John Williamson is the focal point of rage in the play. He is the company man, the outsider whose neck is not on the line. Examine three instances in the play in which salesmen lash out at him. Why are they angry at him? Is he truly at fault for their failure? How does he respond?

Part 1) Aaronow's outburst during his interrogation

Part 2) Roma's tirade after Williamson blow his sale

Part 3) Levene's lecture after Roma's outburst

Essay Topic 2

Mamet's world is clearly a world of layered deception, and the web of lies created by the men that live there are perilously fragile. Write an essay about three of these deceptions. What is the objective of each? Why is a lie required to facilitate success, and how do the fragile constructs fall apart?

Part 1) Roma's Lingk sale

Part 2) Levene's big sale

Part 3) Moss's robbery

Essay Topic 3

David Mamet's work is nearly always concerned with the idea of the scam. His characters are always scheming against other for their own gain, setting up systems that are rigged in their favor. Write an essay about the scams of this play:

Part 1) How is the business of selling this land a lie? Is the business these men engage in connected in any way to the dreams they promise their customers? Cite the interchange between Lingk, Roma, and Levene in Act 2 as evidence.

Part 2) To what extent is the company scamming the salesmen? Is there any way that these men can win in a system like the sales contest?

Part 3) How does Dave Moss scam both the company and his fellow salesmen over the course of the play? How does he keep himself free of risk, and how does his plan work in the end?

(see the answer keys)

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