2.2.2

Time

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Time: Past & Present

In Death of a Salesman, time is manipulated to allow instantaneous shifts between past & present.

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Use of sets

  • In Death of a Salesman, Miller’s use of set design (e.g. transparent sets), projections, backgrounds, lighting and costume allow him to flit between past and present, all depending on Willy’s thoughts at the time.
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Flashbacks

  • This use of flashback or “continuous present” can be unsettling.
    • E.g. when Willy talks to Ben during his card game with Charley. The audience sees Willy’s mind disintegrating before its eyes.
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The Great Gatsby

  • The past is of crucial significance in The Great Gatsby, with its central protagonist driven to “repeat the past” in his love affair with Daisy Buchanan.
  • The enigma of Gatsby’s past, and the various rumours which swirl around concerning it, also adds to his allure.
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The Great Gatsby flashbacks

  • Fitzgerald also uses flashback.
    • E.g. with Jordan Baker’s recounting of meeting Gatsby and Daisy as young lovers in 1917.
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Tess of the D'urbervilles

  • In Tess of the D'urbervilles, the central protagonist is haunted by, and unable to escape, her past.
  • Hardy’s insistence on Tess’ ancestry, and his use of ancient, prehistoric settings (such as Stonehenge - the place of Tess’ arrest) help to elevate Tess’ story to tragedy.

Jump to other topics

1Introduction

2Act One

3Act Two

4Extended Passage Analysis

5Character Profiles

6Key Themes

7Writing Techniques

8Historical Context

9Literary Context

10Critical Debates

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