Death of a Salesman Multiple Choice Act 2

Why can't Willy work for Charley? a. Charley stands for the things Willy does not believe in; if Willy would work for Charley, he would admit that his whole life had been wrong. b. Charley's business is not doing well. He doesn't have enough money to hire anyone else. c. Charley doesn't think Willy will do a good job, but he doesn't want to spoil their friendship by saying so. d. Willy's mind has been affected and he is really not capable of working a full-time job.

a. Charley stands for the things Willy does not believe in; if Willy would work for Charley, he would admit that his whole life had been wrong.

Happy denies that Willy is his father. Why? a. Happy doesn't want the responsibility of caring for Willy. b. He had secretly found proof of his adoption, and now wants the truth to be known. c. Happy is angry because Willy is leaving all of his money (in his will) to Biff. d. He does not want to admit that he is a lot like his father.

a. Happy doesn't want the responsibility of caring for Willy.

Willy wants to find out what went wrong with Biff, why he didn't do anything with his life after the age of 17. Who does he ask? a. He asks Bernard. b. He asks Linda. c. He asks Charley. d. He asks Happy.

a. He asks Bernard

Why does Willy decide to kill himself? a. He can leave a lot of insurance money to Biff if his death looks like an accident. Then Biff will have a chance to be successful. b. He would rather die than face Linda about his past indiscretions. c. He is drunk and doesn't realize what he is doing. d. He knew he had incurable cancer and didn't want to spend the rest of his life in pain.

a. He can leave a lot of insurance money to Biff if his death looks like an accident. Then Biff will have a chance to be successful.

What does Willy do? a. He speeds away in his car and has a fatal car accident. b. He trades the old car in for a new one. c. He speeds away and keeps going. He is never heard from again. d. He sells the car and gives the money to the boys.

a. He speeds away in his car and has a fatal car accident.

What does Happy want Biff to tell Willy? a. He wants Biff to paint a glossy picture of the meeting with Oliver instead of telling the truth. b. He wants Biff to tell Willy he will stay home and get a job. c. He wants Biff to tell Willy the truth about what happened with Bill Oliver so many years ago. d. He wants Biff to make Willy realize his (Willy's) days as a salesman are over.

a. He wants Biff to paint a glossy picture of the meeting with Oliver instead of telling the truth.

Based on the events of the play and our knowledge of the characters, what will probably happen to Biff. a. He will become a productive citizen in the real world. b. He will become an alcoholic and drink himself to death. c. He will steal money from Oliver and end up in jail. d. He will follow in his father's footsteps.

a. He will become a productive citizen in the real world.

Why did Biff go to Boston in the first place? a. He went to borrow some money. b. He went because he wanted to get his father's signature so he could join the marines. c. He wanted to convince his father to let him go on the road, too. This was their first trial trip together. d. He went to ask Willy to talk his teacher into changing a grade so he wouldn't have to go to summer school.

d. He went to ask Willy to talk his teacher into changing a grade so he wouldn't have to go to summer school.

Why is the car an appropriate device? a. It is a symbol of family togetherness. b. It is a symbol of Willy's search for meaning. c. It is a symbol of the boys' ideas about freedom. d. It is a symbol of Willy's philosophy for success in life in general.

d. It is a symbol of Willy's philosophy for success in life in general.

Why can't Biff help Willy? a. He promised his mother he would not help. b. He just doesn't want to. c. He is afraid Happy will get jealous. d. They both get frustrated and yell at each other.

d. They both get frustrated and yell at each other.

"This is no time for false pride, Willy. . . . You've got two great boys, haven't you?" Now that Willy really needs the boys, the reality of their worthlessness crushes his idealized version, and Willy is in a Catch-22, no win situation. Which literary element is being used here? a. This is a rhetorical question. b. This is foreshadowing. c. This is figurative language. d. This is irony.

d. This is irony.

What did Willy resolve to talk about with Howard? a. He resolved to talk about old times. b. He resolved to talk about his family. c. He resolved to talk about his past successes. d. He resolved to talk about the New York job.

d. He resolved to talk about the New York job.

Identify Miss Forsythe and Letta. a. They are women who come into the restaurant. Happy is more interested in getting a date with them than in the welfare of his own father. b. Miss Forsythe was Willy's high school English teacher, who had great faith in him. Letta was her daughter. She had a crush on Willy c. They are women who work in the office of the company Willy works for. Miss Forsythe ridicules him, but Letta feels sorry for him. d. They are friends and confidants of Linda's. They have offered to help her if anything ever happens to Willy.

a. They are women who come into the restaurant. Happy is more interested in getting a date with them than in the welfare of his own father.

What is the result of Willy's conversation with Howard? a. Willy is fired. b. Willy gets the New York job. c. Willy quits. d. Willy keeps his present territory.

a. Willy is fired.

What is Biff's opinion of his father now, when he tells it to Miss Forsythe? a. Biff says he is a "poor, wretched loser." b. Biff says he is a "fine, troubled prince." c. Biff says he is a "gentle daydreamer." d. Biff says he is a "nasty, selfish braggart."

b. Biff says he is a "fine, troubled prince."

Where does Willy go after he realizes that the boys have left him at the restaurant? a. He goes to the park for a walk. b. He buys some carrot seeds for his garden and goes home to plant them. c. He goes to buy another life insurance policy. d. He goes to his office to cry.

b. He buys some carrot seeds for his garden and goes home to plant them.

What does Willy do while Biff is trying to explain the facts of his meeting with Bill Oliver? a. He shouts curses to drown out Biff's voice. b. He daydreams of the time Biff flunked math. c. He washes and waxes the car. d. He takes notes so he can refer to them later.

b. He daydreams of the time Biff flunked math.

What was the result of Biff's meeting with Bill Oliver? a. He got part of the money, with a promise of more if he made good. b. He got brushed aside. He would never get the money, and he would have no more meetings with Bill Oliver. c. He got all of the money and Bill's full support. d. Oliver gave him a year to prove his could be responsible; then he would get the money.

b. He got brushed aside. He would never get the money, and he would have no more meetings with Bill Oliver.

Why didn't Willy go with Ben years ago when Ben offered him a job? a. He wanted to make it on his own. b. He had inflated his own business worth to Linda, so that when the opportunity came, Linda didn't see the need, since Willy was already on such a great career path. c. They had a disagreement about the terms of the offer. Willy wanted to be partners, but Ben didn't. Neither would compromise so they cancelled the deal. d. Linda refused to leave her friends and familiar surroundings.

b. He had inflated his own business worth to Linda, so that when the opportunity came, Linda didn't see the need, since Willy was already on such a great career path.

Biff says, ". . . I realized what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been." What does he mean? a. He finally learns that he was adopted, and he is angry that his parents never told him. b. He realized that he was raised on a false philosophy, and that most of the things that happened were glossed over and made far better than they were. Bill realized that he was a Clerk and a thief. c. He realized that he has wasted his life because he never admitted that he was afraid to be successful. d. He realized that he really did love his father, and it was time to admit it.

b. He realized that he was raised on a false philosophy, and that most of the things that happened were glossed over and made far better than they were. Bill realized that he was a Clerk and a thief.

What did Biff take from Bill Oliver? a. He took a silver picture frame. b. He took a fountain pen. c. He took a twenty dollar bill. d. He took the keys to the office.

b. He took a fountain pen.

Where did Biff go early that morning? a. He went to see Willy's boss. b. He went to see Mr. Oliver. c. He went to see The Woman d. He went to see Charley.

b. He went to see Mr. Oliver.

Biff says, "Will you take that phony dream and burn it before something happens?" What is the significance of this line? a. It shows that Biff is losing his temper; he is about to explode. b. It foreshadows Willy's death. c. It separates the dream/illusion motif from the "woods are burning" motif. d. It is the final rift in the relationship between Biff and Happy.

b. It foreshadows Willy's death.

Ben says, "The jungle is dark but full of diamonds, Willy." Explain. a. Treasures are hidden. One must work to find them. b. The jungle represents death; the diamonds are the insurance money. c. Willy did not have the courage Ben had, which is why he failed. d. The sales world is a jungle, but there are some good companies. Unfortunately, Willy worked for a poor company.

b. The jungle represents death; the diamonds are the insurance money.

Linda says, "We're free and clear." Which of these is "NOT" an interpretation of her statement? a. Biff is free of Willy's influence. b. They all have free wills. c. They are financially free because the mortgage on the house has been paid. d. Willy is now free of worldly concerns.

b. They all have free wills.

Biff realizes that Willy's philosophy was wrong, and most of Willy's life was made up of illusion. What does he say? a. "He took a wrong turn miles back and never figured it out." b. "He was a liar and a cheat. He tried to buy our love and he failed." c. "He had all the wrong dreams. All, all wrong." d. "His brother made millions, but he only made mistakes."

c. "He had all the wrong dreams. All, all wrong."

What reply does he receive. a. Biff has a learning disability and never received the proper help to compensate for it. b. He was suffering from depression. c. Biff was ready to go to summer school to make up the math class, but when he returned from Boston, he gave up. d. There is really nothing wrong; Biff is just lazy and stubborn.

c. Biff was ready to go to summer school to make up the math class, but when he returned from Boston, he gave up.

What happened in Boston? What do we finally find out is the problem, the secret between Willy and Biff? a. Biff discovered that Willy had embezzled some money. He lost his respect for Willy. b. They went out drinking together. On the way home, Willy ran over a man and didn't stop to help him. Biff never forgave him. c. Biff went to talk to his father and walked in on Willy and the woman with whom he was having an affair. d. Biff discovered that Willy is an alcoholic. Willy denied it, and refused to get help.

c. Biff went to talk to his father and walked in on Willy and the woman with whom he was having an affair.

Where does Willy go? a. He goes to the river to look at the water. b. He goes to the parking lot for a cigarette. c. He goes to the restroom to compose himself. d. He goes home to cry and get drunk.

c. He goes to the restroom to compose himself.

"You can't eat the orange and throw the peel away -- a man isn't a piece of fruit!" Explain why Willy said that. a. He is trying to convince his family he isn't crazy - "a fruitcake." b. He is telling his family they have to accept him the way he is, and never expect to be rich. c. He has spent the best years of his life working for the company, and now, in his old age, they are letting him go since there is no use for him. d. He finally realizes that he has to accept his own shortcomings as well as his son Biff's.

c. He has spent the best years of his life working for the company, and now, in his old age, they are letting him go since there is no use for him.

What is Willy's response to Biff's whole scene when Biff ends up crying? a. He tells Biff to dry up and act like a man. b. He hugs Linda and asks her where they have gone wrong. c. He thinks it is remarkable that Biff actually likes him. d. He feels sorry for Biff, and asks Happy to talk to him.

c. He thinks it is remarkable that Biff actually likes him.

What does Biff want to tell Willy before he is ready to go? a. He wants to tell Willy he was really a good father. b. He wants to tell Willy he has decided to join the Army. c. He wants to tell Willy that he (Biff) is nothing, that he accepts that now, and that he has no hard feelings towards Willy. d. He wants to tell Willy that he and Happy have decided to go into business together so they can take care of Willy and Linda in their retirement years.

c. He wants to tell Willy that he (Biff) is nothing, that he accepts that now, and that he has no hard feelings towards Willy.

What will probably happen to Happy? a. He will support Biff and Linda. b. He will run off and join the Army. c. He will become more and more like Willy. d. He will take over Ben's business.

c. He will become more and more like Willy

Ben says. "What are you building? Lay your hands on it. Where is it?" What is the point of this line? a. Every man must take care of himself. b. Ben thinks Willy would have been better off as a construction worker. c. In fact, Willy hasn't done much worthwhile with his life. He is in debt, he is a failure at business, and his boys appear to be just like him. d. Ben is trying to provoke Willy just enough to motivate him, but it doesn't work.

c. In fact, Willy hasn't done much worthwhile with his life. He is in debt, he is a failure at business, and his boys appear to be just like him.

Why does Linda knock the flowers to the floor? a. She is allergic to them. She is angry because the boys knew that and brought them home anyway. b. It was an accident. She didn't look where she was going. c. She is furious because the boys left Willy at the restaurant. d. She is having a seizure. She was trying to keep her illness a secret from the others, so they wouldn't get upset, but she couldn't control the seizure.

c. She is furious because the boys left Willy at the restaurant.

Willy says, ". . . the woods are burning, boys. Can't you understand? There's a big blaze going on all around." What does that mean? a. Willy is having a flashback to a time in his youth when he set the woods in back of his house on fire. b. Times are changing. He thinks he is on the brink of a wave of good fortune. c. Willy's world is falling apart. He had lost his job and has no resources. He is getting trapped by the years of lies he has lived. d. Willy thinks he is dying, and he is contemplating the afterlife. He is afraid he will be punished for his life.

c. Willy's world is falling apart. He had lost his job and has no resources. He is getting trapped by the years of lies he has lived.

"Willy says, " A man can't go out the way he came in, Ben, a man has got to add up to something." What does he mean. a. People have to take chances in life. b. It is better to try a lot of different jobs than to stick to one for a lifetime; he is getting ready to switch careers. c. He is pleasant because he raised a family. d. He feels like he should have contributed something to the world, and he didn't.

d. He feels like he should have contributed something to the world, and he didn't.

Where does Willy go after his conversation with Howard? a. He goes to church and goes to confession. b. He goes to his doctor to get a prescription for sleeping pills. c. He goes to buy a new car. d. He goes to see Charley for money to cover his life insurance premium payment.

d. He goes to see Charley for money to cover his life insurance premium payment.