What is the effect of having scenes from the past staged in addition to the current action of the play? How does it affect your understanding of the play?
The scenes provide an understanding on how the Loman family acted before the current timeline. Willy, Happy, and Biff treated each other differently. Willy was not as crazy. The flashbacks show Willy's optimistic, dreamy side as well as his hidden troubles. Overall, Willy wants his sons to be successful. He puts on a smile whenever his family is around. Without the background, the audience would never know why Biff quit school or why Happy wants to become a buisnessman. Comparing the background to the present, the Loman family bond was stronger before the boys left high school and saw the world for themselves. Linda and Willy remained with their daily lives while Biff and Happy explored the world. The boys found a world different than the vision Willy had; a key understanding the background provides.
I agree. I think the flashbacks made it easier to understand how the boys were raised and the progression of Willy's demise. The flashbacks showed the facade Willy had created and then how he taught his sons the importance of being remembered.
The scenes from the past help to give the reader an understanding of the contrast the author is trying to make when he wrote this play. The author is trying to point out things about how the family used to act and how they act now. The way that Willy interacts with people is drastically different in the flashbacks as opposed to his present day life. Willy was much more put together in the past which leads the reader to believe that something happened to him or something changed which caused him to change into the delusional man he has become. These scenes just give another aspect of the characters that we just would not understand if they were not in the play.
I agree with your statement. Showing how Willy used to act reinstates the oddity of his current behavior. The reader is also given an inside look on their personal history through the flashbacks.
The scenes from the past help to give the reader an understanding of the contrast the author is trying to make when he wrote this play. The author is trying to point out things about how the family used to act and how they act now. The way that Willy interacts with people is drastically different in the flashbacks as opposed to his present day life. Willy was much more put together in the past which leads the reader to believe that something happened to him or something changed which caused him to change into the delusional man he has become. These scenes just give another aspect of the characters that we just would not understand if they were not in the play.
I like how you said that something caused Willy to change. Although it is never explicitly said, the past images help convey what lead to Willy's demise. The comparison is important to give an idea of the differences before Willy started to get out of control.
The scenes from the past were added to give the reader some background of how things used to be. Miller wants readers to see what events lead to the the family being the way they are now. He holds onto specific details until key points to keep the audience a bit confused and speculating on what happened that Biff and Willy aren't on good terms. It really helped me to understand new things as they happened. At times it almost seemed as if the actual play was taking place during Biff's childhood. Without these flashbacks the reader would have no hope of understanding why the family is the way it is now.
I agree that the past helped us as the readers understand everything that led up to now. Also you make a great point when you say that he held on to specific points to keep us thinking throughout the entire play.
What is the effect of having scenes from the past staged in addition to the current action of the play? How does it affect your understanding of the play? The effect of having scenes from the past combined with the current action scenes is having the story slowing unwind and expand as the reader gets further through the book, or as the viewer watches the play. Arthur Miller does not give away the whole past of the Lomans at the beginning of the play for several reasons. One reason is that the suspense of wondering how the events came to be will keep the viewer/reader interested in the story line and constantly wondering what events have influenced the family. Another reason is so that the information is given out in little chunks as opposed to all of the information at once, making it easier for the reader to process. Miller also separates the past in multiple scenes mixed in with the present because those past scenes relate well to what is happening in the current story line. The past scenes definitely help the reader/viewer understand the background of the family and their past history, and especially how events have affected how the family members treat each other in the current story line. Also, hearing a random woman's laugh on stage would be a little creepy without the background scene with the woman.
I totally agree with the fact that Miller did not want to reveal all the events to the reader at once. I think you are right on target when you say that it is easier for the reader to understand in small chunks as opposed to all at once. I think that Miller's way of revealing information is very similar to the way information is revealed in mystery novels. This is what made his play so interesting. It was as if the reader was trying to solve the mystery of the Loman family.
I totally agree with the fact that Miller did not want to reveal all the events to the reader at once. I think you are right on target when you say that it is easier for the reader to understand in small chunks as opposed to all at once. I think that Miller's way of revealing information is very similar to the way information is revealed in mystery novels. This is what made his play so interesting. It was as if the reader was trying to solve the mystery of the Lohman family.
Having scenes from the past in the play helps the reader to understand what was happening inside Willy's head. So much of the play is created by showing Willy going insane. The flashbacks showed how he had gone from being respected and full of confidence to falling apart mentally. The past also helps the reader understand what happened between Biff and Willy. I think that showing what happened as opposed to explaining it to the audience trough an argument for example adds more drama and helps the reader to put themselves in Biff's shoes. I think that the past helps the reader to understand the current events of the play better because it is as if the reader was a part of their family and witnessed all the events. The reader understands the details, like the flute playing, instead of just being confused as to why the flute melody keeps coming back.
Yes! I like how you tied the flashbacks into Willy going insane. The flashbacks show when Willy was truly happy... playing, instructing, and working with Biff and Happy. Willy is going insane to protect himself from his modern day sadness.
Yes! I like how you tied the flashbacks into Willy going insane. The flashbacks show when Willy was truly happy... playing, instructing, and working with Biff and Happy. Willy is going insane to protect himself from his modern day sadness.
Having the scenes from the past staged in addition to the current action in the play allowed the reader to see another side of Willy. Willy was not as pessimistic and negative in the past as he was in the present. The way Willy treated and interacted with others in the past was different from how he acts in the present. It also allowed the reader to understand how Willy’s family was in the past. It was a little confusing for the reader as the play switched back and forth from present to past, but the scenes from the past also provided some background information as to why some of the characters acted as they did.
The effect of showing scenes from the past in addition to the present is to show that that is exactly where Willy’s mind is. He is always trying to live in the past and remember the good old days. He is miserable with the life he has now and just wishes he could go back. I don’t think it affected my understanding of the play. It just made some parts a little confusing but it was solved with just re-reading.
I agree with your comment. Willy seems to live in the past and the present when his mind wanders. He seems to enjoy thinking about the past because he was happy with himself and his life back then. It was a little confusing as he switched back and forth, but I got it all sorted out
The scenes provide an understanding on how the Loman family acted before the current timeline. Willy, Happy, and Biff treated each other differently. Willy was not as crazy. The flashbacks show Willy's optimistic, dreamy side as well as his hidden troubles. Overall, Willy wants his sons to be successful. He puts on a smile whenever his family is around. Without the background, the audience would never know why Biff quit school or why Happy wants to become a buisnessman. Comparing the background to the present, the Loman family bond was stronger before the boys left high school and saw the world for themselves. Linda and Willy remained with their daily lives while Biff and Happy explored the world. The boys found a world different than the vision Willy had; a key understanding the background provides.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I think the flashbacks made it easier to understand how the boys were raised and the progression of Willy's demise. The flashbacks showed the facade Willy had created and then how he taught his sons the importance of being remembered.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe scenes from the past help to give the reader an understanding of the contrast the author is trying to make when he wrote this play. The author is trying to point out things about how the family used to act and how they act now. The way that Willy interacts with people is drastically different in the flashbacks as opposed to his present day life. Willy was much more put together in the past which leads the reader to believe that something happened to him or something changed which caused him to change into the delusional man he has become. These scenes just give another aspect of the characters that we just would not understand if they were not in the play.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement. Showing how Willy used to act reinstates the oddity of his current behavior. The reader is also given an inside look on their personal history through the flashbacks.
DeleteI agree that it shows that something drastic happened to him. It is a very good way to show it without directly saying it.
DeleteThe scenes from the past help to give the reader an understanding of the contrast the author is trying to make when he wrote this play. The author is trying to point out things about how the family used to act and how they act now. The way that Willy interacts with people is drastically different in the flashbacks as opposed to his present day life. Willy was much more put together in the past which leads the reader to believe that something happened to him or something changed which caused him to change into the delusional man he has become. These scenes just give another aspect of the characters that we just would not understand if they were not in the play.
ReplyDeleteI like how you said that something caused Willy to change. Although it is never explicitly said, the past images help convey what lead to Willy's demise. The comparison is important to give an idea of the differences before Willy started to get out of control.
DeleteThe scenes from the past were added to give the reader some background of how things used to be. Miller wants readers to see what events lead to the the family being the way they are now. He holds onto specific details until key points to keep the audience a bit confused and speculating on what happened that Biff and Willy aren't on good terms. It really helped me to understand new things as they happened. At times it almost seemed as if the actual play was taking place during Biff's childhood. Without these flashbacks the reader would have no hope of understanding why the family is the way it is now.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the past helped us as the readers understand everything that led up to now. Also you make a great point when you say that he held on to specific points to keep us thinking throughout the entire play.
DeleteWhat is the effect of having scenes from the past staged in addition to the current action of the play? How does it affect your understanding of the play?
ReplyDeleteThe effect of having scenes from the past combined with the current action scenes is having the story slowing unwind and expand as the reader gets further through the book, or as the viewer watches the play. Arthur Miller does not give away the whole past of the Lomans at the beginning of the play for several reasons. One reason is that the suspense of wondering how the events came to be will keep the viewer/reader interested in the story line and constantly wondering what events have influenced the family. Another reason is so that the information is given out in little chunks as opposed to all of the information at once, making it easier for the reader to process. Miller also separates the past in multiple scenes mixed in with the present because those past scenes relate well to what is happening in the current story line. The past scenes definitely help the reader/viewer understand the background of the family and their past history, and especially how events have affected how the family members treat each other in the current story line. Also, hearing a random woman's laugh on stage would be a little creepy without the background scene with the woman.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI totally agree with the fact that Miller did not want to reveal all the events to the reader at once. I think you are right on target when you say that it is easier for the reader to understand in small chunks as opposed to all at once. I think that Miller's way of revealing information is very similar to the way information is revealed in mystery novels. This is what made his play so interesting. It was as if the reader was trying to solve the mystery of the Loman family.
DeleteI totally agree with the fact that Miller did not want to reveal all the events to the reader at once. I think you are right on target when you say that it is easier for the reader to understand in small chunks as opposed to all at once. I think that Miller's way of revealing information is very similar to the way information is revealed in mystery novels. This is what made his play so interesting. It was as if the reader was trying to solve the mystery of the Lohman family.
DeleteHaving scenes from the past in the play helps the reader to understand what was happening inside Willy's head. So much of the play is created by showing Willy going insane. The flashbacks showed how he had gone from being respected and full of confidence to falling apart mentally. The past also helps the reader understand what happened between Biff and Willy. I think that showing what happened as opposed to explaining it to the audience trough an argument for example adds more drama and helps the reader to put themselves in Biff's shoes. I think that the past helps the reader to understand the current events of the play better because it is as if the reader was a part of their family and witnessed all the events. The reader understands the details, like the flute playing, instead of just being confused as to why the flute melody keeps coming back.
ReplyDeleteYes! I like how you tied the flashbacks into Willy going insane. The flashbacks show when Willy was truly happy... playing, instructing, and working with Biff and Happy. Willy is going insane to protect himself from his modern day sadness.
DeleteYes! I like how you tied the flashbacks into Willy going insane. The flashbacks show when Willy was truly happy... playing, instructing, and working with Biff and Happy. Willy is going insane to protect himself from his modern day sadness.
DeleteHaving the scenes from the past staged in addition to the current action in the play allowed the reader to see another side of Willy. Willy was not as pessimistic and negative in the past as he was in the present. The way Willy treated and interacted with others in the past was different from how he acts in the present. It also allowed the reader to understand how Willy’s family was in the past. It was a little confusing for the reader as the play switched back and forth from present to past, but the scenes from the past also provided some background information as to why some of the characters acted as they did.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe effect of showing scenes from the past in addition to the present is to show that that is exactly where Willy’s mind is. He is always trying to live in the past and remember the good old days. He is miserable with the life he has now and just wishes he could go back. I don’t think it affected my understanding of the play. It just made some parts a little confusing but it was solved with just re-reading.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment. Willy seems to live in the past and the present when his mind wanders. He seems to enjoy thinking about the past because he was happy with himself and his life back then. It was a little confusing as he switched back and forth, but I got it all sorted out
Delete