1. Death of a Salesman Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller Arthur Miller
1949
1949

2. Objectives Objectives
Be able to identify specific literary techniques used to characterize Willy
Discuss symbols found throughout the second half of the play
Write a theme statement for the parts of the play we have read with your seat partner
Be able to identify symbols and their meanings throughout the play
Be able to identify specific literary techniques used to characterize Willy
Be able to discuss how symbolism and characterization add to the work as a whole

3. Background Information
Arthur Miller was born in Harlem,
New York in 1915
Miller attended the University of
Michigan before he moved east to
produce plays
Miller wrote over 25 plays
Miller was one of the leading American playwrights in the twentieth century

4. Let’s review what we know so far..
Willy is a salesman who is constantly trying to fulfill the American Dream, but can never seem to reach it
Willy never seems to be happy with his life, and was recently caught by his son Biff cheating on his wife with another woman
Willy has flashbacks often of mistakes he has made, and gets confused with the past and present
First, ask the student to recap the major events in the play so far. When they run out of things to say, read these three bullet points and tell them we will be using these to further analyze the text, and to analyze the characterization of Willy.

5. Symbols
Discuss with your seat partner what you think each of these symbolize
Seeds
Stockings (both Linda’s and the woman Willy had an affair with)
Tennis Racket
Diamonds
The Rubber House
-First ask students what symbols they have noticed so far in the book. (they may list others than what are on the list) and then tell them that we will focus on discussing on these five.
-Have the students discuss with their seat partner what they think each of these symbols mean for 5 minutes.
-Go through each symbol one by one, asking the class what they think each symbol is. Once they have said a few things about the symbol, start adding your own input.
-The seeds are symbolic for Willy’s failure as a father. When Willy says, “Nothings planted, I don’t have a thing in the ground”, readers assume that Willy means he has put nothing in his sons lives to prepare them for the future. When Willy fails as a salesman, he turns to gardening to make up for this failure.
-The stockings are a reminder to Willy of the affair he had with the woman. Every time his wife Linda mends her stockings in front of him he gets upset because he is reminded of the affair, and what a failure he is. Biff’s stockings also make him upset because he feels guilt that Biff found out about his affair. Overall the stockings symbolize the frustration that comes easily to Willy because of his failure and guilt.
-The tennis racket in Bernard’s office is a symbol of Bernard’s success and Willy’s failure. Willy pushed his kids to be the star athletes in school, and now Willy realizes that Bernard, who was always the athlete on the sideline while Biff and Happy played on the field, is the successful one whereas Willy’s kids are not successful and unhappy.
-A diamond in this play once again symbolizes Willy’s failure as a salesman. Also diamonds are what Ben found that made him rich, which is a constant reminder to Willy of how unsuccessful he is. Diamonds symbolize Willy’s dream of wealth that he has never been able to achieve.
-The Rubber house is a symbol for the misery Willy is going through, and his several attempts to take his own life. Willy attempts suicide by inhaling gas, which ironically is what he is struggling to afford to provide his family’s home with heat.

6. Close Reading
Read the excerpt on the worksheet in front of you and take note of the following
Diction
Imagery (pay attention to the detail within the flashback)
Point of View (specifically Willy’s thoughts)
Irony
Tip: highlight textual support for each, it will be helpful later!
Give the class 15 minutes to complete the close reading and chart with their seat partners, telling them to specifically look at diction, the imagery within the flashback with the woman, the point on view in which Willy is confusing his own self, and the irony in the scene with both women. Discuss with your partner how these literary techniques characterize Willy.

7. Example: The diction in this excerpt has a very confusing tone while Willy remembers this scene, and makes readers wonder about the sanity of Willy. “He talks through The Woman’s subsiding laughter, there’s so much I want to make for..” (Miller 34)
Make sure students know that they need to include textual evidence for each analytical observation they make on the worksheet. Advise them to highlight and mark on their worksheets other examples of each literary device, as it will help them with their assignment tonight.

8. Let’s discuss what you found..
Diction-confusing
Imagery-detailed flashback
Point of view-lets readers see Willy from outside perspective
Irony-is he talking to his wife or the woman he had an affair with?
Ask students what the found for each of the points mentioned in the previous slide. After they tell you their ideas, share these with them. The diction in this excerpt is very confusing. Readers aren’t sure at parts whether Willy is talking to his wife, or the woman he had an affair with. Willy talks in such a way that readers know that he is very self conscious. When the woman compliments him, he repeats it over and over again in such a way that readers know this is one of the first times he feels appreciated, the first time he doesn’t feel like a failure. The imagery of this excerpt is clear and precise and puts a clear picture in your head of this scene where Willy remembers the affair he had. The point of view in this excerpt shows the confusing thoughts of Willy, and gives readers an outside view to the affair Willy had. Make sure to also point out the irony of the flashback running through his head while he is telling his wife that she is the best wife she could ask her. Ask the students to critically think whether they think he is talking to his wife, or if he is remembering the woman he had an affair with and talking to her out loud while in the moment with Linda.

9. So what?
Discuss with your seat partner how you think the symbols and literary devices characterize Willy and add to the work as a whole.
-Write down any ideas you and your seat partners have, it’ll be helpful for tonight!
Give the class 7-10 minutes to discuss with their partners how they think what we have discussed in class so far will help characterize Willy and add to the work as a whole

10. Assignment
Write a 12 sentence paragraph discussing how the literary techniques we discussed in class work together to characterize Willy and add to the work as a whole
-I will be checking these right away during tomorrow’s class
-Be prepared to share your paragraph with the class tomorrow because we will be using your ideas to come up with possible themes of the play!
Tell the students to use the notes they took that day in class, and any ideas that their seat partners gave them in this assignment. It should not take them long to write this paragraph, so emphasize that as long as they listened in class, this assignment should be easy for them 

11. Extra Credit Assignment
Watch the movie version of The Death of a Salesman (you can find this on Netflix) and write a 12 sentence paragraph comparing the play and the movie, and any differences you imagined in characters, or scenes. Be specific when you compare scenes/characters!!
Tell the students that this will be worth 10 points. Tell them that if they do not have access to Netflix to talk to you. Emphasize that they need to put specific examples of what they expected and what the characters/scenes were actually like. The movie has the exact script of the book so make sure they just take note of the visual differences that they weren’t expecting.

12. Student Name
Hour
Date
AP Lit Final