Death of a Salesman Opening Stage Directions

‘…we see a solid vault of apartment houses around the small, fragile-seeming home.’

• Introduces the idea of the house as family and dominated by the aurrounding apartment blocks.

• Introduces the theme of the fragility of dreams

• Provides a juxtaposition to the rural spaces referred to in the opening line of the stage directions.

• Tells us that the family is wealthy.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.10. RL.11-12.10

A melody is heard, played upon a flute. It is small and fine, telling of grass and trees and the horizon.

• An ironic comment on the concrete jungle in which Willy lives.

• The word 'horizon' evokes the idea of extensive space.

• This introduces the theme that the rural aspects are quashed by the city.

• The music suggests an idyllic, outdoor setting.

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

..the surrounding area shows an angry glow of orange.

• personifying the effect of the surrounding city on the Lomans' aspirations.

• personifying how the city has encroached on their dreams.

• personifying an offended city.

• Personifying how the city is an enemy to everyone.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.8.7

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.10. RL.11-12.10

"We are aware of towering, angular shapes behind it, surrounding it on all sides." What doesn't the author imply?

• Isolation

• The harshness of Capitalism

• Fellowship

• Fabricated image of the social pressure on their fragile seeming home.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

An air of the dream clings to the place, a dream rising out of reality. Which of the following is incorrect?

• dreams were a central aspect to people living in the house

• the lines between dreams and realities were blurred in the house

• the pessimism of the American dream

• foreshadows Willy's unachievable dream

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

On a shelf over the bed a silver athletic trophy stands. Which of the following is incorrrect?

• It implies that Willy is involved in his child’s life.

• That Biff wants his past glories to remain seen.

• Willy’s dreams (succeeding his life) is hidden behind a silver athletic trophy.

• A silver athletic trophy indicates that Biff’s trophy is admired by Willy.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

The entire setting is wholly or, in some places, partially transparent.

• The audience needs to know everything.

• Glass is a cheaper option for staging.

• The family's false perceptions of their own value and unrealistic dreams are obvious to the audience.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.8.7

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.10. RL.11-12.10

The flute plays on. He hears but is not aware of it.

• This reveals the disturbance within Willy's mind.

• This suggests that Willy is deaf.

• This shows how arrogant he is towards other people.

• This illustrates all the frustrations that are in his head.

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

"...He is past sixty years of age, dressed quietly..." What does this sentence imply?

• His work is an extreme hard-work that exhausts him all the time.

• It is an introduction which shows the contrast between his appearance and his job.

• His ability at work is highly valued by his colleaguesn so that he's working until the age of sixty.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

she has developed an iron repression of her exceptions to Willy’s behavior..

• She is emotionally wounded by Willy's behavious but puts up with it as she has nowhere else to go.

• she has remained true to her jovial nature and adapted herself to Willy's unfair behaviour towards her, which has not only allowed her to turn a blind eye on his faults but also made her love and admire his personality.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3