7^€rr

Willy Loman'sPotencyin an Episode

of ArthurMille/s Deathof a
SalgsmAn

PatrickMcEvoy-Halston
9712576

English437R01
Dr.Baillargeon
August1011998
 -l-

is distinctfromthe
ThefirstmemoryepisodeinArthurMiller'sDeathof a SalesmAn
in theplay. lt highlights
othermemoryepisodes thatWlly haswithhis
a relationship
sons,andwiththeworld,thatis highlyvulnerable: balloonjustwaitingto
an over-inflated
revealmuchlessaboutthe
be punctured.Theothermemoryepisodes'expositione
insteadtheyrevealtheparticular
characters; - fromBiffs
mannerof thepuncturing
of hisfathe/saffair.Therefore,
to hisdiscovery
failureof the Regents thisepisode's
providesuswiththeinformation
exposition whythe members
\ € needto understand of

as theyarein thescenesprevioue
the Lomanfamilyareas troubled to thisepisodein

it is possible
theplay. Moreover, Willy's
andunderstand
fromthisepisodeto anticipate
himseflas Biffdoes,fromWilly's
suicide,andHappy'srefusalto disassociate
eventual
,, f{*ing
ideafs.Buttheepisodeis alsodistincti theonlyonein theplaywhictr
theappealof Willy'sideals,notsimplyforWilly,butfor us as well. lt is
dramatizes

f1/. thatfor thefirsttimein the p1E6,the6pdffi;;ifuUg $urrounding

;{mportant -t
the Loman
e4-s#}
*{)

' 'home
ib*t'' arehidd6nin darkness, theleaveson thehouseare
while,simultaneousfy,

woman'slaughis absent;insteadwe heartheflutemusic.lt

Thehaunting
highlighted.
nim;a
is theonlyscenewhereWilly'sidealsdo notseemat oddswiththeworldarounO
thattheplayis notsimplyabouttheridiculousness
reminder idealsoutside
of cttild-like

/ of childhood.lt alsocontainsa critiqueof theworfdin whichspiritedidealsseemso

ridiculous
as to seemchild-like.
admitsto hisbrotherHappythathe is .mixedupvery
fn the prcviousepisodgBitf
or -
bad"(139).Heenjoyslib on thefarm,saying"there'snothingmoreinspiring
thanthesightof a mareanda newcolt'(138)yet"hehasalwaysmadea point
beautiful
(139)hislife,andfeelsasif thiskindof lifeis awasteeverytimehe
of notwasting"
 J
'* ti'l; t7''&'
. r;,.'i, ,", , i
1,, '-Z-
tjtr q.i..
{r'

returnshome. Farmlife offersBiffthe kindof work he mostenjoys,but it cannotoffer

wouldprovide.Clearlya
the prestigeor statusthat the lifeof a successfulbusinessman

choicemustbe made,butthis is difficultfor Biffbecausehe oncelivedthe illusionthat

he couldhavethe bestof bothworlds.

In thisepisodpwe witnessBiffworkingwith his hands,polishingandwashingthe car,

andaboutto takedownthe big branchof the tree. Thisis the sortof labourhe will later

findsatisffingas a profession; howWillyemphasizes

andthis is no surpriseconsidering

the dramaof theseactivities,offeringencouragement

suggesting and
theirsignifican@,

a surpriseaftertheyare doneas if in rewardfor a job well done. Willy barksordersas if

cleaningthe car was a militaryoperatio$''Don'tleavethe hubcaps...Get

the chamoisto

on the windowsj'(14a!ne€ays. Then,thisiob done,he

newspaper
the hubcaps...use

directsBiffs attentionto the big branchoverthe housewhich,if not attendedto, will "

a battlehas beenwon,butthe war is

fall in a stormand hit the roof (143). Seemingly,

not yet over. Then,he rewardshis boyswith a punchingbagfromthe backseatof his

car,whichhas"gotGeneTunney'ssignatureon it!' (144). lt is not surprisingthatthe

romanceassoeiatedwith thesesortsof activitieswill neverfadefor Biff.

that Biffplays football,as this is alsoa sportof intense

It is alsonot surprising

physicaldramaset in a pastoralscene. Justas Biff is competentat his work at home,

he is competentat football;butwith footballhis successbringsnot onlythe praiseof his

as well. So,for a time,Biffis ableto enjoythe fabours-

father,but of his schoolmates

"t
the play- which he enjoysand also havestatusamongsthis peers. Biffs statusas a
i!t
t. veryimportantby Willy. Willysuggeststhat it willenableBiff
footballherois considered
'borrowing'a
to havea specialprivilegesdeniedto his peers. After Biffadmitsto
a

l \ '

. , , . , , . . .
 -3-

footballfromthelockerroorn,Willyinitiallytellshimto takeit back;butthenimmediately

anddecidesthatbecauseof Biffs popularity
afienrardsreconsiders thatthecoach
Biffon hisinitiative.
mightevencongratulate
abouthisowl job. Hetalksabout
Status,beingwellliked,is whatWillyhighlights
receivesbythe
havingcoffeewiththe mayor,andthespecialattentionhisautomobile
statusin thewod<worldis not
copsin NewEngland.Biffcannotyetknor thatachieving
andjob satisfaction
statusin highschool.Stratus,
thesilmeas achieving will notgo

Willyhaslinkedhisloveof hissonwithhispopularity,
togetherfor Biff. Butbecause
andas Biffwantsto pleasehisfatherbadlyenoughto offerto "breakthroughbr a
to pass,wo
(145),"takin'onepfayfor Pop"(145)evenwhenhe is supposed
touchdown"
whyBiffadmitsto Happythathe is so messedup. Theillusionof
understand
existsonlywhileBiff is ignorantof life at work;andwhenhe is no longer
compatibility

iOnor:a$he is left unpreparedand confusedby his new reality. His choiceto work at a
factorin
farmwill puta banierbetweenthe loveof WillyandBiffwhichis an important
of thefamily'scohesiveness.
theweakening
hisfather'sapproval
Biffsdesireto maintain whyhe stillwants
helpsus understand
to hisfatheds
Happy'sreaction
to makeit big;butin Happy'scase,it helpsusanticipate
suicide.UnlikeBiff,Happyis notwillingto lethisfathe/sdreamsdiewithhim. We can
thisreastionas a consequen@
understand hisfathefs
of neverhavingachieved

attention.lt is in thisepisodethatwe seethetruthof this. Clearly,it is Biffwhohas

Willy'sfullattention;
@mmanded physically
leavinglittlefor Happy.Happy,although
presentthroughout, ffomthedialogue.Andoneof thefeutthingshe
is almostexcluded

doessay- oI'mlosingweight,younotice,Pop"(1+4,- emphasizes

hisfathe/s
 4-
inattention.
Theepisodealsohelpsus anticipate\Mlly'ssuicide.NothingpleasesWlly more
thanthe loveof his sons. WhenBiffsaysto Wlly that"rw werclonesomefur you"
(144),Willypub his armarcundeachof his boyg.tMten Biffadds,'missedyoue\rery

minute'(laa), Wlly respondsbytellingthemof his specialsecret hewill onedayorn

and'neverhaveto leavehomeanymorc'(144).Wlly wantsto rcunrd
hisorrnbuginess
his sons'loveby ofieringtheman idyllicfuture. Hetullorilsthispromisewiththe promise
future,theywillvisitb€autifulto$rnsandthe lin€stp€oplein Nsw
thatin theirimmediate

England.lt is notsurprbing,then,thatWlly, at the ageof sixtythree,withno illusione

thathe can plovideanythingmonumental
to his sonsin life,will conceiv€of doingso
moneytheywouldcollectwith hiedeath.Laterin this episodewhen
withthe insurarrce
Bifitellshisfetherthathewill makeoneplaybr hisfather,lMlly kisseehimand
eldalms'Oh,u,ait'llI tellthisin Boston!'(145).lt is a sequenercmarkably
similarto

theepisodewher€Wlly rediscovers hieson'slove. Hiselatedr€actionb to promise

(218),andb wish,'oh, if I could
that that boy- thatboyis goingto be magnificant!'
kisshim'(219).
wherelMlly is alonein the gardenplanting
Thesceneprecedingthis rsalization,
, v"
r.n n'
li, n".
(, .,t\,;. , seeds,is alsogivenprecedence
in thisepisode.Vtfiilybringsourattentionto the big
;tj''.i I '"' branch thehouse.Hieintention,
thatovErhangs tohBhouse,
tiiisthreat
toeliminate
('r'

{.. ,' , , s fiom the pressing

\Mlly'sfutilebetlleto plants6edsdespitethe shadcnt
.qnticipates
I
''
r ' \l - f
of his
in thislatersc6ne,wherethememories
buildings.lt is appropriate,
,' €partment
:il' ^4 !'n
. P,i" IVT
t
infidetityhavefloodedhis mind,thatthb battleseemtutile;br the imposingnatureof the
t,lt-, I r't
t'
i'* ,.''" apartment is notopposed
buildings of Wlly'sstr€ngth.Butin thisearlier
bythememory
/v
I
,1g-;f.,,
Sulti
., ."
 -5-

Willyhasnotyetallowedhisinfidelity
episode, so it is
hismemory,
to dominate

thatthethreatpresented
appropriate is metand
bythebranch,hisenvironment,
byWilly'singenuity.
mastered
theapartment
to banishing
Cuttingdowna branchis,of course,notequivalent
Willydoesexactlythisby rememhringa pastbeforethe
buildings.But,in thisepisode,
buildings
apartment is thathis
werebuilt.Whatmakesthismorethansimplenostalgia
almostas if to use
insteadhe is invokingmemories
memoryis nota simpfeflashback;
themto battlethepresent.Strengthened of thestrengthof his
in hisremembran@

homeandfamilyin thepast,he blotsouttheapartment in hismind,coatshis

buildings
withthefreedom
housewithgreenleavesandconjuresup theflutemusicassociated
hisfatheroncehad,andan idyllicNewEnglandlife. All of thisis manifested
on stage.

hisboysaregivena physical
In addition, on stage,andthewallsin hishouse
presence

aremadepermeable as a deviceof epic

thiscanbe underctood
to them.Certainly
thatthisis a play,butit canalsobe
theatreto remindus,whilewe arewatching,
as a defiantWilly'sresponse
understood madeon himbythe
to thesunealimposition
of thewallsin thehousein Willy'smind,canbe
buildings.Themanipufations
apartment
he hasdoneto hishome;it is a displayof his
likenedto therepairs,andalterations
to shapeandalterit as hewills.
masteryof hisownhousehold;
,l-

Thedefiantnatureof Willy'salterations,&f areechoedin the

nisenvironment

used,andin Willy'sphysical
language gestures of voicein thisepisode;
andloudnese

whichin sumsetthetoneforthisepisode.WhenWlly andBiffmentionplaces,people,

to thesubjectmattersuggestthat
theyusein response
or things,thelanguage
withintheirenvironment
everything bythe Lomanfamily.The
existsto be mastered
 4.
familycarandthetreebranchhavealreadybeendiscussed,buttherearemanyother

examples,Willymentions andfollowsbysaying.he had

theMayorof Providence,
cofbewithmeo(145).Hementions andBoston,in so few
othercitieslikeWaterbury,
manner-'...is
words,andin sucha conclusive a finecity...sold the
a nicebillthere...is
(145)- thatwe feelthatwhatWillyis sayingis thathecame,
cradleof the Revolution'
UncleCharleyhesaysthathewillbe"bigger
WhenWlly mentions
sawandconquered.
(1Mr,andwhenBiffmentions
thanUncleCharleyl" footbaltgamehe says
theupcoming
in response
to Happy's to pass"(145),that"whenI takeoff my
"you'resupposed

helmet,thatmeansl'm breakinout.Thenyouwatchmecrashthroughthatline!"(145).
Thegestures in theepisodearepurposeful
andaggressive.Happyorunson stage

bag"(a4; Willy"pufsan armaroundeachboy"(l44);Willy'sfopsthe

witha punching
incipient aa); Biffprancesaround,'prac'ticing
argument"(l passingtheball"(145),
Biff

Wlly "nodsin approbation

fakesWilly'shand,and\A/illykissesBiff. Mostsignificantly,
thenlooksupwart(}!3), {hroughouttheplay,Millerhashis
fora fewseconds,
vt( \r2gt
constantly
characters in thisoptimistic
rising,sittingorJffig down.lt is appropriate
havebeenerasedin Willy'smind,thatWilly
buildings
episodein whichtheapartment
thatat the
uprrards.Forthesamereason,it is alsoappropriate
looksconfidently
of thisepisode,
beginning level.
Willyraiseshisvoiceto a @nveraational
effectuponus bythisechochamberof an episodo,is to associate
Thecumulative
potency,forthefirstandonlytimein theplay,withWilly. Wthoutthisepisodeof the
'not a dirnea
play,thedeclarationWillymakesneartheendof the playthathe is

dozen!'(217r,thathe is 'WillyLoman!",
wouldseementirelywithoutsubstane. With
 -7-

thisepisodeincludedin the play,vrrecanat leastlookbackwithWfly andfindsome

proofin Willy'slife,ol if notgreatness, the removal
thenat feastefbduality. Moreover,
buildingsrernindsus thatwhilews ar€
of lightingin thisepisodefromtheapartment
naturallyindinedto lookat thememoryepisodesfor signsof durac[erllaws\i'hichbring
of the play,\i,emustalso
aboutthe saggingLomanfamilyvromeetat the beginning
y' remember throughtimeae
thattheworldaboutthefamily,haschanged,menacingly,
welf. lt is a factwhichpartiallyredeemsourfinalimpression
of Willy. Willyrages,

againsthisvrorfd;butwe kno,rrthatit is a worldworthragingagainst.

inefiectually,

e
lat* w/./c 1 sc/rty /U c/".^r{A
-^. ATaa-f d 4erjrlr"t, Jt an,rfprv-,.n
f +t ) '6*r,th
---tH
u/ t?. 4uaA/ drry,lr*t,,rryr*rt , 7n
Pbu- ( /b*r-/- H- b"o, io
l> )
tXtt"-, t+ /a
1a,o frta<
/ tt/ni,$e*-r ** /r,- ^iri- r/rr*U.
 -8-

WORKSCITED

ArthurMifle/sCollected
Miller,Arthur.Deathof a S-alesman. Ed.A. Miller.
P-lays.
NewYork:VikingPress,1957.