Death of a Salesman Lesson Plan

Mapping Willy's World

Kind of Activity:

Group project

Objective:

Understand the evocative power of locations

Structure:

Although the action of the play takes place entirely in New York (maybe just Brooklyn), with flashbacks to Boston, several other locations loom large in Willy's imagination.

Solicit a list of the major "locations" of the play: New York, Boston, Alaska, Africa, and the West. (the football field counts as a minor location, and there are several different locations in New York)

Divide the class into five groups, and assign each group one of those locations. Each group should work together to define the symbolic or evocative meaning and value...