View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Charley say is an "earthquake" for a salesman?

2. What is the name of the hotel where Willy is staying in Boston?

3. How long does Biff wait to see Bill Oliver?

4. Who is Letta?

5. Biff speaking to whom when he says "'I know who I am, kid."

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way is Willy's life echoed in Biff's account of his attempt to see Bill Oliver?

2. What is Willy's reaction to Biff's attempt to tell the day's events truthfully?

3. How does Happy think Biff should handle telling Willy the bad news when he arrives at the restaurant?

4. How is it again made evident that Willy Loman "had the wrong dreams"?

5. Is Death of a Salesman an uncompromising indictment of "The American Dream"?

6. Why did Willy never find true happiness?

7. What is one function of the figure of Ben in his last manifestation inside Willy's head?

8. Account for Willy's anger towards Biff.

9. What is the significance of Happy's gift of flowers?

10. Is Biff correct in saying of Willy that "He never knew who he was."?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"Death of a Salesman shows us that there is no hope for the 'low man.'"Do you agree? Refer closely to the play. What does this play say about the American Dream?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the nature and importance of friendship, making close reference to relationships in Death of a Salesman. Make sure to analyze the relationships between Willy and his sons, the sons and each other, and Willy and Linda.

Essay Topic 3

Comment on the staging of the "internal scenes" in Death of a Salesman. How effective do you think these are? How important are they in the creation of drama? Are they necessary to understanding the characters? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,112 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample