Death Of A Salesman Quotes

Front 1

1

Back 1

"Willy: Biff is a lazy bum!
Linda: They're sleeping. Get something to eat. Go on down.
Willy: Why did he come home? I would like to know what brought him home.
Linda: I don't know. I think he's still lost, Willy. I think he's very lost.
Willy: Biff Loman is lost. In the greatest country in the world a man with such―personal attractiveness, gets lost. And such a hard worker. There's one thing about Biff―he's not lazy."

Hint 1

Willy and Linda, contradictions

Front 2

2

Back 2

"Willy: Why do you get American when I like Swiss?
Linda: I just thought you'd like a change―
Willy: I don't want change! I want Swiss cheese. Why am I always being contradicted?"

Hint 2

Willy and Linda, change

Front 3

3

Back 3

Happy: "All I can do now is wait for the merchandise manager to die. And suppose I get to be merchandise manager? He's a good friend of mine, and he just built a terrific estate on Long Island. And he lived there about two months and sold it, and now he's building another one. He can't enjoy it once it's finished. And I know that's just what I would do. I don't know what the hell I'm working for."

Hint 3

Happy, the American dream

Front 4

4

Back 4

Willy: "But I got a couple fearless characters there.
Charley: The jails are full of fearless characters.
Ben (clapping Willy on the back, with a laugh at Charley): And the stock exchange, friend!"

Hint 4

Willy, Charley and Ben, obedience to authority

Front 5

5

Back 5

Linda: "I don't say he's a great man. Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. He's not the finest character that ever lived. But he's a human being, and something terrible is happening to him. So attention must be paid. He's not to be allowed to fall into his grave like an old dog. Attention, attention must be finally paid to such a person."

Hint 5

Linda, common man tragedy

Front 6

6

Back 6

Willy: "Once in my life I would like to own something outright before it's broken! I'm always in a race with the junkyard! I just finished paying for the car and it's on its last legs. The refrigerator consumes belts like a goddam maniac. They time those things. They time them so when you finally paid for them, they're used up."

Hint 6

Willy, consumer products

Front 7

7

Back 7

Willy: "In those days there was personality in it, Howard. There was respect, and comradeship, and gratitude in it. Today, it's all cut and dried, and there's no chance for bringing friendship to bear―or personality."

Hint 7

Willy, business

Front 8

8

Back 8

Willy: "I put thirty-four years into this firm, Howard, and now I can't pay my insurance! You can't eat the orange and throw the peel away―a man is not a piece of fruit!"

Hint 8

Willy, common man tragedy

Front 9

9

Back 9

Charley: "The only thing you got in this world is what you can sell. And the funny thing is that you're a salesman, and you don't know that."

Hint 9

Charley, possessions

Front 10

10

Back 10

Biff: "How the hell did I ever get the idea that I was a salesman there? I even believed myself that I'd been a salesman for him! And then he gave me one look and―I realized what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been! We've been talking in a dream for fifteen years. I was a shipping clerk."

Hint 10

Biff, liars

Front 11

11

Back 11

Willy: "All right, get my suits. (Biff doesn't move.) Now stop crying and do as I say. I gave you an order. Biff, I gave you an order! Is that what you do when I give you an order? How dare you cry?"

Hint 11

Willy, obedience

Front 12

12

Back 12

Charley: "Nobody dast blame this man. You don't understand: Willy was a salesman. And for a salesman, there is no rock bottom to the life. He don't put a bolt to a nut, he don't tell you the law or give you medicine. He's a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back―that's an earthquake. And then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you're finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory."

Hint 12

Charley, salesmen