Re-Visioning the Moment

Death of a Salesman

Rationale for the Assignment:

This assignment has two main purposes.  By engaging in this assignment and presenting to the class you will

  • #1 help the class better understand one of the main characters in Salesman including that character’s function; and
  • #2 enlighten the class about how at least one other technique is connected to your character’s portrayal, what its effects are on the audience, and how it connects to thematic significance in the play.

Oh, yeah, and you get to tinker around with the play and act.

 

This is a small group project.  There must be 4 small groups per period.  Each group will be assigned one main character from the play.

 

PART ONE—Brainstorming

You’ve been assigned a main character (Willy, Linda, Biff, Happy).  Now your group must brainstorm a list of key moments in the play that feature your character.  By “feature,” I mean that the moments you pick should be moments that add to our understanding of who this character is.  Brainstorm a list of 5 or more key moments; 1 moment = 2-4 pages.

 

PART TWO—Selection Process and a Close Look

  1. Peruse your list of brainstormed “moments” as a group.  Which of them interests you most as an audience?
  2. Next, look over the list of questions below.  About which moment can your group best respond to these questions?
    • How has this moment added to your knowledge of your character?
    • What does your character want in the chosen moment?
    • What does s/he do to attempt to get it?
    • What obstacles stand in his/her way?
    • To what extent is your character being truthful in this moment?  Provide evidence.
    • What does the character’s language reveal about his/her personality?  Choose at least five lines or phrases that help reveal personality.  Choose two and explain how each work to reveal this personality.
    • What do other characters say about your character in other scenes?
    • How does this moment connect to overall themes in the play?
    • Identify at least two techniques (not patterns, please) that are used in this moment that Miller has used elsewhere in the play.
  1. After discussing 1 and 2 above, pick ONE of your key moments to create your presentation on (see Part 3 on other side).  As preparation for your presentation, you must answer the above questions about the moment you picked.  Please write your character’s name and the page numbers of your selected moment at the top of the paper you write your answers on.  You will turn this Part Two work in on the day of your presentation.

 

PART THREE—The Presentation

The goal of your presentation is to teach the class about your character.  Your teaching should ADD to our understanding of the character, and perhaps, ADD to our understanding of the play overall.  You will be graded upon how well you teach us and on the following requirements.

Requirements:

a.       Your presentation should be between 8-10 minutes.   All group members must participate in some way in the presentation, including speaking time.

b.      Your presentation must include a performance of the “key moment” you’ve selected as a group and an explanation of that performance.  Your options are as follows:

·        Present the key moment as true to the text version of the play as possible with an explanation of how this version of the moment reveals the function of your character and how at least one other technique connects to your character’s portrayal, what the technique’s effects are on the audience, and how it connects to thematic significance in the play.

·        Present the key moment by changing one or more key elements (NOT PLOT) of the moment to better illustrate the understanding the audience should have of your character; essentially you are making a change to improve on Miller’s play.  This performance must be accompanied by an explanation of what you changed and why you changed it; the “why” should include explanation of how the moment reveals the function of your character and how your improved techniques connect to your character’s portrayal, what the their effects are on the audience, and how they connect to thematic significance in the play.

·        Present the key moment by changing one or more key elements (NOT PLOT) of the moment to alter the understanding the audience does have of your character; essentially you are making a change to, well, change Miller’s play.  This performance must be accompanied by an explanation of what you changed and why you changed it; the “why” should include explanation of how the moment reveals the function of your character and how your different techniques connect to your character’s portrayal, what the their effects are on the audience, and how they connect to thematic significance in the play.

c.       Before you perform, you must briefly introduce your key moment by telling us who your character is, what moment you picked, pages it can be found in the play, and whether you are play it “as is” or altering the moment. 

ALL PRESENTATIONS WILL OCCUR ON MARCH 14.

  

Re-Visioning Grading Criteria

  • Presentation is properly introduced and within the time frame (8-10 minutes).   (10 pts.)
  • Your presentation is well-prepared.  All members of the group are familiar with the ideas and what needs to be done.  Members are comfortable with the words you choose and choices you’ve made.  Members speak to and make eye contact (where appropriate) with your audience.  Members use their voices and gestures to involve the audience in your teaching.  (20 pts.)
  • Your presentation is lively, interesting, creative, engaging.  Remember, you are teaching us about the choices an author makes and how those choices, especially in language, affect us.  You use creative means, including props or other tools to teach us about the overall effects of techniques in the play.  (20 pts.)