help on "Death of a salesman"

[mmuneeb194]

Can someone please help me on "Death of a salesman".
Question as follows;
Pretend that you are Ruth the daughter of Linda's sister. You are 25 years old and have been visiting the Loman family for about a week. It is your first visit. Willy has been away for the first five days of your visit but has returned recently. You are writing to your mother, describing the family and the way they interact with one another. You are lively and keenly observant. You are writing, partly to entertain your mother, but you are also hoping that your mother can explain what’s going on in the Loman family in a reassuring way. You are worried about all of them, especially about Linda.
In your letter, describe what you have seen, and express your own ideas and uncertainties about the family members. Are you attracted to either of the young men? Since you are worried, what are you worried about> Do you think something bad may happen? If so, what? Do you see anything positive in the gamily?

Make it a fairly long letter, 1000-1500 words.

[ShoutGrace]

Have you read the play, mmuneeb194?

It seems like all you have to do is observe the way the characters are interacting with each other; their spoken words and actions, and then write it out as a type of free thought, the way a 25 year old female might.

If you're writing to entertain your mother than you can both exaggerate and extrapolate a lot more.

It seems like a transition occurs when Willy comes home. Might there be changes in the characters attitudes at that time? Or their behaviour? The general atmosphere of the house?

I found both many reasons to worry about the Loman family and many postive things about them, also. Why don't you post again and relate some of your thoughts? :nod:

[mmuneeb194]

yeah i did,, and so far i wrote about 850+ word,, but i just want to confirm it.

[byquist]

You're probably all done by now but I hope you mentioned that you notice, shall we say, a tad of "tension" in the household, to put it mildly. That the boys are jolly one moment and sulky or fighting the next, that Linda watches Willie like a hawk, and that Willy talks to himself a lot and goes down to the basement quite a lot. Biff seems to have a chip against his Pop, and Linda yells at Biff when he's disrespectful to Pop. Linda and Biff have this mutual eye contact, like they have this secret.

As far as liking the guys that's up to you, but Biff has something going for him if you wanna live in Texas or the mountains somewhere. I wouldn't be recommending much on Happy; he's a loser. Biff has potential and is kind underneath a tough exterior. Happy is a flake. Some people like fakes; you could maybe boss him around. You could reform him. Biff just needs some patience and kindness to get him out of his gloom, and he'd be a gem. But that's up to you Sister. But, then again, I guess they are your cousins, right?

[mmuneeb194]

This is what i wrote so far,, i havent proof read it. I have to submit it on monday>> thnx


Dear Mom,
It's been a week since I came to visit your sister’s family. I am continually amazed at how much I miss you. I've wanted to share something that I observed, living with Loman’s family.
Uncle Willy is a very hardworking man. He works day and night to earn enough money to pay his bills. He was away for the first five days of my visit but has returned recently from work. He has a mental illness because he work very hard but still not able to make enough money. He is a tried traveling salesman. He often loses his temperament. He loses his concentration frequently and easily. Willy lives in a world of his own. This world is often made of memories, but Willy is lost in his own thoughts even when he is not remembering. He does not listens everything, he only listens what he wants to hear. Uncle Willy is suspicious; he’s often in a condition of bad-tempered weakness. But he surely is very determined and ambitions for success.
Aunt Linda is a very patient women and Uncle Willy’s loyal wife. She keeps track of everything, such as; account, bills, etc. She is very corporative and supportive women. She is fully aware of the reality of the family’s situation.
Their older son Biff Loman is dishonest and a poor student. He does not have the confidence in himself; it seems life as if he has lost most of his hope. He is ready to change his attitude.
Their youngest son Happy Loman is most ignored member by everyone else in his family. He is of low moral character; constantly with another woman, trying to find his way in life, even though he is confident that he's on the right track. He is very ambitious and determinedly positive. He searches to improve his own condition through his own effort. He does not like changes. He is very proud and highly aggressive.
The interaction between Uncle Willy and Aunt Linda appears to be almost contradictory. He loves and depends on her but still keep a certain distance to her. He resists going to bed with her and never ask her feelings. He is very impatient and hasty with her. He does not want her to participate in the rare moment of happiness with his sons.
Uncle Willy’s feelings towards Biff are very strong. He admires Biff to the greatness or condemns him completely; sometimes regard him as magnificent and other times lazy.
Uncle Willy attitude towards Happy Loman is simple as he does not exist or not part of the family. He rarely speaks to him. He never has time for him.
Aunt Linda loves Uncle Willy like a mother and protects him from unpleasant realities. She is worried for him, she says thing to make him feel good. She wants him to be happy even when the reality of the situation is bad. She is always trying to stand between Willy and her sons to ease the tension.
Aunt Linda wants Biff to face the reality and be responsible. The attitude towards Biff is opposite as to Willy. She cares Biff only because of Willy. She asks Biff to take responsibility for his father’s life.
Aunt Linda never admires Happy at all. She does not care about him. She often does not respond him. She never takes Happy seriously. She never has one-on-one conversation with Happy.
Biff also feels very strongly about Uncle Willy as he feels strongly about Biff. He is caught up between love and hate towards his Dad, he loves him also he hates him. They hardly speak without getting into fight. He is annoyed and is in agony about his Dad when he hears that Willy is now on straight commission.
Biff loves her Mom. Biff turns toward his mother but with no real emotion. She is no more than a temporary emotional distraction for him.
Billy pays more attention to Happy than anyone else in the family does. He wanted to work with him. He listens to the idea of the Happy but if the plan fails he twists against Happy. He is also no more than temporary emotional distraction for him.
Happy searches for Willy’s approval. He cares of being the son of Willy’s but does not really cares about him.
Happy admits that he have a high regard for Linda, but really have no concerned in her. He says things which mean nothing. He tries to prevent her to approach him seriously.
Happy shows that he is a loyal younger brother of Biff but really isn’t loyal to his brother at all. Happy feels good when he makes Biff feel bad. His aggressive nature gets broaden to his brother.
Mom I think that something very bad might had happened to the family especially to Biff Loman and Uncle Willy, also about Happy Loman, that I think he is not their real son but he might be adopted son. I think Biff knows something that he is hiding from his family member. Biff Loman is a nice guy. He loves his family, unlike his brother Happy Loman who is with one girl one day and with another girl the next day. I am worried greatly about your sister Linda that some day she will lose her patience. Something bad might will happen, since your sister always ask Biff to be responsible for Uncle Willy’s life, it means that he will suicide himself. He will kill himself because he cares and have the strongest feelings for Biff. I think there are very few positive things in the family that the parents love a son and a son loves his parents, partly.
Sincerely,


Your Daughter
Ruth

[byquist]

Good letter mmunee194 that covers a lot of territory. You might also talk about how exhausted, and beat up, Willie appears. He really has a dazed and lost look, and jabbers to himself. It's like he has given up on life; he's quit. Live has pulverized him. Business has beaten him to a pulp.

Also, although I put Happy down, you go even farther, maybe too far. Linda and Willie want success for Happy too. Biff was the great football player in high school, not Happy, but they still care about Happy. Happy just doesn't have much of a vision. Biff has a vision, but is stuck at $30/week cowboy jobs. But, he can't relate to the pace and style of living in the City (New York City).

Maybe you should not mention suicide, because that is getting the "cart before the horse to market" (Richard III) When you write the letter you don't know what's going to happen. But, you could say something like, "Willie looks like he might do something drastic. He might just drive away and never return. But then again, I hear that he can't see right and almost drove off the highway."

You also might note that there's a neighbor that has offered Willie a job, and at good pay I believe (check it out). But Willie won't take it. He's too proud to take work from this neighbor, Bernard's dad I think maybe.

You might have heard that the house is being paid off. Money won't be such a worry. The worrying going on is about mental health, not so much money.

[mmuneeb194]

But the real problem with their family was money,, wasnt it?
BTW,, where exactly do you think i should add those points? and i think they dont care about happy at all, nor they pay attention to him. Remember when Happy told his mom twice that he is going to get married, she didnot respond...