Willy Loman Quotes - ACT TWO Flashcards
A quote from LINDA at the beginning of Act Two as she speaks to Biff on the phone after Willy has left, reflecting the vulnerability she sees in him but is too scared to admit to to his face
“He’s only a little boat looking for a harbour”
A quote from HOWARD during his scene in reference to the wire tape recorder, showing the distinctly unfair and misleading nature of the American Dream, showing some to be born into prosperity and other not, as highlighted by the wire recorder (bearing in mind that Willy virtually begs Howard for “forty dollars a week” just to make ends meet)
“They’re only a hundred and a half […] You tell the maid to turn the radio on when Jack Benny comes on, and this automatically goes on with the radio”
A quote from WILLY during the Howard scene, telling the story of meeting his idol, the salesman Dave Singleman (an aptronym), which convinced him not to move North with Ben. It clearly reflects the tragedy in Willy that he cannot see the failure of the American Dream - he sees only brilliance in Singleman’s story, but the reality of his life is a tragic one
“And old Dave, he’d go up to his room […] and put on his green velvet slippers […] and call the buyers, and without ever leaving his room, at the age of eighty-four, he made his living”
Another quote from Willy of the tragic life of Dave Singleman, showing Willy to value the wrong things, popularity over his own family. In the Requiem, it is only his family who attend his funeral
“He died the death of a salesman, in his green velvet slippers […] When he died, hundreds f salesmen and buyers were at his funeral”
A quote from the Howard scene after Howard leaves the room, reflecting Willy’s intense fear of advancing society and of being left behind by a changing capitalist world in which he cannot succeed, as well as Willy’s complete dependance on the younger, more successful men of advancing America
“[leaping away with fright, shouting] Ha! Howard! Howard […] [pointing at the machine, which continues nasally, childishly, with the capital cities] Shut it off! Shut it off!”
A quote from HOWARD reflecting Willy’s unimportance and insignificance in an advancing world to the rich and successful - the Dream has failed Willy
“I’ve got a line of people to see this morning […] Pull yourself together, kid, there’s people outside”
A quote from LINDA in Willy’s Act Two memory of Ben, reflecting Willy’s loss of sight of what is important - he chases wealth and not family in potentially going to Alaska
“Why must everybody conquer the world? You’re well liked, and the boys love you”
A quote from BEN in Willy’s memory of him which reflects the futility in Willy’s idealised vision of the American Dream - he has nothing, has laid no legacy, and, as such, has nothing to show for his life - this scene may be suggested to be the peripeteia (contrasts diamonds, which are a tangible representation of success)
“What are you building? Lay your hands on it. Where is it?”
A quote from WILLY in the scene in which Willy goes to see Charley. Bernard asks Willy what happened in Boston after the football game that prevented Biff from going to college, and Willy refuses to take responsibility for his own actions, failing to see his son as simply different to himself
“What are you trying to do, blame it on me? If a boy lays down is that my fault?”
A quote from CHARLEY in the Bernard-Charley scene in which Charley tells Willy that Bernard is going to argue a case in front of the Supreme Court, and Willy says that Bernard never mentioned it. The image of success in Bernard distinctly contrasts Willy’s warped view of success as simply a means by which to be well liked
“He don’t have to [mention it] - he’s gonna do it”
A quote from CHARLEY in the Bernard-Charley scene in which Charley again offers Willy a job which he refuses it, complaining that Howard fired him even though he named him. Charley reflects to Willy the futility of the Dream which Willy cannot understand - all that matters is what you can sell, and, in the hard, capitalist American world, being well-liked means nothing
“You named him Howard, be you can’t sell that. 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”
A quote from WILLY in the Bernard-Charley scene, in which Willy perhaps has a moment of partial anagnorisis, realising the futility of his existence, having sold himself to capitalism
“Funny, y’know? After all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive”
A quote from WILLY in the restaurant scene, in which Biff is attempting to tell his father that he walked away from Oliver’s office without any deal, but Willy refuses to listen, asking for a story rather than reality, reflecting Willy’s life of delusions and lies which have fuelled his dedication to the dream (“woman” also highlights anonymity)
“I’m looking for a little good news to tell your mother, because the woman has waited, and the woman has suffered […] I haven’t got a story left in my head, Biff”
A quote from BIFF in the Act Two woman memory, reflecting how Willy let his family down in his desperate chasing of the Dream - his once doting son is now ashamed of him, having given himself completely to his desire to be well-liked
He wouldn’t listen to you […] You - you have her mamma’s stockings […] You fake! You phony little fake! You fake!”
A quote from WILLY as he is left alone in the restaurant, presenting perhaps an anagnorisis, a realisation that his life has come to nothing, and a desperate need to leave behind a legacy before his death
“I’ve got to get some seeds, right away. Nothing’s planted. I don’t have a thing in the ground”
