Act Two - Section 2

Page 59 to 66

What happens in this section?
We meet Howard for the first time.
He doesn't seem like a nice person. He doesn't much attention to Willy and is pre-occupied by his wire-recording machine.
For the first part it seems like they are having two separate conversations.

Act Two - Section 1

Aditya: the mood is bright and happy
Noor: Biff has changed from Linda and Willy's point of view
Kanika D: From Linda's point of view, Biff has a hopeful attitude
Ayush: strong feeling of energy and confidence
Aryaman: Both Linda and Willy are in a happy mood

Willy has slept well; he can now begin to imagine a happy future for the family.
He has decided to talk to Howard about a non-travelling job.


Willy long speech (p 56-57): What is he saying about consumer society and the culture of owning things on loan?
At a deeper level it shows his frustration with the fact that he doesn't seem to own his life. He seems to be waiting to get ownership of his and appears to feel that by the time he does, it will be over.

Linda's conversation with Biff on the phone (p. 58-59): What is revealed during this conversation?
It is revealed to Linda that Biff took off the pipe.
We come to know that Biff is waiting to meet Mr Oliver.
It is revealed to Biff that Willy is going to ask Howard for a job in New York.

Act-2 (beggining)

Willy slept like a dead after one month because he sees a better future , he also is going to talk about giving him a non- travelling job .

Howard and Willy

What is their relationship?

On page 64 Willy's long speech: reveals that when he dies he wants a funeral which will be attended by hundreds of people; he thinks he has that sort of following. [Thank you, Ayush!]

Willy and Howard

What is Howard's general demeanour towards Willy through their conversation?

What does Willy say to Howard in order to make him consider the possibility of getting a placement in New York?

Why does Willy want to buy seeds?

What is Linda's reaction to wanting to create a garden?

What is the deeper symbolism of this exchange?

Act Two

What is the mood at the beginning of Act Two?

What is Linda trying to say about Willy in this speech?

Then make Charley your father, Biff. You can't do that, can you? I don't say he's a great man. Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. He's not the finest character that ever lived. But he's a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid. He's not to be allowed to fall into his grave like an old dog. Attention, attention must be finally paid to such a person. You called him crazy ---

Biff wants to get into the business world now

As linda feels that biff is hiding something from her, she keeps on asking him and he just tells her that he'll stay with them and get a job. As there is a long talk on this and biff shares his feeling about willy and then he also tells them that he's going to meet Oliver to get a job. Happy also gives biff an idea of working together and Willy is very happy as Biff's confidence is back and he's getting serious.

pg 44

Willy wasnt a great or famous man. He wasnt perfect either but he was a man who dedicated his like for his sons who never look back on him. His situation made him change.

WILLY TRYING TO SUICIDE

Willy also tries to kill himself by crashing the car. Linda once says to Willy "you didn't smash the car did you?" which tells us that this is not the first time he is doing this, and the second evidence is when the insurance inspector came and said that all these accidents in the last year weren't actually accidents. he tried to smash the car purposely and the evidence is a woman, who saw his car and said that he wasn't driving fast at all, and that he didn't skid. she says that he came to a little bridge , and deliberately smashed the car into the railing, and it was only the shallowness of the water which saved him, or else he would have killed himself.











thank you mam for teaching me something new!

Biff's Relation With Linda

Biff addresses Linda as a pal. They are very close to each other and so forth he is protective towards his mother. Biff agrees being a remiss after Linda says that Willy's life is in his hands.

Willy is always excited about Biff getting home and the closer he seems to come, the more shaky he gets and when he gets there, he is always the worst. Willy is always unfair to Linda as he shouts all the time which bothers Biff because he does not like him shouting at Linda.

Happy helps Biff decide to go and lend some money from Bill Oliver, Biff's ex-boss. Linda tells Biff and Happy that their father, Willy is trying to commit suicide. Once Willy purposely crashed his car, and once he put the gas pipe near the heater, Linda found out and she tried to stop him.

Biff gets into an argument with Willy because Willy would always be unfair with his wife, Linda. When Happy tells Willy that Biff is going for a meeting with Bill Oliver, Willy is super proud of Biff

Revelations in Section 8 (Pages 41-54)

What is revealed in this section?

Plans and Revelations

What has Biff decided to do?

How do the others react to Biff's plans?
Happy:
Linda:
Willy:

What does Linda reveal (page 47)?

What does Biff discover behind the water heater and what does he do? What does this reveal about him?

Biff and Linda

What sort of a relationship do Biff and Linda have [Pages 41 to 43]?
They are very close to each other and are like friends - pg. 42/43 Biff addresses her as "pal".
Biff is protective towards Linda - pg. 45 - he doesn't tell her about the woman.

What do you get about Biff's feelings towards Willy from his exchange with Linda [Pages 42 to 46]?
Biff doesn't have much respect for Willy. There are underlying feelings of resentment and anger - Pg. 43 Biff says, "Stop making excuses... an ounce of respect for you.
It appears that he still has some deep regard or love for Willy - Pg 46, his reaction to Linda's statement that Willy is dying - he is horrified.

Linda's Stockings

The image of Linda darning her stockings just as Willy comes out of his flashback with his mistress - this makes the audience feel several emotions. Willy's emotion is primarily guilt - however, he converts that into anger.

What do stockings symbolize in the play? There could be many answers to this... speculate :)!

The contradictions in Happy's happiness

What is the key line of Happy's character?

What does it tell you about him?

What do you think he looks like? How do you know this?

What is the WHY of his character - the MOTIVATION?

These are just guiding questions to build up Happy's character.

You may write this in autobiographical form, i.e. as an empathic answer.