Spies
DEATH OF A SALESMAN * Willy has mental problems * Flicking to reality and illusion * Packed to the rafters – Ted the old man is living with Alzheimer’s his behaviour is becoming erratic – same as willy * Each character has a different reality
Willy’s reality * He believes personal accomplishment is possible * A man who knows what he wants will go after it and succeed * Someone has to be well liked – compared with modern notions, superficial notions – link to cosmetic surgery idea * Biff – high school football hero - Biff hasn’t lived up to that image * Willy’s reality wears Biff down * Willy’s guilt is part of his reality * Guilt of having affair - Women’s laughter symbolises the guilt * Guilt that Biff found out * Reality that Willy must make it up to Biff * If death is not accidental, insurance company will not pay * Insurance company has suspicions therefore don’t get money * Ben’s jungle – dark full of diamonds * Ben’s jungle symbolises death * Willy’s second chance to enter the jungle * Past and present are fluid – cross each other happen at the same time * Desire to plants seeds – symbolises preparing for the future * Goes out and night and plants vegetable seeds * Preparing for the future for his family * Willy’s reality of career * Career influences their perspective of reality * His sense of his and his family’s identity
Biff
* Keeps stealing things – symbolic trying to claim back his own sense of self * He hasn’t been able to form his own identity * He realizes his father was a fake – affair * He is based on his fathers reaity * Can’t bear to start at the bottom * Biff gets a new reality after he sees Bill Oliver * Realized how unimportant he was after seeing Bill * He isn’t as important as willy made him out to be * His father had the wrong dreams * His reality changes to
Willy’s reality * He believes personal accomplishment is possible * A man who knows what he wants will go after it and succeed * Someone has to be well liked – compared with modern notions, superficial notions – link to cosmetic surgery idea * Biff – high school football hero - Biff hasn’t lived up to that image * Willy’s reality wears Biff down * Willy’s guilt is part of his reality * Guilt of having affair - Women’s laughter symbolises the guilt * Guilt that Biff found out * Reality that Willy must make it up to Biff * If death is not accidental, insurance company will not pay * Insurance company has suspicions therefore don’t get money * Ben’s jungle – dark full of diamonds * Ben’s jungle symbolises death * Willy’s second chance to enter the jungle * Past and present are fluid – cross each other happen at the same time * Desire to plants seeds – symbolises preparing for the future * Goes out and night and plants vegetable seeds * Preparing for the future for his family * Willy’s reality of career * Career influences their perspective of reality * His sense of his and his family’s identity
Biff
* Keeps stealing things – symbolic trying to claim back his own sense of self * He hasn’t been able to form his own identity * He realizes his father was a fake – affair * He is based on his fathers reaity * Can’t bear to start at the bottom * Biff gets a new reality after he sees Bill Oliver * Realized how unimportant he was after seeing Bill * He isn’t as important as willy made him out to be * His father had the wrong dreams * His reality changes to