plot

__Introduction:__
Willy is visited by his eldest son Biff. Willy comes home early from his work trip due to his failing performance at his job an his inability to keep from daydreaming while driving. Biff is home after working as a farm hand for many years in the West. The scene commences with a light melody, indicating the outward image of serenity and the happy family it surrounds. Despite this, it is quickly learned that Willy has come under a lot of stress at his work and the tone is set for a negative change.

__Conflict:__
Biff is told to grow up, and learns of his father's deteriorating condition. As predicted, the conflict unfolds with renewed friction between Willy and Biff. Willy is torn between his admiration of his son's past exploits and the sycophant he has become. Willy becomes preoccupied with his daydreaming and is enveloped by the memory of his young sons back when they unquestioningly admired him. Upon overhearing their father's daydreaming, Linda informs her sons that Willy has been trying to commit suicide and tells Biff that his father’s life is deteriorating. Biff realizes that he is partially to blame for his father's condition and that he must try and make something of himself.

__Build-Up:__
Willy and Biff are met with disaster. On the same day, both Willy and Biff’s high expectations are dashed to the ground. Willy, through with traveling due to his inability to stay on the road, goes to his boss, Howard, to try to get a non-traveling job. Willy's breaching of the subject gives his boss the opportunity to break the news to Willy that his deteriorating condition has made him more of a liability than he is worth, and he ends up getting completely fired. Meanwhile, Biff waits for six hours to see Oliver, a past employer whome apparently thought very highly of Biff. Biff shows up only to find that his once great reputation has been soiled and that Oliver no longer wants anything to do with him. Torn by his great expectations and the disaster now before him, Biff, desperate to leave with something of worth, succumbs to the same irrational behavior now gripping his father and steals Oliver’s fountain pen. Willy's new disappointment, coupled with Biff's shattered dream, set the stage for the main climax of the story.

__Climax:__
Biff finally confronts Willy with a big reality check. Biff confronts Willy in two ways. Biff realizes that his family has been barely scraping by, and calls out his father for his shortcomings. The second deals with Willy's infidelity towards his wife, which has been alluded to previously with Biff calling his father a phony while failing to elaborate on his reasons for doing so. This is followed by much shouting and crying, and at last Biff tells his father that he still loves him despite his failures. At this point it seems as though the issue has been settled. The problem that remains is that now that Biff has found the strength to confront his father's lies, so too must his father confront them. This ends in disaster.

__Denouement:__
With the realization that nothing has turned out as he had hoped, Willy falls back on his last resort. Upon Biff's admittance of his love for his father, Willy realizes that Biff is his last shot at making a positive mark on the world. With his attempts at fame in his job a failure, Willy realized that he has one last sacrifice he can make for his son. With his family sound asleep, Willy rants and considers how his suicide can be useful. The final suspense is brought on by the fact that his family is asleep above him, and powerless to stop his illogical mind from running it's course.

__Conclusion:__
Willy commits suicide. Taking the route he has tried previously, Willy finally succeeds in his attempt at ending his own life. The accuracy of the title is not known until this point.

__Closing:__
Biff and Happy are left to take whatever message they can from their father's regicide. With the end of the play comes the acknowledgment of Willy's misconception. Few people attend Willy's funeral. Biff comes to the conclusion that his father's suicide merely confirms his beliefs in the pointlessness of work and dedication. Happy, on the other hand, defends his father’s ideals. This final decision by Biff to ignore his father's wishes even in death serve to ensure that the play has no positive note to end on. It is truly the death of no one important.