11.2.4

Act One: Key Events 10-12 Quotes

Test yourself on Act One: Key Events 10-12 Quotes

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Act One: Key Events 10-12

Here are three quotations showing key events in Act One:

Key quotation 10

Key quotation 10

  • Linda opens up to her sons about Willy’s deteriorating mental state and his suicidal impulses.
    • “He’s not to be allowed to fall into his grave like an old dog. Attention, attention must finally be paid to such a man.”
      • From one of the key speeches in the play, Linda’s lines sum up the play’s central message: that all human beings, however insignificant, deserve respect and dignity.
Key quotation 11

Key quotation 11

  • Biff and Happy tell Willy of their Loman Brothers business idea and Biff’s plan to visit Bill Oliver the next day in order to ask for a start-up loan.
    • “Start off with a couple of your good stories to lighten things up. It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it – because personality always wins the day.”
      • Willy repeats his mantra that success is built on “personality”, giving his sons the dubious advice that this alone, rather than substance will prevail.
Key quotation 12

Key quotation 12

  • “[The light on Willy is fading. The gas heater begins to glow through the kitchen wall…]”
    • Miller uses lighting effects to undercut Willy’s optimism, with the “glow” from the gas heater reminding the audience of Willy’s suicidal urges. Act One ends on a note of impending doom, again signalling the inevitability of Willy’s demise.
Jump to other topics
1

Introduction

1.1

Introductions

1.1.1Author1.1.2Historical Context1.1.3Setting1.1.4Social Issues
2

Act One

2.1

Key Events

2.1.1Staging2.1.2Key Events 1&22.1.3Key Events 3&42.1.4Key Events 5&62.1.5Key Events 7&82.1.6Key Events 9&102.1.7Key Events 11&12
2.2

Key Themes & Literary Techniques

2.2.1Foreshadowing, Flashbacks, Settings2.2.2Family, Reality, Fantasy
3

Act Two

3.1

Key Events

3.1.1Key Events 1&23.1.2Key Events 3&43.1.3Key Events 5&63.1.4Key Events 7&83.1.5Key Events 9&10
3.2

Key Themes & Links

3.2.1Pride3.2.2Metaphor3.2.3Self-Realisation
4

Extended Passage Analysis

4.1

Act One

4.1.1Staging4.1.2The Woman
4.2

Act Two

4.2.1In Howard’s Office4.2.2The Final Confrontation4.2.3The Requiem
5

Character Profiles

5.1

Willy & Linda Loman

5.1.1Willy Loman5.1.2Linda Loman
5.2

Biff & Happy Loman

5.2.1Biff Loman5.2.2Biff's Relationship with Willy5.2.3Happy Loman
5.3

Other Characters

5.3.1Uncle Ben5.3.2Charley5.3.3Bernard
6

Key Themes

6.1

Concepts

6.1.1The American Dream6.1.2Fathers & Sons6.1.3Nature & the City6.1.4Success6.1.5Men & Women
7

Writing Techniques

7.1

Structure

7.1.1Act One7.1.2Act Two
7.2

Realism

7.2.1Introduction7.2.2Staging7.2.3Language
7.3

Expressionism

7.3.1Introduction7.3.2Staging7.3.3Music
7.4

Symbolism

7.4.1The Garden / Seeds7.4.2Diamonds7.4.3Alaska & Africa
7.5

Motifs

7.5.1Introduction7.5.2Cars7.5.3Silk Stockings7.5.4Money7.5.5Mythological Figures
8

Historical Context

8.1

Historical Context

8.1.1Miller’s Family & The Great Depression8.1.2America’s Recovery
9

Literary Context

9.1

Tragedy

9.1.1Introduction
9.2

Applying Tragic Concepts

9.2.1The Tragic Hero9.2.2The Tragic Flaw9.2.3Recognition9.2.4Emotional Release9.2.5Chaos & Disorder9.2.6Revenge9.2.7Inevitability
10

Critical Debates

10.1

Introduction

10.1.1Introduction
10.2

The Marxist Reading

10.2.1Marxist Analysis10.2.2The Marxist Reading
10.3

The Feminist Reading

10.3.1Feminist Analysis10.3.2The Feminist Reading
10.4

The Eco-Critical Reading

10.4.1Eco-Critical Analysis10.4.2The Eco-Critical Reading10.4.3Post-pastoral
10.5

Other Debates

10.5.1The Play as Tragedy10.5.2The Critics
11

Recap: Main Quotes

11.1

Characters Quotes

11.1.1Willy Loman11.1.2Linda Loman11.1.3Biff Loman11.1.4Happy Loman11.1.5Uncle Ben11.1.6Charley11.1.7Bernard
11.2

Quotes by Act

11.2.1Act One: Key Events 1-3 Quotes11.2.2Act One: Key Events 4-6 Quotes11.2.3Act One: Key Events 7-9 Quotes11.2.4Act One: Key Events 10-12 Quotes11.2.5Act One: Stage Direction Quotes11.2.6Act One: The Woman Quotes11.2.7Act Two: Key Events 1-2 Quotes11.2.8Act Two: Key Events 3-4 Quotes11.2.9Act Two: Key Events 5-6 Quotes11.2.10Act Two: Key Events 7-8 Quotes11.2.11Act Two: Key Events 9-10 Quotes11.2.12Act Two: Howard's Office Quotes11.2.13Act Two: The Requiem Quotes

Practice questions on Act One: Key Events 10-12 Quotes

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    According to Willy what __"always wins the day”__?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What does the __"glow"__ remind the audience of?<br><br>__“[The light on Willy is fading. The gas heater begins to glow through the kitchen wall…]”__Multiple choice
Answer all questions on Act One: Key Events 10-12 Quotes

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium

Act One: Key Events 7-9 Quotes

Act One: Stage Direction Quotes