: Examine the place of supporting characters in a major American play.

Supporting Characters Response

This learning activity will require you to choose one supporting character in Miller’s play and respond to a series of questions regarding the character in a

: Examine the place of supporting characters in a major American play.

“Why am I trying to become what I don’t want to be … when all I want is out there, waiting for me the minute I say I know who I am.”

Willy Loman

Supporting characters in a work of literature help us to understand how the protagonist and/or antagonist relate and influence the story. There are some literary scholars that have suggested that the Death of a Salesman is really Biff’s story—that in the end Biff is the one character who experiences true change.

Analyzing the influence of supporting characters involves close reading and consideration. As you complete the learning activity for this objective, you will need to consider how the supporting character you chose influences your understanding of Willy. For example, which supporting character provides the most reliable description of who Willy should strive to become? This question and others suggest that supporting characters have significant influence in how we grow to understand the author’s intent and purpose.

Learning Activity #4: Supporting Characters Response

This learning activity will require you to choose one supporting character in Miller’s play and respond to a series of questions regarding the character in a 300-350 word response.

• Choose one only of the following supporting characters:Linda Lowman, Biff Lowman, Happy Lowman, Charlie, Bernard, and Howard Wagner.
• Show evidence of your responses by referring to lines and events in the play.

• Does your character’s name seem to have any significance?
• How does Miller describe your character?
• How does your character view (or relate to) Willy Loman?
• How does Willy Loman view your character?
• How do other characters in the play view (or relate to) your character?
• What do we learn about your character from how he/she behaves towards/treats others?
• What do we learn about your character from what he/she says?
• What are your character’s ambitions, and how far are these achieved by the play’s close?
• How good is your character’s grasp on reality?
• How would you sum up your character’s greatest strength and/or greatest weakness?

• Choose one only of the following supporting characters:Linda Lowman, Biff Lowman, Happy Lowman, Charlie, Bernard, and Howard Wagner.
• Show evidence of your responses by referring to lines and events in the play.

• Does your character’s name seem to have any significance?
• How does Miller describe your character?
• How does your character view (or relate to) Willy Loman?
• How does Willy Loman view your character?
• How do other characters in the play view (or relate to) your character?
• What do we learn about your character from how he/she behaves towards/treats others?
• What do we learn about your character from what he/she says?
• What are your character’s ambitions, and how far are these achieved by the play’s close?
• How good is your character’s grasp on reality?
• How would you sum up your character’s greatest strength and/or greatest weakness?