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

Short Answer Questions

1. Which two characters are onstage at the beginning of Act 2?

2. How many days has Lingk been told he has to cancel the sale?

3. When did Levene close the sale?

4. What land is Roma trying to sell Lingk?

5. According to Roma, what will Lingk regret when he dies?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mamet's play essentially pits men against each other who are being constantly compared by forces far above them. Write an essay about this inherent comparison of talent and success:

Part 1) Levene speaks at length about his past glory. How does his fabled past compare with his present? How does his outlook on life change along with his fortunes over the course of the play?

Part 2) How does Dave Moss respond to being pitted against his fellow salesmen? How does his final argument with Roma reflect a deep insecurity regarding his own abilities.

Part 3) To what extent is Aaronow defeated by the system? Cite his interactions with Moss and Roma to determine what his chances of survival are. Is he the type of product intended by this competition?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay on the topic of Glengarry Glen Ross as social criticism. In what way is the real estate office a microcosm for a system of capitalism gone rampant? How are the salesmen figures seen as both victims and perpetrators of this system? Cite examples from the real world - perhaps in the modern derivatives market - of people who have served the same purpose in a wildly unregulated system.

Essay Topic 3

One of the central drivers of plot in the play is the sales contest. Write an essay on this contest in three parts:

Part 1) Williamson is the bearer of new from Mitch and Murray, and he endeavors to explain the reasoning behind the contest. How does he defend the contest to Levene? Do you think it is intended to increase revenue, reduce the work force, or both?

Part 2) Levene, Moss, and Aaronow all decry the idiocy of the contest in the first act. What are their points regarding it? How was the business run in the past in terms of compensation? Do you think these men have a point?

Part 3) What unintended consequences result for the institution of this contest? Does the company ultimately benefit from it? What problems does it cause for Williamson and the salesmen?

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This section contains 434 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample