Objectives

• Analyse how Miller uses stage directions, lighting and sound cues in Act I to present Willy Loman's psychological instability.
• Explain how the Boston hotel flashback (Act I) functions as a structural turning point that reframes Biff and Willy's relationship.
• Evaluate how Miller uses the Howard Wagner scene (Act II) to critique the American Dream of meritocracy and loyalty.
• Analyse how Biff's confrontation with Willy at Frank's Chop House and the Requiem expose the destructive power of self-delusion.
• Write a sustained, evidenced analytical essay that argues a coherent interpretation of Miller's presentation of failure and identity across the whole play.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Willy Loman's Fractured World: Memory, Reality and Stage Space in Act I

   60 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   Read the opening stage direction of Act I: 'A melody is heard, played upon a flute… the apartment houses are… angry glow of orange.' Write two observations about what Miller's stage directions reveal about Willy's world before any dialogue begins. No notes needed — focus solely on the text provided.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the stage direction sequence when Willy first enters and Linda asks, "You didn't smash the car, did you?" (Act I). Demonstrate how Miller layers the flute melody, the kitchen's "blue light," and Willy's line "I'm tired to the death" to portray a man who is already teetering between the past and the present. Show students how to embed a stage direction, such as when Willy enters, as evidence within a sentence instead of using a separate quotation block.

   Independent task

   Students will write an analytical paragraph (using PEEL or a similar structure) in response to the question: "How does Miller use the staging and dialogue of Willy's first appearance in Act I to depict him as a man in crisis?" They are required to include at least one stage direction and one line of dialogue, along with an explanation of the effect created by each. The paragraphs will be collected and assessed based on the accuracy of textual references and the quality of their effect analysis.

   Exit ticket

   Miller's opening stage directions reveal that Willy Loman is deeply troubled and struggling with his self-worth, a nuance that his spoken words alone fail to convey.

2. Lesson 2: The Boston Hotel: How the Flashback to The Woman Destroys a Father and Son

   60 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   Without reading the text, jot down everything you know about Biff's reasons for going to Boston in search of Willy. Then, open Act I to the flashback scene and see how your notes compare: what did you accurately recall, and what new insights does the play reveal? Identify one detail that catches you off guard.

   Teacher input

   Model a reading of the moment in Act I when the Young Woman's laughter spills into the present-day scene and Willy yells 'Get outta here!' at Biff. Pay close attention to Miller's stage direction 'The Woman laughs, off left' and Willy's repeated line 'She's nothing to me.' Highlight how the blending of time frames on stage — past laughter, present panic — serves as the dramatic argument: Willy struggles to distinguish between who he was and who he has become.

   Independent task

   Students annotate a printed extract featuring the full Boston hotel confrontation, spanning from Biff's line 'You — you gave her Mama's stockings!' to Willy's 'I gave you an order!' (Act I). They need to label: (a) one instance of dramatic irony that the audience understands but Linda does not, (b) one piece of stage direction indicating psychological collapse, and (c) one line illustrating Willy’s focus on image rather than relationship. Following this, they will craft a concise (150-word) explanation discussing how this scene acts as the structural turning point of the entire play.

   Exit ticket

   Miller introduces the Boston hotel scene in Act I to establish the tension and uncertainty that permeate the characters' lives right from the start. By doing this, he sets the stage for the unfolding drama and allows the audience to grasp the stakes involved early on.

3. Lesson 3: Howard Wagner's Tape Recorder: The American Dream Exposed in Act II

   60 min · ch. 2

   Do now

   Read Howard Wagner's lines about his new wire recorder: 'I tell you, Willy, I'm gonna take my camera, and my bandsaw, and all my hobbies…' (Act II). List three things this speech reveals about Howard. Then write one sentence: what does Howard value, and how does that differ from Willy's values?

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of Willy's line, "I put thirty-four years into this firm, Howard, and now I can't pay my insurance!" followed immediately by Howard's response, "Kid, I can't take blood from a stone" (Act II). Explore how Miller employs the wire recorder—a representation of impersonal modernity—as a dramatic prop that literally drowns out Willy's voice. Additionally, examine how Howard's repeated use of "kid" diminishes a sixty-three-year-old man's dignity. Illustrate the concept of dramatic irony: the audience is aware that Willy idolized Howard's father, while Howard remains oblivious to this fact.

   Independent task

   Students are tasked with writing two analytical paragraphs in response to the question: "How does Miller use the Howard Wagner scene in Act II to argue that the American Dream is a lie?" The first paragraph should examine the language used, particularly the word choices of Howard and Willy. The second paragraph should analyze a stage direction or prop. Each paragraph must include direct quotations for evidence. The paragraphs will be collected and assessed for the coherence of arguments and the quality of contextual embedding.

   Exit ticket

   In this scene, Willy is the one guilty of false pride. Howard’s statement highlights Willy's inability to accept the reality of his situation and his refusal to ask for help or acknowledge his failures. The text suggests that Willy clings to his self-image and past successes, which prevents him from facing the truth about his current circumstances.

4. Lesson 4: Biff's Tears and Linda's Confusion: Truth, Myth and the Requiem

   60 min · ch. 2, 3

   Do now

   Read Charley's speech at the Requiem: 'Nobody dares blame this man… A salesman has to dream, boy. It comes with the territory.' (Requiem). Underline every word that could be interpreted as both a defense of Willy and a critique of him. Be prepared to explain one of your choices.

   Teacher input

   Model a reading of Biff's confrontation with Willy in Act II: 'Pop, I'm nothing! I'm nothing, Pop. Can't you understand that? There's no spite in it anymore.' Pay close attention to the stage direction 'Biff breaks down, sobbing' and Willy's immediate, catastrophic misinterpretation: 'Oh, Biff! He cries! He cried to me!' Illustrate to students how Miller employs the same stage action — Biff's tears — to convey opposite meanings to both characters at the same time, highlighting how this disparity between meaning and interpretation drives the tragedy forward.

   Independent task

   Students will write a structured comparison (200–250 words): How do Biff's speech in Act II ('I am not a leader of men') and Charley's Requiem speech collectively convey Miller's perspective on the American Dream? They should include quotes from both moments, highlight what each character grasps that Willy fails to understand, and conclude with a sentence that articulates Miller's implied argument. The comparison will be evaluated based on the quality of analysis and accuracy of quotations.

   Exit ticket

   Miller suggests that the American Dream is ultimately unfulfilling, as Linda's sense of achievement in paying off the house is overshadowed by the emptiness of having no one to share it with.

5. Lesson 5: Willy Loman as Tragic Hero: Writing the Whole-Play Essay

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3

   Do now

   Miller's assertion in 'Tragedy and the Common Man' (1949) that "the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were" resonates when we consider Willy Loman, whose struggles reflect the profound human experience of failure and disillusionment. However, one could argue that Willy's tragic flaws and ultimate downfall lack the nobility typically associated with classical tragedies, making his story feel less impactful compared to the tragedies of kings.

   Teacher input

   Miller presents Willy Loman as a tragic figure by illustrating the conflict between his outmoded values and the harsh realities of a capitalist society. In the opening stage directions of Act I, Willy is described as a man burdened by his dreams, which highlights the disconnect between his aspirations and the world around him. This theme intensifies in Act II during the firing scene, where Howard's wire recorder symbolizes the relentless march of modernity that ultimately sidelines Willy. Through these moments, Miller emphasizes how Willy's identity, shaped in a bygone era of idealism, tragically clashes with the unforgiving nature of contemporary capitalism, revealing the deep-rooted struggles of individuals caught in a changing world.

   Independent task

   Timed essay (35 minutes): 'How does Miller use dramatic form and language to portray the unraveling of Willy Loman's identity?' Students should reference at least three key moments from Acts I, II, and the Requiem, include direct quotes, and maintain a cohesive interpretive argument throughout. Essays will be graded based on the rubric provided in this lesson.

   Exit ticket

   Write the one-sentence argument, or thesis, that your essay has just presented. If you're struggling to articulate it now, what does that suggest about the clarity or direction of your essay?

Activities

Assessment

• Exit ticket Lesson 1: checks whether students can distinguish what stage directions communicate beyond dialogue — looking for specific reference to flute, lighting or set description rather than plot summary.
• Annotated extract Lesson 2: checks whether students can identify dramatic irony, psychological collapse and image-preservation in the Boston hotel scene — looking for accurate labelling with brief justification, not just underlining.
• Exit ticket Lesson 3: checks whether students can assign the concept of 'false pride' to the correct character using textual evidence — looking for Willy's name with a supporting quotation, not Howard's.
• Comparative paragraph Lesson 4: checks whether students can hold two moments of the text in view simultaneously — looking for quotation from both Biff's Act II speech and Charley's Requiem speech within a single argument.
• Exit ticket Lesson 5: checks whether students can articulate a thesis after writing — looking for a single interpretive claim about identity or tragedy, not a summary of what the essay contained.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama.
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning.
• RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated from what is really meant.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1): Develop a thesis that interprets a literary text and requires a line of reasoning.
• Figurative Language and Imagery (FIG-1): Explain the function of specific words and phrases in context, including connotative meanings and figurative language.
• Structure (STR-1): Explain the function of structure in a text, including how Miller's use of non-linear time and overlapping past/present scenes shapes meaning.
• Character (CHR-1): Explain the function of a character, including how Willy Loman's self-delusion and Biff's disillusionment interact to drive the tragedy.
• Contextual Connections (CC-1): Explain how the historical, cultural or authorial context of a text is relevant to an interpretation of that text.

AQA

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received, including Miller's post-war American context and the challenge to the myth of the self-made man.
• AO5 — Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations, including the debate over whether Willy Loman qualifies as a tragic hero in the classical sense.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, with particular focus on Miller's use of expressionistic staging and non-linear time.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received, including 1940s American capitalism and the post-war consumer culture Miller critiques.
• AO4 — Explore connections across literary texts, including the relationship between Death of a Salesman and the tradition of classical tragedy as discussed in Miller's 'Tragedy and the Common Man'.