Small Group work

Option 1
Develop an essay that makes a claim about Willy’s relationship with Linda. There were a few questions in Discussion 11 that addressed their relationship. The questions addressing their relationship that had the most replies were these:

• JinKyo Suh asked, “Why do you think Willy cheats on Linda?”
• Nicholas Flatt asked, “Since Linda is always worried about Willy’s accidents, do you believe being in a relationship with Willy is hurting Linda emotionally? Why or why not?”
• Yukun Zhang asked, “Linda admires Willy so much that she seems not to realize how exhausted and desparate Willy is being, but does she really have no idea about his husband’s incapability?”

First review the discussion posts that focus on this relationship. Choose one of these questions to be the focus of your essay. Your essay will likely address some of the other questions too, but only one of these questions will be your focus. Your essay should (1) develop a thesis statement that answers the question you chose; (2) summarize the different claims that others made in their discussion responses to these questions and relate them to your own thesis (in other words, explain the extent to which your own thesis agrees and/or disagrees with each of these posts); and (3) support your own thesis with details from both acts of the play. When you refer to your classmates’ ideas, you should cite them by giving them credit by name in your sentence.

Option 2

Develop an essay that makes a claim about the significance of how Willy talks to himself. A question in discussion that prompted a lot of response was this:

• Michael McLain asked “Do you think Willy talking to himself is a relatively significant part of these scenes? Why/ why not?  What do you think it is supposed to mean/ symbolize?”

First review the discussion posts that answer this question. Your essay should (1) develop a thesis statement that answers the question; (2) summarize the different claims that others made in their discussion responses to these questions and relate them to your own thesis (in other words, explain the extent to which your own thesis agrees and/or disagrees with each of these posts); and (3) support your own thesis with details from both acts of the play. Be sure that your essay addresses both what this talk tells us about Willy’s character and what it contributes to our understanding of an issue or theme that is important in the play. When you refer to your classmates’ ideas, you should cite them by giving them credit by name in your sentence.

Option 3

Which is more responsible for Willy’s failure: society or Willy himself? In order to answer this question in your essay, start the body of your essay by explaining how each of the two viewpoints could be supported: in what ways does the play show society as responsible (be specific about what aspects of society may be responsible and how), and in what ways does the play show Willy himself as responsible? Then, evaluate these two viewpoints by explaining where you think the ultimate responsibility lies and why you think that way. This option does not require you to refer to ideas that came up in discussion. However, you may choose to include ideas either from Discussion 11 or the Small Group work; if you do, when you refer to your classmates’ ideas, you should cite them by giving them credit by name in your sentence.