Brotherly Love

Ben, Willy's brother, interjects his memory and opinion on Willy when Willy is faced with a decision or regret. We first see Ben as he crops up in Willy's memory, the time he came to see Willy, talk of his success, and depart. Willy regretted not venturing to Alaska with Ben, so he constantly is reminded through Ben's memory of one regret after another.

By the end of the play, Ben serves as Willy's conscious, a memory whom Willy finds the only consolation in and means by which to rationalize his actions. As he plants the garden, Willy tries to get Ben to see eye to eye with him saying, "You gotta consider now. Don't answer so quick. Remember, it's a guaranteed twenty-thousand-dollar proposition... I've got nobody to talk to Ben..." (pg 1621). He justifies his death, saying his life insurance is worth twenty-thousand-dollars; however, the fact that Willy has to justify his actions with a ghost makes it obvious that he knows his decision is quite obscure. Willy, like many humans, makes up a scenario in his mind to downplay his future action of suicide, hoping that the end will justify the means.

#3:Opposites Attract... Sometimes

Are there any foil characters? What dramatic functions are served by the various minor characters?

In the "Death of a Salesman," Willy and Biff act as foil characters to each other on several accounts. While some may argue they seem similar in aspects, I say a father and son couldn't be farther apart. Willy treats Linda disrespectfully, constantly telling her to shut up while he is having an argument with Biff: "Don't interrupt," "Stop interrupting," "Will you stop!". When Biff tries to interject with "Don't yell at her, Pop, will ya?" to defend his mother, Willy gets very defensive and yells at Biff, accuses Linda of taking Biff's side all the time, and then storms out of the room.

From the beginning, we see Biff and Willy's opinions on working and business set on opposite ends of the spectrum. To Biff, having "to suffer fifty weeks of the year for the sake of a two-week vacation, when all you really desire is to be outdoors..." does not build a sufficient future. He views it as a "measly manner of existence" (pg. 1553). Willy on the other hand lived life as an exclamation, always putting himself and the business world on a pedestal. He tells young Biff and Happy that "the man you makes an appearance in the business world... gets ahead. Be liked and yo will never want." What a great message to send your kids! Thanks Pop! Biff's ideals contrast drastically with Willy's, leading the reader to decide between ultimate happiness and temporary happiness.

Bernard, the neighbor boy who has grown into a successful lawyer, also serves as Willy's foil, exemplifying Willy's greediness and lack of humility. Especially evident in the scene where Willy comes to Charley's office to ask for money, Willy has a hard time comprehending Bernard's success and humble nature. When asked how Biff is, Willy exaggerates, "Well he's been doing very big things in the West... very big." Bernard doesn't take this as a cue for him to delve into his own success story; later on, Charley comes in declaring Bernard is on his way to represent someone in the Supreme Court (pg. 1598-1601). Talk about opposites!

#5: Theme

What themes does the play present? Does the play seem too didactic or insufficient in its presentation of important human concerns?

Willy presents himself as old fashioned, seemingly interested in making a living and bringing his children up the best he knows how. Willy truly hangs on to the past, where "there was respect, and comradeship, and gratitude in..." the business world (pg 1591). He longs for friends who respect him and know him by name. But Willy takes offense in the fact that "today it's all cut and dried, and there's no chance for bringing friendship to bear- or personality." He believes that the ideal salesman dies doing what he loves, with hundreds of co-workers and clients at his funeral.

To connect the theme, Arthur Miller illustrates through this play the true death of a salesman: a man who has been controlled and defined by the work he has done and number of acquaintances. By the foil characters present in the play, the audience becomes aware of the fact that being well-known and popular only gets one so far in life. Miller tries to persuade the audience that the present society grows too close to their job and reputation and misses out on true importance: defining family, friends, and home.

Subtle Stabs

I thought I liked Amanda; she seemed like the caring type with a strange way of showing her kids she wanted the best for them. As many overbearing parents pick over every imperfection, Amanda is no exception. Tom has every right to want to escape and make something of himself. It's the children with strict parents who turn out as rebels; Tom seems incredulous to his mother's constant reprimanding. Though Amanda played the part in Tom's memory of a respectable parent, she shows in scene 6 subtle stabs to her children's characters. When talking to Jim she says, "I don't know why my son is so stand-offish" and then later, "...Tom is a total loss when it comes to mechanics." She seems to be hinting at her dislike for her son, possibly as she sees more and more of his father in him.

At first, Amanda stood up for Laura when at all possible, urging Tom never to call her "crippled." However, as they prepare for the gentleman caller, Jim, Amanda reveals some not-so-motherly-opinions to Laura saying, "Now look at yourself, young lady. This is the prettiest you will ever be!" Hmm. Thanks MOM! I just can't pinpoint Amanda's obvious disappointment in her life shining through her views of her children.

#6 How do the physical effects... reinforce the meanings and contribute to the emotional effects?

Tennessee Williams utilizes music throughout his play to indicate certain emotions characters are feeling. As Jim O'Connor evaluates Laura, music is key in understanding her fleeting and deep emotions surfacing:"Has anyone ever told you you were pretty? (Pause: music. LAURA looks up slowly, with wonder, and shakes her head)..." From this scene inparticular, one can deduce that Laura's emotions and concerns and passions lie beyond her glass collection.

Williams introduces and explains symbols in his play quite blantantly. For instance, the unicorn, Laura's favorite piece, is broken by Jim. Of course Jim broke the figure Laura called "unlike the others," because he ultimately broke her "inferiority complex," and simultaneously her heart it seems. He allows the audience to focuson the emotions through the symbols.

With complete stage directions and explicit stage movements, the audience learns more about
the characters more from the background and less from the characters interacting with each other.

Crossing the 4th Wall

#1: Does the play employ realistic or nonrealistic conventions?
From Shakespeare to Tennessee Williams, the drama tones down drastically, making some wonder if there's more to The Glass Menagerie. The fact that the story is so common to the point where people search for meaning not there indicates the realism of the drama itself. Composed of fights and make-ups and fights again, fragile people, mother versus son, mother's constant worries, and abandoning fathers, The Glass Menagerie relays Tom's memory in a way both accepted and shared by many. A break from realism occurs when Tom steps outside his memory- which in and of itself presents nonrealistic elements: the music indicating emotions, the lighting of the father's picture- and crosses the fourth wall. By staying within the "walls" of the apartment and ally, the audience experiences a real feeling as they are immersed in the memory, but as soon as Tom morphs from character to narrator, the element of realism also changes with the audiences perception and snap back into reality. Reality in the case of a drama, takes away from the realistic nature of the drama.