Death of a Salesman
by Arthur Miller
BIFF: Where’d you go this time, Dad? Gee we were lonesome for you.
WILLY (pleased, puts an arm around each boy and they come down to the apron): Lonesome, heh?
BIFF: Missed you every minute.
WILLY: Don’t say? Tell you a secret, boys. Don’t breathe it to a soul. Someday I’ll have my own business, and I’ll never have to leave home any more.
HAPPY: Like Uncle Charley, heh?
WILLY: Bigger than Uncle Charley! Because Charley is not--liked. He's liked, but he's not--well liked.
What does the playwright suggest about the differences between Uncle Charley and Willy?
(1 point)
Responses
Willy does not have the resolve to start his own business, while Uncle Charley does.
Willy does not have the resolve to start his own business, while Uncle Charley does.
Willy is more likable than Uncle Charley and will therefore be better at business.
Willy is more likable than Uncle Charley and will therefore be better at business.
1 answer
The playwright suggests that Willy is more likable than Uncle Charley, which he believes will give him an advantage in business. This is indicated by Willy's emphasis on being "well liked" as a crucial factor for success, contrasting his own aspirations with Charley's perceived shortcomings in popularity. Thus, the correct response is:
Willy is more likable than Uncle Charley and will therefore be better at business.
