Act One: Key Events 4-6 Quotes

English Lit: AQA A Level Death of a Salesman, topic 11.2.2

Act One: Key Events 4-6

Here are three quotations showing key events in Act One:

Happy discusses his father with the recently returned Biff.
“HAPPY: …Like I’m not supposed to take bribes. Manufacturers offer me a hundred-dollar bill now and then to throw an order their way. You know how honest I am, but it’s like this girls, see. I hate myself for it… and still, I take it…”
- Happy knows how corrupt his line of work can be and shows how corrupt he is. He accepts bribes and sleeps with the partners of colleagues, but still perceives himself to be “honest”.

The first memory scene. Willy remembers Biff and Happy as boys cleaning “that red Chevvy”.
“WILLY: [stopping the incipient argument, to HAPPY]: Sure, he’s gotta practise with a regulation ball, doesn’t he? [To BIFF] Coach’ll probably congratulate you on your initiative!”
- The quote reveals Willy’s clear favouritism, chiding Happy while defending Biff. It also demonstrates Willy teaching Biff the wrong lesson: that the coach will applaud Biff’s theft.

Still in the past, we see Willy and Linda calculate Willy’s earnings and go over the bills they have to pay.
“Oh, I’ll knock ‘em dead next week. I’ll go to Hartford. I’m very well liked in Hartford. You know, the trouble is, Linda, people don’t seem to take to me.”
- We see how quickly Willy can contradict himself as reality intrudes into his dream-world. At this vulnerable moment, he cannot keep up the pretence to his wife.