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
- Peruse your list of brainstormed “moments” as a
group. Which of them interests you most as an audience?
- 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.
- 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.)
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