Assignment Instructions:

After reading Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman (pp. 1208-1279), write a 3-4 page paper in which you react or respond to the play. In other words, don’t just summarize the text; offer some kind of perspective or opinion about it. This perspective or opinion can take on a variety of forms, as exemplified by the following three prompts (you may choose one of the following three prompts, if you like, or you may develop your own central, controlling idea): 1. In what ways is this story timeless, and in what ways does it relate specifically to the time in which it was written? For this prompt, be certain to research the historical, social, and cultural time period in which the play was written, and in addition, consider how the play relates to the human experience more generally. See Chapter 31 (pages 1565-1567) of Literature by DiYanni for more information. 2. Examine three of the play’s main characters. How are they different, how are they alike, and how does each relate to the play’s overarching themes? For more information, see Chapter 24 (pp. 922-925) of Literature by DiYanni. 3. What is typically “American” about Miller’s play? What cultural attitudes and values displayed by the characters make it “feel” American? How does the theme relate to the American experience of the American Dream? See Chapter 31 (pages 1565-1567) of Literature by DiYanni for more information. 4. What is the overarching theme of the play, and how does Miller express that theme using the elements of drama (characterization, setting, staging, imagery, etc.)? For more information, see Chapter 24 of Literature by DiYanni. For more information on reading and writing about drama, see Chapters 21-25 of Literature by DiYanni.