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Death of a Salesman (Theatre)

630 statements
124 feature instances
65 referencing feature instances

Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	type	TVTItem
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	label	Death of a Salesman (Theatre)
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	page	DeathOfASalesman
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	comment	Once upon a time, playwright Arthur Miller set out to disprove one of the fundamental theories about the Tragic Hero — specifically, that they must be royalty, nobility, or some other type of great man who has far to fall and much to lose. Miller intended to write a play with said hero's shoes filled by an everyman. In doing so, he wrote what is often considered the greatest American play.Willy Loman is an aging, washed-up salesman obsessed with the concept of greatness and convinced that being liked and respected is the most important thing in life. Biff is his equally washed-up son, once a high school sports hero with a bright future, now a perennially unemployed loser. The play follows the family's attempts to make one last grab at The American Dream.First produced on Broadway in 1949 with Lee J. Cobb as Willy Loman, Death of a Salesman is a very stagy play, since it's from Willy's dreamy, hallucination-and-flashback-ridden perspective. Nonetheless, several screen adaptations have been made, including a 1951 theatrical film starring Fredric Marchnote The original Broadway cast reprised their roles except for Lee J. Cobb and Arthur Kennedy, the original Biff; the role instead went to his counterpart in the original West End cast, Kevin McCarthy. and made-for-TV versions on CBS (1966, with Lee J. Cobb; 1985, with Dustin Hoffman), The BBC (1966, with Rod Steiger; 1996, with Warren Mitchell), and Showtime (2000, with Brian Dennehy).
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	fetched	2024-04-03T12:23:26Z
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	parsed	2024-04-03T12:23:27Z
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	processingComment	Dropped link to AnAesop: Not a Feature - IGNORE
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	processingComment	Dropped link to TheTestamentOfDrMabuse: Not a Feature - ITEM
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	isPartOf	DBTropes
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1439161f	type	Heroic BSoD
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1439161f	comment	Heroic BSoD: Young Biff has one when he catches Willy cheating on Linda.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1439161f	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1439161f	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1439161f
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_15184afb	type	This Loser Is You
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_15184afb	comment	This Loser Is You: Willy is meant to represent the Average Joe who's still clinging onto the idea that "I Coulda Been a Contender!" if this one thing hadn't happened. Happy and Biff are variations on this theme - with Biff the more self-aware of the two, and Happy as a self-deluded clone of his father.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_15184afb	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_15184afb	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_15184afb
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_15395adc	type	The Mistress
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_15395adc	comment	The Mistress: Willy had one sixteen years in the past. Biff found out and never forgave him.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_15395adc	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_15395adc	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_15395adc
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_174ea6a7	type	The Dutiful Son
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_174ea6a7	comment	The Dutiful Son: Happy tries to be, but as Willy, Linda, and Biff all note, he's far more interested in being a "philandering bum." Biff too, up until he catches Willy having an affair. Played with in Bernard and Charlie. Charlie has a much more hands-off approach to parenting than Willy, but Bernard is much more successful and responsible despite (or because) of this.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_174ea6a7	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_174ea6a7	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_174ea6a7
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1779f10e	type	"Well Done, Son" Guy
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1779f10e	comment	"Well Done, Son" Guy: Young Biff but he loses faith in his father, and in life, when he catches Willy in an affair.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1779f10e	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1779f10e	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1779f10e
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1869b4b1	type	Unreliable Narrator
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1869b4b1	comment	Unreliable Narrator: Many of the scenes are flashbacks told from Willy's point of view. As is made clear from his actions in the present, Willy has a rather weak grasp on reality, so it's questionable to what extent these flashbacks represent things that actually happened as opposed things as Willy chose to remember them.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1869b4b1	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_1869b4b1	featureConfidence	1.0
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Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_18d15922	type	Title Drop
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_18d15922	comment	Title Drop: According to Willy, Dave Singleman "died the death of a salesman" and as such, was grieved by hundreds of his clients around the country.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_18d15922	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_18d15922	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_18d15922
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_19d1c1ae	type	Always Someone Better
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_19d1c1ae	comment	Always Someone Better: Uncle Ben is this to Willy, who seems to symbolize "greatness" the way that Uncle Ben was successful: becoming a Self-Made Man and rich, now sitting at the top of the proverbial food chain.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_19d1c1ae	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_19d1c1ae	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_19d1c1ae
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2260cfe3	type	Like Father, Like Son
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2260cfe3	comment	Like Father, Like Son: Willy and Happy both have a hard time staying faithful to one woman, though Happy more so than Willy.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2260cfe3	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2260cfe3	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2260cfe3
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_22cf536c	type	Chekhov's Gun
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_22cf536c	comment	Chekhov's Gun: Several times whenever Linda is seen mending her stockings, Willy yells at her to put them away. Late in the play, it's revealed that when Biff traveled to Boston to ask him to talk to his math teacher, the woman Willy was having an affair with demanded that he give her the new stockings he promised her if he wanted her to leave his room—apparently, Willy tried to pass off the stocking purchase as a present for Linda.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_22cf536c	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_22cf536c	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_22cf536c
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_23330a99	type	Immediate Self-Contradiction
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_23330a99	comment	Immediate Self-Contradiction: Willy Loman falls prey to this trope, calling Biff a "lazy bum" and then later saying "There's one thing about Biff - he's not lazy." In a later scene he calls his car the best car in the world, only to yell about how awful it is when a bill for it comes in.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_23330a99	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_23330a99	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_23330a99
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_24321e44	type	Only Sane Man
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_24321e44	comment	Only Sane Man: Charley provides a voice of reason to Willy's self-deluding exaggerations and Blatant Lies throughout the story. Linda is a a female example, since she's by far the most emotionally stable member of the Loman family. Partially averted in that she fails to realize (or admit) a few important things about their situation, such as why Willy and Biff are at odds with each other. Biff becomes this towards the end of the play too once he faces certain truths about himself and his family, but to a lesser extent as he's still Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_24321e44	featureApplicability	-1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_24321e44	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_24321e44
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2484396e	type	Know-Nothing Know-It-All
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2484396e	comment	Know-Nothing Know-It-All: Willy Loman criticizes Charlie's poor eating habits as the cause of his heart pain. Charlie tries to ask how he knows this, but Willy only vaguely mentions vitamins affecting bones and the word "chemistry" before getting frustrated and trying to move on.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2484396e	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2484396e	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2484396e
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_27a42ebc	type	Spiritual Successor
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_27a42ebc	comment	Spiritual Successor:invokedIt was one of the most influential works in the American arts and especially popular in The '50s. Nicholas Ray's Bigger Than Life was described by its director and screenwriters as a Spiritual Adaptation even.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_27a42ebc	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_27a42ebc	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_27a42ebc
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_28a5213a	type	Small Name, Big Ego
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_28a5213a	comment	Small Name, Big Ego: Willy likes to think of himself as something of a local legend among salesmen in New York and New England, and thinks that when he dies, his former clients and salesmen from across the region will flock to honor his memory. In reality, Willy is a complete no-name working on commission and is eventually fired by his boss, and when he dies only his immediate family and Charley's show up for the funeral.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_28a5213a	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_28a5213a	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_28a5213a
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_298a9d75	type	Detrimental Determination
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_298a9d75	comment	Detrimental Determination: According to the American Dream that Willy is always chasing, anyone can become rich if they work hard enough and never give up. Willy certainly isn't one to give up, and that's his Fatal Flaw. The fact that he doesn't know when enough's enough leads to Willy making himself and his family miserable over his dogged pursuit of a dream that he never really had a chance at achieving. Despite throwing everything into his work as a salesman, Willy isn't happy, and he isn't successful. It's implied that he'd be happier if he tried his hand at being a construction tradesman, or if he'd just see that the world of sales is just not cut out for him. At one point, Biff practically grabs Willy and screams in his face that neither Willy nor Biff are going to be massive successes, but Willy still doesn't get it. And he takes it to his grave, as Willy is Driven to Suicide in a last-ditch effort to provide for his family without admitting fault.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_298a9d75	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_298a9d75	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_298a9d75
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2be15316	type	Ambiguously Jewish
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2be15316	comment	Ambiguously Jewish: The way the Loman family phrases certain sentences, the Brooklyn setting, and Miller's own heritage suggest the Lomans may be Jewish. The script does not confirm this either way.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2be15316	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2be15316	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2be15316
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2dc0d2bf	type	Hidden Depths
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2dc0d2bf	comment	Hidden Depths: Initially, Biff comes across as nothing more than a pathetic loser, but he's the only member of the Loman family who faces and acknowledges certain realities about their situation in life, unlike his parents and brother who deal with problems by denying that they even exist.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2dc0d2bf	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2dc0d2bf	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_2dc0d2bf
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_32e279c4	type	Humans Are Flawed
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_32e279c4	comment	Humans Are Flawed: The Lomans are attempting to overcome their own vices so they can succeed. Willy learns the wrong lesson and obsesses over those flaws. Biff, however, eventually recognizes how their attempts simply aren't working.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_32e279c4	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_32e279c4	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_32e279c4
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_33f095a8	type	Jaded Washout
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_33f095a8	comment	Jaded Washout: Willy Loman used to have a better life in his younger years (though probably not as great as he thinks it was). Now, he's a bitter old man, desperately trying to cling on to his goal, in spite of all evidence that it's just not going to happen. Biff even more so, he "washed out" even earlier in life, and unlike his father, he doesn't have any illusions about a great future.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_33f095a8	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_33f095a8	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_33f095a8
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3545b7df	type	Proper Lady
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3545b7df	comment	Proper Lady: Linda is Willy's House Wife and tries to be supportive. Deconstructed with everything else since this requires her to participate in Willy's lies and be miserable.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3545b7df	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3545b7df	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3545b7df
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_382a6399	type	The Hero Dies
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_382a6399	comment	The Hero Dies: Played With. The title of the play seems to allude to the death of the elderly protagonist, Willy Loman, but halfway through the play, Willy makes a point about his philosophy in life by describing the death of a different salesman while referencing the play's title. Still, Willy kills himself at the end of the play.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_382a6399	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_382a6399	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_382a6399
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3ac583f4	type	SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3ac583f4	comment	Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism: On the cynical side. The play is a deconstruction of the American Dream, showing how flawed it can be if someone won't stop pursuing it at the expense of all else.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3ac583f4	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3ac583f4	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3ac583f4
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3bc88a7f	type	Foregone Conclusion
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3bc88a7f	comment	Foregone Conclusion: Willy's a salesman. Guess what? He dies. Some readers, however, expect the title to be a metaphor. It helps that there's a Title Drop in the middle of the play, in reference to a different salesman.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3bc88a7f	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3bc88a7f	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3bc88a7f
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3ed23024	type	Surprisingly Realistic Outcome
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3ed23024	comment	Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Biff's (off-stage) meeting with Bill Oliver, the owner of the sporting goods store. Biff was a shipping clerk with Oliver years ago, and the only reason Oliver remembered Biff at all is because Biff stole some merchandise while working at his store. The notion that Oliver would loan thousands of dollars to support Biff's proposed business idea was absurd, so naturally the meeting went nowhere.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3ed23024	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3ed23024	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_3ed23024
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_40bb59d0	type	Blatant Lies
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_40bb59d0	comment	Blatant Lies: Both Willy and Happy tell plenty. Only those who donâ€™t know either guy are fooled. Happy says to one of the prostitutes he sleeps with that Biff is the quarterback for the New York Giants. That year, the primary quarterback was Tuffy Leemans. In the same scene, Happy claims to have graduated from West Point. Happy tells the prostitute that his father is "just some guy at the bar" when Willy becomes an embarrassment. After Happy goes off with the hooker and abandons his father (who's reduced to mumbling nonsense to himself in the restaurant bathroom), he later returns home and assures his mother that Willy had a great time at the restaurant. Willy tells Biff that the girl in his room is only there because the hotel staff is doing maintenance work in her room. Willy lost his salary and hasn't made any successful sales for commission for quite some time. He "borrows" money from Charley and tells his wife and kids that it's money that he earned.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_40bb59d0	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_40bb59d0	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_40bb59d0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_414b064b	type	Lonely Funeral
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_414b064b	comment	Lonely Funeral: Averted Trope. The titular salesman is described as having a funeral where hundreds of his clients from all over the country come and mourn him. For months after, the mood was much sadder on the country's trains. This is in contrast to Willy's funeral, which is attended by three of his family members, two of his colleagues, and none of his clients.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_414b064b	featureApplicability	-1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_414b064b	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_414b064b
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_41be2c1b	type	Spoiler Title
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_41be2c1b	comment	Spoiler Title: There's a salesman in the play. He dies.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_41be2c1b	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_41be2c1b	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_41be2c1b
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_442a6995	type	Stupid Sacrifice
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_442a6995	comment	Stupid Sacrifice: Willy's suicide. He convinces himself that it's a meaningful sacrifice, that by killing himself, his life insurance will fix his family's problems. Because his death is suicide, the insurance is not paid; Willy was warned of this (by a figment of his own imagination, no less) and ignored it. Even if it were, money would not solve his family's woes: the house is paid off, and Biff has no intention of starting a business. His death accomplishes nothing.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_442a6995	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_442a6995	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_442a6995
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4781adbb	type	Jerk with a Heart of Gold
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4781adbb	comment	Jerk with a Heart of Gold: On the surface, Biff is more cold and cruel towards his father than Happy is. Underneath it all, he just wants his father to face the truth about himself just as he has. Willy. He can be an ass sometimes and his delusions have hurt both him and his family, but he genuinely means well and loves them.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4781adbb	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4781adbb	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4781adbb
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_47fea76b	type	Butt-Monkey
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_47fea76b	comment	Butt-Monkey: Willy Loman can never seem to catch a break. Deconstructed in that the play places most of the blame on Willy himself for his complete and utter refusal to give up chasing his dream, even despite evidence that it's only going to lead to more heartache.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_47fea76b	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_47fea76b	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_47fea76b
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4e3d253b	type	Downer Ending
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4e3d253b	comment	Downer Ending: Willy dies and his sacrifice was All for Nothing as Biff refuses to follow in Willy's ideas for success. The rest of the Loman family continues its proud tradition of sucking at life. Happy intends to continue his father's "legacy", almost getting into a fist fight with Biff when he tries to dissuade him. The only upside might be that Biff has rejected Willy's delusions. Maybe. Linda tearfully tells Willy she has finally paid off the house, but will be living in it alone. "We're free."
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4e3d253b	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4e3d253b	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4e3d253b
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4e7c4536	type	Wham Line
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4e7c4536	comment	Wham Line: After the play has been spent with the Loman men talking about how great they'll become, Biff gets the gall to tell his father, "Pop, I'm a dime a dozen and so are you!"
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4e7c4536	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4e7c4536	featureConfidence	1.0
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Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4efe80e1	type	Lazy Bum
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4efe80e1	comment	Lazy Bum: Willy accuses the perennially-jobless Biff of being one, and Biff has a tendency to agree, as he just can't seem to keep a job. It's deconstructed (like so many tropes in this play) in that Biff's problem isn't so much laziness as it is unresolved grief and a traumatic upbringing: Willy's constant inflating of his ego has led him to believe that there's no point in trying things if he's not immediately successful at them, and watching his father cheat on his mother led to a mental breakdown that he can't get past.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4efe80e1	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4efe80e1	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_4efe80e1
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_535865be	type	I Resemble That Remark!
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_535865be	comment	I Resemble That Remark!: After Linda tells Willy he has to control his temper with Biff.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_535865be	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_535865be	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_535865be
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_544f446	type	Loser Protagonist
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_544f446	comment	Loser Protagonist: Willy (and his sons).
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_544f446	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_544f446	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_544f446
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_557838d1	type	Adaptational Attractiveness
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_557838d1	comment	Adaptational Attractiveness: In one of the film adaptations, Dustin Hoffman plays the character of Willy Loman, who in the play's original script was described as fat and unattractive. The film edits out references to Loman's weight and replaces them with jabs at his intellect and height. Apparently Arthur Miller told Dustin Hoffman his original vision of Willy Loman was a small man, despite how casting for the first play turned out.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_557838d1	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_557838d1	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_557838d1
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5a33cf5	type	Future Loser
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5a33cf5	comment	Future Loser: Young Biff is a college football star, a Chick Magnet, and gets excellent grades. Too bad his future self turns out to be a "lazy bum," as Willy calls him. Though it's not entirely Biff's fault; he was disillusioned with everything his father taught him after catching Willy cheating on his mom. As with many things regarding Willy and Biff's past successes, however, it's deconstructed; among other things, it's heavily implied that Biff was a bully who only managed to get any kind of good grades by getting Bernard, who was smarter and more studious, to give him the answers, so despite the surface trappings of success Biff was probably being set up for failure anyway.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5a33cf5	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5a33cf5	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5a33cf5
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5ce7dbb9	type	Central Theme
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5ce7dbb9	comment	Central Theme: The American Dream, and how it affects the average working Joe's attitude towards their job and money. Other themes include betrayal of trust, and perception of reality.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5ce7dbb9	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5ce7dbb9	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5ce7dbb9
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5e2e55e4	type	The Casanova
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5e2e55e4	comment	The Casanova: Happy is an inveterate womanizer. He's certainly not above calling on call girls. He must get it from his old man, who's been cheating on his wife, although it seems that only Biff is aware of that fact.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5e2e55e4	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5e2e55e4	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5e2e55e4
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5f861d0f	type	Only Friend
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5f861d0f	comment	Only Friend: Willy admits that Charley is the only real friend that he has.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5f861d0f	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5f861d0f	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_5f861d0f
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_64972c10	type	Flashback Effects
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_64972c10	comment	Flashback Effects: The stage instructions explain how Willy's imagination works on stage.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_64972c10	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_64972c10	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_64972c10
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_65bc92fc	type	Four-Temperament Ensemble
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_65bc92fc	comment	Four-Temperament Ensemble: Happy (sanguine), Willy (choleric), Biff (melancholic) and Linda (phlegmatic).
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_65bc92fc	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_65bc92fc	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_65bc92fc
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6b05b601	type	Jerkass Has a Point
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6b05b601	comment	Jerkass Has a Point: Willy's boss Howard has no desire to cut him any slack in spite of Willy's friendship with his deceased father and decades of service to the company, and ultimately fires him. Howard may be callous, but at the same time it's also true that Willy has become a liability - not only is he failing to bring in any sales, but even worse, his increasingly erratic behavior and emotional instability make it completely inappropriate to have him represent the company in any way.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6b05b601	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6b05b601	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6b05b601
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6bd689ca	type	Meaningful Echo
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6bd689ca	comment	Meaningful Echo: "He was liked, but he was not well liked."
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6bd689ca	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6bd689ca	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6bd689ca
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6bda9a30	type	Meaningful Name
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6bda9a30	comment	Meaningful Name: People frequently interpret Loman as "low man", but actually Miller took the name from The Testament of Dr. Mabuse: "What the name really means to me is a terror-stricken man calling into the void for help that will never come." Willy's "hero" is salesman "Dave Singleman" who devotes his whole life to selling, living and dying a single man. Subverted with "Happy" who never does seem to be truly happy.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6bda9a30	featureApplicability	-0.3
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6bda9a30	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6bda9a30
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6d332aea	type	Driven to Suicide
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6d332aea	comment	Driven to Suicide: Willy convinces himself crashing his car with him in it will let his family pay off their insurance, making his suicide a Heroic Suicide. His brother, the possibly illusive Ben, points out that suicide would invalidate his life insurance and that his suicide is nothing but selfish, but Willy blocks him out and walks to his car as if in a trance.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6d332aea	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6d332aea	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_6d332aea
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_707193f6	type	Aloof Big Brother
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_707193f6	comment	Aloof Big Brother: Willy's older brother Ben, who got rich by going to Africa and finding diamonds when he was trying to go to Alaska. He appears in flashbacks as a practically godlike figure in Willy's mind, and is always talking about how rich he is, once offering Willy to join him in Alaska.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_707193f6	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_707193f6	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_707193f6
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_72e1bd14	type	Bungled Suicide
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_72e1bd14	comment	Bungled Suicide: Linda thinks the real reason that Willy crashed his car a few months before the play started is that he was attempting to kill himself. Her suspicions are only furthered when she finds out Willy was fiddling with the gas hose, as if he was planning to suffocate himself with it.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_72e1bd14	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_72e1bd14	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_72e1bd14
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7390323c	type	Sticky Fingers
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7390323c	comment	Sticky Fingers: Biff has a tendency to pocket small trinkets and items wherever he goes, almost to the point of kleptomania. It's heavily implied that this habit was condoned by his father, as shown in Willyâ€™s reaction when a teenaged Biff admitted to stealing a football and Willy claimed that it showed initiative. Then he encouraged Biff and Happy to steal some lumber in order to prove their manliness to Ben! The stealing gets worse after Biff discovered his fatherâ€™s affair, but his father was ultimately responsible.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7390323c	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7390323c	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7390323c
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7464705c	type	Arc Words
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7464705c	comment	Arc Words: Willy demeans a neighbor he dislikes by saying "he's liked, but he's not well liked. The same phrase is repeated several times over to express the same principle, until eventually it is used to describe the hollowness of such a value system, when Willy's perception of being "well-liked" by his boss and clients did nothing for him once he was down on his luck.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7464705c	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7464705c	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7464705c
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7598fec1	type	Stocking Filler
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7598fec1	comment	Stocking Filler: The Woman.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7598fec1	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7598fec1	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7598fec1
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_75f626a5	type	Nostalgia Filter
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_75f626a5	comment	Nostalgia Filter: Willy constantly hearkens back to his Glory Days. Trouble is, they weren't all that glorious; they're just better than what was going on now.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_75f626a5	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_75f626a5	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_75f626a5
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7870735b	type	From Bad to Worse
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7870735b	comment	At the end of Act One, Willy is ready to ask for a job in New York, while Biff plans to meet with Bill Oliver to request funds to start his own sporting goods business. Then things go From Bad to Worse.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7870735b	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7870735b	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7870735b
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_794fd8a4	type	Popular Is Dumb
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_794fd8a4	comment	Popular Is Dumb: Unpopular but studious Bernard becomes successful, but popularity-obsessed Willy and Biff fail in the real world. Though Played With in that it is primarily because they focus on popularity to the exclusion of anything else, and fail to consider things like enthusiasm and hard work. It is also frequently implied that Willy and Biff are only popular in their own minds and that not many actually respect them. Biff realizes this at the end.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_794fd8a4	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_794fd8a4	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_794fd8a4
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7a1856ba	type	I Reject Your Reality
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7a1856ba	comment	I Reject Your Reality: All the characters are living in denial, fantasy and illusion, but Willy has it worst of all, as his fantasies and illusions are gradually driving him insane. Biff's Character Development is essentially him coming to terms with the fact that he's ultimately not going to amount to much, and that it's okay if he doesn't.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7a1856ba	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7a1856ba	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7a1856ba
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7a4013f3	type	Deuteragonist
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7a4013f3	comment	Deuteragonist: Biff. He has arguably the biggest impact on the plot outside of Willy himself, and he's the only one of the Lomans to positively develop throughout.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7a4013f3	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7a4013f3	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7a4013f3
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7f0f19e5	type	I Coulda Been a Contender!
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7f0f19e5	comment	I Coulda Been a Contender!: Willy is convinced that he could have been running the New York office if his old boss hadn't died.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7f0f19e5	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7f0f19e5	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_7f0f19e5
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_820133fd	type	Tragic Hero
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_820133fd	comment	Tragic Hero: Unlike a Tragic Hero, Willy Loman is a "pathetic hero" because he learns nothing from his ordeal or mistakes, maintaining his belief in the power of popularity to the end, nor does his death somehow make life better for those he leaves behind (as his hallucination of his dead brother tells him, they won't honor his insurance policy in the case of a suicide). But because of the play's popularity, it took Miller years of defending his success in creating a Tragic Hero out of the common man to admit he failed with Willy Loman and that Biff really should have been the protagonist (especially since he does learn something).
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_820133fd	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_820133fd	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_820133fd
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_83a903f6	type	Stepford Smiler
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_83a903f6	comment	Stepford Smiler: Happy (hence the name). Linda is perhaps an even worse example, as she has to pretend that everything is OK at all times to keep Willy from losing his temper. It's most notable in a flashback scene where Willy returns home bragging about his great sales numbers; Linda checks the figures and is ecstatic to see that they'll be able to pay off a lot of debt. Willy then has to keep admitting that he didn't do nearly as well as he first claimed, but Linda never shows even a hint of disappointment as she redoes her math and watches the sum get smaller and smaller. Her final line in the play—"We're free"—suggests that Willy's death has released her from this role, which comes as a relief to her.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_83a903f6	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_83a903f6	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_83a903f6
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8409a385	type	Exactly What It Says on the Tin
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8409a385	comment	Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The play is about the events leading up to the death of a salesman.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8409a385	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8409a385	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8409a385
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_853f8327	type	Unconfessed Unemployment
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_853f8327	comment	Unconfessed Unemployment: Willy has a hard time admitting to his wife he's out of a job.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_853f8327	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_853f8327	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_853f8327
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_863fac26	type	Jerk Jock
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_863fac26	comment	Jerk Jock: Young Biff. That phase abruptly ends when he catches Willy cheating on Linda, and promptly disowns his father and gives up on success.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_863fac26	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_863fac26	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_863fac26
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_868409c	type	Broken Pedestal
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_868409c	comment	Broken Pedestal: Biff idolized his father, until he found out that Willy was cheating on his wife/Biff's mother with another woman.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_868409c	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_868409c	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_868409c
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8831e97	type	Tritagonist
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8831e97	comment	Tritagonist: Linda. Just as prominent as Biff, but ultimately doesn't wind up developing for the better like him, putting her here.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8831e97	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8831e97	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8831e97
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_88472ef3	type	Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_88472ef3	comment	Biff becomes this towards the end of the play too once he faces certain truths about himself and his family, but to a lesser extent as he's still Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_88472ef3	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_88472ef3	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_88472ef3
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_88933ad4	type	Parental Favoritism
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_88933ad4	comment	Parental Favoritism: Willy has a tendency to ignore Happy — Biff is the one his hopes are invested in. Played with in that Happy is far more like Willy than Biff is, and Biff is much more antagonistic to Willy.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_88933ad4	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_88933ad4	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_88933ad4
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8b568cb7	type	Posthumous Character
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8b568cb7	comment	Posthumous Character: Uncle Ben is mentioned to have died sometime before the events of the play. However he keeps appearing in flashbacks, and his Arc Words keep repeating themselves in Willy's head. Willy, in holding Ben in high esteem, listens to his words most of the time. Sadly, he outright ignores "Ben"'s warnings when he leaves to commit suicide.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8b568cb7	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8b568cb7	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8b568cb7
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8b6e8d7	type	Anachronic Order
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8b6e8d7	comment	Anachronic Order: The past and present get put in a blender, and set to puree. There aren't even any scene changes between them, just sepia-toned or other lighting switching on. This is probably because Willy is starting to go insane. The actors also ignore the walls in flashbacks, reinforcing the dream-like state of the flashbacks.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8b6e8d7	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8b6e8d7	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8b6e8d7
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8d0785d5	type	Didn't Think This Through
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8d0785d5	comment	Didn't Think This Through: Life insurance policies are void in cases of suicide, precisely to prevent families from making money in cases like Willy's. It's clear that before his suicide, Willy is delusional, engaged in an imaginary conversation where his deceased brother Ben eggs him on, and so far past any rational thought. Also a case of All for Nothing.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8d0785d5	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8d0785d5	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8d0785d5
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8eb654e4	type	Firing Day
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8eb654e4	comment	Firing Day: In the second act, there is a Hope Spot where Willy decides to talk to his boss about being transferred to work in New York City, as he accepts that he's too old to be traveling up and down from New Jersey all the way to Massachusetts. While talking to his boss, Willy reminisces about his late boss, the new boss' father, and then brings up the idea of being transferred to only be a salesman in New York City, only for his boss to tell him that his sales numbers have been going down, and has become a liability to the company and fires him. Willy tries to appeal to his, now, ex-boss with the fact that he knew his father, but the ex-boss is unmoved, and when Willy tries negotiating a pay-cut, since he won't be traveling far, the boss just politely asks him to leave his office, and Willy eventually relents and leaves in defeat.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8eb654e4	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8eb654e4	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_8eb654e4
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_91b0421b	type	Loser Son of Loser Dad
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_91b0421b	comment	Loser Son of Loser Dad: It's implied that Happy is bound to follow the same life trajectory as his father, only worse because of his immaturity and irresponsibility. Played with in the case of Biff. On the surface, he's a complete failure personally and financially, but he's self-aware enough to realize that he doesn't want to follow in Willy's footsteps.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_91b0421b	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_91b0421b	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_91b0421b
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_946a37a3	type	Ignored Aesop
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_946a37a3	comment	Ignored Aesop: Happy, in a big way. While Biff understands the fallacy that killed his father, Happy ends the play insisting that his father was right.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_946a37a3	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_946a37a3	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_946a37a3
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_973d220f	type	Never My Fault
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_973d220f	comment	Never My Fault: One of the major themes of the play is Willy's absolute refusal to take responsibility for his flaws, instead insisting that "the system" is just trying to cheat hard-working men like him. He's passed this message on to Happy and especially Biff, repeatedly telling them that they're destined for success, so anything they do is perfectly justified. Biff breaks this cycle by finally accepting himself as he is and owning up to his bad character, which gives him a chance to improve it.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_973d220f	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_973d220f	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_973d220f
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_97ee3a58	type	Vicariously Ambitious
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_97ee3a58	comment	Vicariously Ambitious: Despite his delusions, Willy realizes that he's a failure, and so projects all of his hopes and dreams onto his sons, especially Biff. Unfortunately for Willy, neither of his sons seems destined to amount to very much either, at least in part because Willy teaches them the wrong lessons about how to succeed.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_97ee3a58	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_97ee3a58	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_97ee3a58
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9d12bbc1	type	Foreshadowing
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9d12bbc1	comment	Foreshadowing: Willy's conversation with Charley at the later's office:
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9d12bbc1	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9d12bbc1	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9d12bbc1
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9e9203e1	type	Dramatically Missing the Point
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9e9203e1	comment	Dramatically Missing the Point: Happy thinks he can just do better than his father at his sales career if he just tries hard enough. The point is that Willy was trying hard; it's just that he wasn't cut out for the line of work and ignored all evidence to the contrary. At one point, Biff practically grabs Willy and screams in his face that neither Willy nor Biff are going to be massive successes, that they don't have what it takes to be massive successes, and that's okay, they don't need to be massive successes. Willy takes the exact opposite interpretation to what Biff is trying to tell him. When Charlie mentions that Bernard is "going to court," Willy thinks he's talking about tennis and teases him. When Bernard himself shows up, Willy's stunned to learned that the young man is actually going to the Supreme Court to argue a case as a highly successful lawyer. Arguably, Willy's view of Dave Singleman's life and death could be this. Willy holds Dave's career up as an example of success, and thinks it's admirable that Dave died the "death of a salesman" on the job, in a train car on the way to his next business stop. But he's blind to the emptiness of it: Dave was still working at eighty-four instead of enjoying a peaceful retirement, died alone in a train car with no loved ones beside him, and there's no mention of a spouse or children or grandchildren...only the other salesmen at his funeral. It all underlines how flawed and hollow Willy's priorities are, and how his life might have been much richer if he'd only quit chasing a version of success he's not cut out for and focus on other things.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9e9203e1	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9e9203e1	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9e9203e1
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9f6fb586	type	Leitmotif
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9f6fb586	comment	Leitmotif: The stage directions specify a flute tune at the start of flashbacks as part of the Flashback Effects.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9f6fb586	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9f6fb586	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9f6fb586
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9fb5d589	type	Not Now, Kiddo
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9fb5d589	comment	Not Now, Kiddo: Bernard, warning Biff that he needs to study and getting brushed off by Willy.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9fb5d589	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9fb5d589	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_9fb5d589
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_a6278d84	type	Wacky Parent, Serious Child
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_a6278d84	comment	Wacky Parent, Serious Child: A very dark version with Willy and Biff.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_a6278d84	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_a6278d84	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_a6278d84
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_a94eaaa4	type	Odd Friendship
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_a94eaaa4	comment	Odd Friendship: Stereotypical jock Biff and equally stereotypical nerd Bernard are best friends in high school. Even though Biff ridiculed, bullied, and cheated off his friend, it's obvious that Bernard cared deeply about Biff, telling Willy the two came to blows when he saw Biff throwing away his future.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_a94eaaa4	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_a94eaaa4	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_a94eaaa4
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_aba8065b	type	Fatal Flaw
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_aba8065b	comment	Fatal Flaw: Willy is in love with a dream and never recognizes that it doesn't match up to reality. He obsesses over irrelevancies and his own (prominent, but ultimately meaningless) flaws rather than the false promises of society that lead him to where he is.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_aba8065b	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_aba8065b	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_aba8065b
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ae3d6438	type	Deadpan Snarker
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ae3d6438	comment	Deadpan Snarker: Many of Charley's remarks to Willy and Biff are sarcastic teasing.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ae3d6438	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ae3d6438	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ae3d6438
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b01abe4f	type	Catchphrase
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b01abe4f	comment	Catchphrase: Several characters have them, in various permutations.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b01abe4f	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b01abe4f	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b01abe4f
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b0a529cb	type	Extreme Doormat
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b0a529cb	comment	Extreme Doormat: Linda seems to be this to Willy at times, as she tolerates his insults and bullying. However, it's deconstructed to some degree because her tolerance is mostly due to her compassion and pity for Willy's declining mental condition.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b0a529cb	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b0a529cb	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b0a529cb
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b0bce7aa	type	Selective Obliviousness
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b0bce7aa	comment	Selective Obliviousness: This is the main way Linda protects Willy's fragile ego (or, less charitably, enables his worst traits)—by ignoring his flaws and acting as though his meager successes are far more important than they actually are. Some interpretations even suggest that she knows about Willy's affair, but pretends not to in an effort to keep peace; it's notable that one of the few times she genuinely loses her temper is when she snaps at Biff and Happy for sleeping with "whores."
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b0bce7aa	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b0bce7aa	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b0bce7aa
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b11ac9f5	type	Abusive Parents
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b11ac9f5	comment	Abusive Parents: One of Miller's main arguments is that Willy, despite truly loving his sons and never physically abusing them, caused them a huge amount of mental trauma with his constant praise and insistence that they were destined for greatness, thus unknowingly abusing them. Biff realizes that Willy lied to him all his life and led him to think that he'd be immediately successful in whatever he tried to do, which has only made him unable to stick with anything—the instant a job or hobby gets difficult, he loses all interest in it, turning him into a Lazy Bum. The ending suggests that this knowledge will give Biff the ability to move on and at least try to improve his flaws, while Happy, still in denial, refuses to believe that Willy was anything but perfect.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b11ac9f5	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b11ac9f5	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b11ac9f5
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b30c44b7	type	The All-American Boy
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b30c44b7	comment	The All-American Boy: Biff was a high-school athlete who carried his football time, caught the eye of every girl, and loved his dad more than anything else in his life. He was everything Willy hoped he would be, which is why Willy is now so angry that his son has no job or family despite being thirty-four years old.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b30c44b7	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b30c44b7	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b30c44b7
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b4a44588	type	Tough Love
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b4a44588	comment	Tough Love: Inverted, insofar as it's a child's attitude towards his parent rather than the reverse. Biff sincerely believes that the best way to help Willy and to reconcile with him is to make him face the truth about himself and his life. Unfortunately for Biff, Willy is too far gone to be helped in this way.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b4a44588	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b4a44588	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b4a44588
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b4a6ae4c	type	Everyone Has Standards
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b4a6ae4c	comment	Everyone Has Standards: Even though Biff was cold to Willy and ultimately left him behind in the restaurant too, he's disgusted with the Blatant Lies Happy told their mother about what a "great time" Willy had with them on their night out.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b4a6ae4c	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b4a6ae4c	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b4a6ae4c
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b6cc7fc0	type	Dysfunctional Family
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b6cc7fc0	comment	Dysfunctional Family: The Lomans are lead by a mentally ill patriarch who values financial success over work, compliance with the law, and intelligence, a wife who refuses to stand up to her husband no matter the scenario, a son who has had every pressure to succeed put on him by his father, and a younger son who has adopted every single one of his father's flaws in his attempts to get any sort of attention. The most down-to-earth of all of Lomans is Ben, who's a hallucination of the father.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b6cc7fc0	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b6cc7fc0	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_b6cc7fc0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ba440e1	type	THeUnfavorite
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ba440e1	comment	The Un-Favorite: Happy Loman, who can never measure up in his dad's eyes to his older brother Biff.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ba440e1	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ba440e1	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ba440e1
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bb18a227	type	It's All About Me
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bb18a227	comment	It's All About Me: Played with; Willy is convinced that Biff's failure to make anything of himself is out of simple spite towards Willy himself. While this may have been partially Biff's motives when he was younger, by the time the play begins it's actually because deep down Biff has no real interest in achieving the vision of success that Willy has based his entire life and worldview around, and just wants to figure out what he wants to do with his life for himself.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bb18a227	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bb18a227	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bb18a227
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bbc77bb5	type	Hard Truth Aesop
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bbc77bb5	comment	Hard Truth Aesop: Reality can crush one's dreams. Sometimes it's okay to stop pursuing a dream. If you set your sights too high, you're liable to end up disappointed. It's better to define success on your own terms than to be so hung up on traditional definitions of "success" (executive job, three-piece suit, etc.) that you overlook the kind of work/life you'd be better suited for.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bbc77bb5	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bbc77bb5	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bbc77bb5
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bdf2a460	type	Tragic Dream
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bdf2a460	comment	Tragic Dream: The whole point of the play is that Willy's desire to rise to greatness through his job is ultimately self-destructive.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bdf2a460	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bdf2a460	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_bdf2a460
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c335b9ec	type	Irony
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c335b9ec	comment	Irony: Willy consistently rejects Charlie's offers of a job because, in Willy's mind, construction is not a suitable form of success. In pretty much every way, however, Charlie's life is much more successful than Willy's; he runs his own successful business, has more money, and has a much better relationship with his son. Essentially, Charlie has more successfully achieved the American Dream than Willy has.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c335b9ec	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c335b9ec	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c335b9ec
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c39846a3	type	Pride
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c39846a3	comment	Pride: Willy cannot accept the idea that he, and more importantly Biff, are not great men but just average Joes. Biff even says "Pop, I am a dime a dozen, and so are you!" to Willy at one point, which Willy harshly rebukes.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c39846a3	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c39846a3	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c39846a3
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c3c18143	type	Hope Spot
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c3c18143	comment	Hope Spot: At the end of Act One, Willy is ready to ask for a job in New York, while Biff plans to meet with Bill Oliver to request funds to start his own sporting goods business. Then things go From Bad to Worse. At the end of the play, Biff gets out like his Uncle Ben before him.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c3c18143	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c3c18143	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c3c18143
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c4db6423	type	Yank the Dog's Chain
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c4db6423	comment	Yank the Dog's Chain: For just a moment, it looks like Biff is going to get a job and sort out his life. But no. This turns out for the best though, since it helps him realize what he wants in life and not be trapped in a delusion like Willy.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c4db6423	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c4db6423	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c4db6423
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c5249b29	type	Nice Guy
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c5249b29	comment	Nice Guy: Charley, who gives Willy money and offers him a do-nothing job even though Willy often treats Charley with contempt (to mask his own jealousy). Also Stanley the waiter, who does his best to help Willy during his breakdown in the restaurant washroom.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c5249b29	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c5249b29	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c5249b29
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c5f0119c	type	Insane Troll Logic
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c5f0119c	comment	Insane Troll Logic: A truly depressing example. Willy's greatest belief is in "the American Dream," which says that if you work hard and long enough, you'll be rich and successful. Despite working extremely hard for decades, he's neither. But rather than criticize the American Dream itself, Willy instead applies fallacious logic to it: since hard work is all it takes to become wealthy, then he must not be working hard enough, because he isn't wealthy yet. Biff desperately tries to shake him out of this cycle in their final scene, saying that he's "a dime a dozen" and fated to mediocrity. Willy refuses to listen.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c5f0119c	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c5f0119c	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c5f0119c
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c6edf1c	type	Tragic Dropout
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c6edf1c	comment	Tragic Dropout: Biff never graduated after failing his regents exam. He also refused to go to summer school after finding out his father was having an affair.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c6edf1c	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c6edf1c	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c6edf1c
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c8a8c595	type	Retirony
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c8a8c595	comment	Retirony: Willy kills himself to give his family the insurance money. Their house was paid off without it.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c8a8c595	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c8a8c595	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_c8a8c595
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ca87e3ec	type	No Name Given
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ca87e3ec	comment	No Name Given: Willy's mistress is only called "The Woman".
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ca87e3ec	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ca87e3ec	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ca87e3ec
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cb83d23b	type	I Just Want to Be Special
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cb83d23b	comment	I Just Want to Be Special: Willy, both for himself and vicariously through his sons. He obsesses over being "well-liked" and dreams that he'll be a hero and celebrity among salesmen like his hero Singleman. He also believes that his sons' good looks and popularity in high school will carry them through to wealth, celebrity, and greatness through the rest of their lives, with him basking in their glory.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cb83d23b	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cb83d23b	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cb83d23b
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cbd2bfa3	type	Glory Days
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cbd2bfa3	comment	Glory Days: Willy is always hearkening back to his. They were probably not as glorious as he remembers now, though.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cbd2bfa3	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cbd2bfa3	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cbd2bfa3
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cc427069	type	Hard Work Hardly Works
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cc427069	comment	Hard Work Hardly Works: Deconstructed to hell and back. Willy is a both a believer and doubter of this trope—while he himself toils endlessly in an effort to become wealthy, he thinks that his handsome, muscular, popular sons won't have to work hard because they're so "well-liked." Biff takes this trope to an even further degree: after witnessing his father having an affair and failing out of school in the same day, he had a complete breakdown and came to believe that there was no point to trying to do anything at all, becoming a "lazy bum" instead. Finally, Charlie and Bernard subvert this trope—they both work extremely hard and have achieved success (Charlie owns a lucrative business, and Bernard is a skilled lawyer) and comfortable lives.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cc427069	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cc427069	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_cc427069
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_d46899fc	type	Business Trip Adultery
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_d46899fc	comment	Business Trip Adultery: Willy Loman is a traveling salesman who spends a lot of time on the road away from his wife and sons. When Willy's son Biff gets in trouble at school, he decides to track his father down so Willy can come back to New York and fix the situation. When Biff arrives at the hotel where his father is staying, he discovers his father with a woman. They are clearly having an affair and Biff has a massive Broken Pedestal moment and never forgives his father. It is implied that Willy seduces the secretaries of his clients both to feed his ego and to guarantee him better sales.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_d46899fc	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_d46899fc	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_d46899fc
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_d7fc9fd0	type	Vitriolic Best Buds
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_d7fc9fd0	comment	Vitriolic Best Buds: Willy and Charley are always arguing and at each other's throats, but Willy admits that Charley is the only real friend he has. Also Biff and Bernard. They're complete opposites - one the popular high school jock, the other the stereotypical nerd. In spite of this and the fact that both Biff and Willy ridicule Bernard, it's suggested that they were one another's closest friends.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_d7fc9fd0	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_d7fc9fd0	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_d7fc9fd0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dc3b74bc	type	Pointy-Haired Boss
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dc3b74bc	comment	Pointy-Haired Boss: Willy's new boss fails to acknowledge the numerous years of hard work that Willy put in during his period and won't allow him to work in New York City, insisting he stay on the road. Unlike his father, who served more as A Father to His Men (at least according to Willy), the new boss only thinks about business and actually comes off as condescending to Willy, referring to him as "kid," despite the fact the Willy was working here before he was born.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dc3b74bc	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dc3b74bc	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dc3b74bc
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dcf669c2	type	Offended by an Inferior's Success
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dcf669c2	comment	Offended by an Inferior's Success: Willy believes that he and his sons are great men, destined to do great things, something he expresses by describing people as "liked, but not well-liked." As such, Willy he entertain the idea he should work for Charley, seeing it as beneath him. Furthermore, Willy cannot fathom the idea that Bernard, Charley's son and whom Willy also sees as just being "liked" is a successful lawyer who is happily married, while Biff, who was "well liked" in high school ended up becoming a drifter who wandered back home after several years away.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dcf669c2	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dcf669c2	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dcf669c2
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dda99fa8	type	Despair Event Horizon
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dda99fa8	comment	Despair Event Horizon: Biff reached this sixteen years ago when he discovered Willy's affair.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dda99fa8	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dda99fa8	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_dda99fa8
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e0aed924	type	No Antagonist
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e0aed924	comment	No Antagonist: The closest the play gets to an antagonist is Willy himself, but he's not so much a Villain Protagonist as he's His Own Worst Enemy. All of Willy's problems are either his own fault or the result of forces beyond any one man's control. Even Willy's boss who cuts his pay and fires him isn't out to get Willy, he's just doing what any business owner would do and getting rid of an underperforming employee.note Though the bossman wasn't exactly giving Willy a fighting chance.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e0aed924	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e0aed924	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e0aed924
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e16cd24e	type	Know When to Fold 'Em
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e16cd24e	comment	Know When to Fold 'Em: Willy doesn't. He's really not cut out to be a salesman at all, and would have had a far better life as a construction tradesman. On the other hand, this is the lesson that Biff learns by the end of the play.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e16cd24e	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e16cd24e	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e16cd24e
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e52a0409	type	Calling the Old Man Out
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e52a0409	comment	Calling the Old Man Out: Biff has essentially been doing this non-stop, deliberately (if subconsciously) striving to disappoint his father. Eventually, it culminates with Biff saying "Pop, I am a dime a dozen, and so are you!"
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e52a0409	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e52a0409	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e52a0409
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e567510d	type	Determinator
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e567510d	comment	Determinator: Deconstructed. Willy Loman will never give up his dream of being a successful salesman. But that also leaves his family perpetually sad and broke, and causes Willy no small amount of undue stress. Several times, it's commented that Willy should see that he needs to quit, but he won't.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e567510d	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e567510d	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_e567510d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_eba4e300	type	Honorary Uncle
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_eba4e300	comment	Honorary Uncle: Willy and Charlie are this to each other's kids.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_eba4e300	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_eba4e300	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_eba4e300
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ec9a5f50	type	Deconstructed Character Archetype
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ec9a5f50	comment	Deconstructed Character Archetype: Willy Loman as the Self-Made Man and Determinator, embodiment of "the American Dream." According to that Dream, anyone and everyone can become rich and successful if they work hard and never give up. Willy does both—he's exhausted himself with his work and refuses to quit even though his body is beginning to fail him. But despite his endless toil, he isn't happy; his endless pursuit of the American Dream only results in anger, debt, and despair.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ec9a5f50	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ec9a5f50	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ec9a5f50
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ed874c14	type	Self-Made Man
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ed874c14	comment	Self-Made Man: This is all Willy wants to be—and everything he isn't. He idolizes both Dave Singleman (the greatest salesman of his time) and his brother Ben (who actually struck it rich in the nations of Africa).
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ed874c14	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ed874c14	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ed874c14
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ee7ed46e	type	The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ee7ed46e	comment	The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Charley offers Willy a do-nothing job where he'd basically just collect a paycheck and have a job title as a slightly dignified cover-up of the fact that he's living off Charley's charity.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ee7ed46e	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ee7ed46e	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_ee7ed46e
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f005700f	type	Conspicuous Consumption
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f005700f	comment	Conspicuous Consumption: As with so much else about the American Dream, this is deconstructed. The Lomans tend to make flashy but ill-advised purchases based on such things as what has "the biggest advert" to give the illusion of success and wealth. This just leaves them with expensive duds that constantly need to be repaired and act as a drain on their finances, such as a refrigerator that constantly needs the fan belt replaced and a car that's always breaking down.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f005700f	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f005700f	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f005700f
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f1492605	type	Redemption Equals Death
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f1492605	comment	Redemption Equals Death: Played with. Willy plans for his death to obtain big insurance money for his family to compensate for all the grief he caused for them, and/or so he can live his ideals through Biff. A defied trope, since he really gains nothing out of it.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f1492605	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f1492605	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f1492605
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f438b11b	type	Who's Laughing Now?
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f438b11b	comment	Who's Laughing Now?: Bernard is, once he becomes a successful high-flying lawyer. Willy Loman, who once looked down on him, comes crawling to him for help. Subverted in that Bernard is not cruel or condescending, and actually gives Willy advice. Not to mention he doesn't seem to hold any bad feelings toward the Lomans for looking down on him and considers Biff a good friend.
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f438b11b	featureApplicability	-0.3
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f438b11b	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_f438b11b
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_name	type	ItemName
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_name	comment
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_name	featureApplicability	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_name	featureConfidence	1.0
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_name
Death of a Salesman (Theatre) / int_name	itemName	Death of a Salesman (Theatre)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Ability over Appearance / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Ambiguously Jewish / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Anachronic Order / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Break the Believer / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Broken Pedestal / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Business Trip Adultery / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Classical Anti-Hero / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Classically-Trained Extra / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Combat Pragmatist / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Cross-Cast Role / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Determinator / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Detrimental Determination / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Dramatically Missing the Point / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Elephant in the Living Room / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Exactly What It Says on the Tin / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Family-Unfriendly Aesop / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Fatal Flaw / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Filmed Stage Production / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Firing Day / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Flashback Effects / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Future Loser / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Glory Days / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Hard Truth Aesop / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Harmful to Minors / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Heroic Suicide / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	I Am Not Spock / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	I Coulda Been a Contender! / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Ignored Aesop / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Jaded Washout / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Kicked Upstairs / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Know When to Fold 'Em / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Know When to Fold 'Em / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Lonely Funeral / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Loser Protagonist / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Multitasked Conversation / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Not Now, Kiddo / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Offended by an Inferior's Success / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Oh, and X Dies / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Parental Favoritism / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Popular Is Dumb / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Rasputinian Death / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Stupid Sacrifice / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Suicide for Others' Happiness / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	The '50s / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	The All-American Boy / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	The Dutiful Son / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	The Hero Dies / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	The One Who Made It Out / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	The Un-Favourite / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Tragedy / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Tragic Dream / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Tragic Dropout / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Tragic Hero / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Traveling Salesman / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Unconfessed Unemployment / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Vicariously Ambitious / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	"Well Done, Son" Guy / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Who's Laughing Now? / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Working Title / int_751cea2d
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Wrong Line of Work / int_751cea2d
DarkOfTheMoon	seeAlso	Death of a Salesman (Theatre)
DeathOfASalesMan	sameAs	Death of a Salesman (Theatre)
DeathofaSalesman	sameAs	Death of a Salesman (Theatre)
Death of a Salesman (Theatre)	hasFeature	Title Requiem / int_751cea2d

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