Death of a Salesman Notes

Mindmeister was being dumb...


Death of a Salesman is all about living out the "American Dream".

Willy and Linda - Husband and wife

• Willy is insecure but firmly believes in the concept of the American dream
• Never achieves it but hopes his sons will.
• Linda has an outrageous amount of love and support for her husband
• She's more level headed than he is
• Supports Willy until the very end.

Biff - Oldest son of Willy and Linda

• Very successful in high school 
• Gets fired from every job
• Never lives up to her fathers hopes and dreams of him

Happy - Youngest son of Willy and Linda

• lives in Biff's shadow
• Not very professional but has drive
• Thinks he is VERY important

     Linda wants Willy to work in New York so that he doesn't have to travel so much.  Willy desperately wants Biff to make something of himself before it's too late.

     Biff and Happy are not happy with their lives and really want to buy a place out west.  Willy seems to become very attached to the idea.

     Willy remembers his sons as children when they were proud of him and very affectionate towards him.  Willy tells his sons of his plan to open his own business and live out the American dream.

     We soon find out that Willy isn't doing well at work and won't be able to make payments on everything the family owns. We also learn that Willy is cheating on his wife.

    Willy has regrets about not going to Alaska with his brother. (His brother found fortune which could have been Willy's.)  

     We can see Willy's mind start to deteriorate as he calls his friend Charley by another name while lost in multiple daydreams. 

     Biff and Happy can see that their father is falling apart but Linda refuses to believe it.  They also seem to know that he might be cheating.  We learn that Willy has tried to commit suicide.  Everyone starts to fight with each other. 

     Willy tries to ask his boss for a job in New York but his boss refuses and instead tells Willy to take some time off.  Willy slips into another daydream...

     Willy wonders why Biff turned out to be a failure, but becomes defensive when his friends question Biff.  Willy tries to get a bigger loan to pay off everything that he owes and the man unwillingly gives him the money. 

     Willy confesses to his son that he's been fired and Biff tries to let Willy down easy but Happy gets his father's hopes up.  Biff explodes at his father and Willy starts to go from daydream to reality without much distinction. 

     Willy eventually gets into his car, speeds away, and crashes, committing suicide.