Loman, husband to Linda Loman, but above all, a salesman. He is highly delusional, proud, and salesman. He is highly delusional, proud, and unstable; he often has flashbacks of memories of his unstable; he often has flashbacks of memories of his children and his wife when he was proud of them. children and his wife when he was proud of them. During conversations, he often imagines his dead older During conversations, he often imagines his dead older brother, Ben, giving him advise and speaks to both his brother, Ben, giving him advise and speaks to both his imaginary mentor, and his real family and friends at the imaginary mentor, and his real family and friends at the same time. Willy often talks about what it means to be same time. Willy often talks about what it means to be successful, and in his mind, it is more important to be successful, and in his mind, it is more important to be well liked than honest, hard working, or respected.well liked than honest, hard working, or respected.

Many times throughout, Willy uses forgotten Many times throughout, Willy uses forgotten subconscious thoughts as argumentative points with subconscious thoughts as argumentative points with Linda and his son Biff. For example, he is angry with Linda and his son Biff. For example, he is angry with Linda whenever she mends stockings because it Linda whenever she mends stockings because it reminds him of Linda’s stockings, which he gave to a reminds him of Linda’s stockings, which he gave to a woman that he had an affair with. He is often angry woman that he had an affair with. He is often angry with his son Biff for wasting a few years since high with his son Biff for wasting a few years since high school jumping from job to job, and later expresses his school jumping from job to job, and later expresses his anger at Biff for not attending summer school and anger at Biff for not attending summer school and ending his football career, even though it was ending his football career, even though it was discovery of Willy’s affair that caused this. Willy’s discovery of Willy’s affair that caused this. Willy’s purpose in his life, according to him, is to be successful purpose in his life, according to him, is to be successful and raise his sons to be successful to the standard that and raise his sons to be successful to the standard that he considers success.he considers success.

Willy Loman“And when I saw that, I realized that selling was the greatest career a man could want. ’Cause what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four, into twenty or thirty different cities, and pick up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people?”-Willy Loman

Biff LomanBiff Loman

“I stopped in the middle of that building and I saw – the sky. I saw the things that I love in this world. The work and the food and time to sit and smoke. And I looked at the pen and said to myself, what the hell am I grabbing this for? Why am I trying to become what I don’t want to be? What am I doing in an office, making a contemptuous, begging fool of myself, when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am!" - Biff Loman

“Pop, I’m nothing! I’m nothing, Pop. Can’t you understand that? There’s no spite in it any more. I’m just what I am, that’s all.”- Biff Loman

Biff Loman is Willy and Linda’s eldest son, and was a big football star in high school. However, when Biff visited Willy in Boston while he was away on business to tell him how he flunked Math, Biff discovered his father with another woman. Devastated by his father’s true nature, Biff didn’t take summer school and drops out of high school, losing his big opportunities and scholarships. In the next several years, Biff tries to stay home as little as possible and works in the west as a farm hand, and jumps from place to place and job to job. He steals a suit, among other things, in order to impress Willy and ends up in jail for three months.Biff often changes from lying to try make his father proud, and hating him for the things he’s done and the person Biff has become because of his father’s influence. In the end, Biff becomes tortured by who he is and what he’s becoming, and finally reveals the truth to his family about himself and his father.

Linda LomanLinda Loman

Happy LomanHarold “Happy” Loman is Willy and Linda’s younger son, who is much more stable than both Willy and Biff, but also more dishonest and preoccupied with women. He is generally supportive of his mother and father, but often spends his time focused on women and ways to advance to a greater position in his job, rather than the poor condition Willy is currently in. Happy is also fairly optimistic and ambitious, especially while around his parents and while keeping the peace between Willy and Biff.

Linda Loman is Willy’s wife and the mother of their two sons. She is often concerned with the affairs of her sons but ultimately supports and calms her husband when Biff and Willy argue. Willy often yells at her when she makes small, upbeat comments about what Willy is speaking about, telling her to not interrupt. She does her best to love and care for her husband, despite how he treats her, and lectures her sons when their arguing worsens Willy’s condition. She’s also is the first to discover that Willy has tried to commit suicide and uses it to convince Biff and Happy to stop the arguing with their father.

Important Side CharactersImportant Side Characters

Charley:Willy Loman’s next door neighbor who jokes with Willy while they play cards together. He lends Willy money because he isn’t making much on commission as a salesman anymore.

Bernard:Charley’s son and childhood friend of Biff and Happy. Willy pictures him as a nerd, but turns out to be much more stable, independent, and successful than Willy’s sons.

Uncle Ben:Willy Loman’s dead older brother, who Willy admires and often hallucinates about. In his daydreams, Willy asks Ben to tell him what to do and to inspire his sons, just like Ben inspires him. To Willy, Ben is successful in everyway Willy wishes to be.

“Why, boys, when I was seventeen I walked into the jungle, and when I was twenty-one I walked out. And by God I was rich.”- Uncle Ben

Why Success is so Important to Willy Why Success is so Important to Willy LomanLoman

“I bet he’d back you. ‘Cause he thought highly of you, Biff. I mean, they all do. You’re well liked, Biff. That’s why I say to come back here, and we both have the apartment. And I’m tellin’ you, Biff, any babe you want…”- Happy Loman

“Without a penny to his name, three great universities are begging for him, and from there the sky’s the limit, because it’s not what you do, Ben. It’s who you know and the smile on your face! It’s contacts, Ben, contacts! The whole wealth of Alaska passes over the lunch table at the Commodore Hotel, and that’s the wonder, the wonder of this country, that a man can end with diamonds here on the basis of being liked!”- Willy Loman

Willy is a hard working salesman, but he directly associates popularity with success; the concept that by being well liked, the “sky’s the limit”, and that it doesn’t matter what you say, but how you say it, and who you know. Willy is partially correct in that presentation is very important in the business world, and people you know can open up opportunities, but it is always better to be honest and respectable rather than following conformity in order to be popular. Happy is like his father in many ways; willing to be dishonest to get ahead, trying to make others think well of him, and being loose with women. Willy’s two life goals have been to be successful, and for his sons to be successful. The lie that Willy and Happy have been living, however, is that being well liked isn’t everything. Willy thinks that Biff and Happy will be ahead of Bernard in the business world, but Bernard, like his father Charley, ends up respected and successful, even though he isn’t well liked. Willy’s desire to be successful is tied with admiration of his brother, Ben, and uses his thought of being well liked to become his role model, and wishes the same for his sons.

The Loman FamilyThe Loman FamilyOf 2013Of 2013

Willy Loman: Salesman

Linda Loman: Middle aged wife, works at home

Biff Loman: Young man, doesn’t know what he wants to be yet. Troubled past.

Happy Loman: Young business man, meets a lot of women

1950s: 1950s: Sales in the 1950s were struggling to recover because of World Sales in the 1950s were struggling to recover because of World War II starting to settle down, but sales of the black and white television War II starting to settle down, but sales of the black and white television were through the roof, as 77% of households purchased one.were through the roof, as 77% of households purchased one.

1960s: 1960s: Luxury items began to become more popular with musicians Luxury items began to become more popular with musicians such as Elvis and the Beatles becoming relevant. The invention of color TV such as Elvis and the Beatles becoming relevant. The invention of color TV was also a big seller for salesmen.was also a big seller for salesmen.

1970s: 1970s: Video games started to become a bigger market as new Video games started to become a bigger market as new popular games, such as Space Invaders and Pong, entered the scene. In popular games, such as Space Invaders and Pong, entered the scene. In households, things like the new VCR and the such started to be produced households, things like the new VCR and the such started to be produced and sold cheaper, and being a salesman became more relevant.and sold cheaper, and being a salesman became more relevant.

1980s: 1980s: Much of the developed world lost the desire to purchase and Much of the developed world lost the desire to purchase and consume luxury items as the world entered a global recession. In the consume luxury items as the world entered a global recession. In the latter half, the markets began to re-stabilize and salesmen started selling latter half, the markets began to re-stabilize and salesmen started selling new popular items, such as home console video games and the personal new popular items, such as home console video games and the personal computer.computer.

1990s: 1990s: The global economy had recovered but the places where a The global economy had recovered but the places where a salesman could make a living were decreasing. Sales were becoming salesman could make a living were decreasing. Sales were becoming more popular over the internet and over the phone as new technologies more popular over the internet and over the phone as new technologies were developed, such as the portable CD player.were developed, such as the portable CD player.

2000s:2000s: Salesmen have become all but extinct in the 21Salesmen have become all but extinct in the 21stst century, an century, an age of smart phones and tablets, online buying, and over the phone age of smart phones and tablets, online buying, and over the phone transactions. The few salesmen that remain stick to car dealerships and transactions. The few salesmen that remain stick to car dealerships and television infomercials as the sheer intensity of consumer buying has television infomercials as the sheer intensity of consumer buying has skyrocketed in a digital age.skyrocketed in a digital age.

The Evolution of the Salesman: 1949-2013The Evolution of the Salesman: 1949-2013

Works Cited:Works Cited:

Shmoop Editorial Team. "Death of a Salesman Respect and Reputation Quotes Page 1" Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 2 Apr. 2013.

SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Death of a Salesman.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2002. Web. 14 Mar. 2013.

Miller, Arthur, and Arthur Miller. “Death of a Salesman” 1949. Print.