2.1.7

Key Events 11&12

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Act One: Key Event Eleven

The Loman men are swept up in plans for a new business. Their misplaced values and beliefs are seen again.

Key event eleven

Key event eleven

  • 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.
Significance

Significance

  • We see how easily the Lomans are swept away by the illusion that success is imminent, with Willy telling his boys, “I think your troubles are over”.
  • It is assumed that Bill Oliver will remember, and still admire, Biff, despite the reality behind why Biff left Oliver’s employment.
Quotation

Quotation

  • “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.”
Explanation

Explanation

  • Willy again repeats his mantra that success is built on “personality”, giving his sons the dubious advice that this alone, rather than substance (e.g. a sensible business plan) will prevail.

Act One: Key Event Twelve

Act One ends on a note of impending doom, again signalling the inevitability of Willy’s demise.

Key event twelve

Key event twelve

  • While upstairs, Willy, dreams of Biff’s golden future.
  • We follow Biff to the kitchen and, eventually, the gas heater, from behind which he discovers Willy’s hidden rubber tubing.
Significance

Significance

  • Miller contrasts Willy’s fantasy with reality.
  • The “golden pool of light” which Biff walks in symbolises how Willy still idealises him – as the star footballer who came out onto Ebbets Field with “the sun all around him”.
Quotation

Quotation

  • “[The light on Willy is fading. The gas heater begins to glow through the kitchen wall…]”
Explanation

Explanation

  • 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 Key Events 11&12

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

  1. 1
    Willy to his sons:Fill in the list
  2. 2
    According to Willy what __"always wins the day”__?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    Events of key event eleven: Fill in the list
  4. 4
    Events of the End of Act OnePut in order
  5. 5
    At the end of Act One, what begins to glow through the kitchen wall?Multiple choice
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Key Events 9&10

Foreshadowing, Flashbacks, Settings