ACTⅡ(Excerpt)
Arthur Miller
CHARACTERS
Willy Loman Father
Linda Mother
Biff The Elder Son
Happy The Younger Son
Scene: The action takes place in Willy Loman’s house and yard.
Biff [taking the hoe from WILLY]: I’m saying good-bye to you, Pop. [WILLY looks at him, silent, unable to move.] I’m not coming back any more.
Willy: You’re not going to see Oliver tomorrow?
Biff: I’ve got no appointment, Dad.
Willy: He put his arm around you, and you’ve got no appointment?
Biff: Pop, get this now, will you? Everytime I’ve left it’s been a fight that sent me out of here. Today I realized something about myself and I tried to explain it to you and I — I think I’m just not smart enough to make any sense out of it for you. To hell with whose fault it is or anything like that. [He takes WILLY’s arm.] Let’s just wrap it up, heh? Come on in, we’ll tell Mom. [He gently tries to pull WILLY to left.]
Willy [frozen, immobile, with guilt in his voice]: No, I don’t want to see her.
Biff: Come on! [He pulls again, and WILLY tries to pull away.]
Willy [highly nervous]: No, no, I don’t want to see her.
Biff [tries to look into WILLY’s face, as if to find the answer there]: Why don’t you want to see her?
Willy [more harshly now]: Don’t bother me, will you?
Biff: What do you mean, you don’t want to see her? You don’t want them calling you yel low, do you? This isn’t your fault; it’s me, I’m a bum. Now come inside! [WILLY strains to get away.] Did you hear what I said to you?
[WILLY pulls away and quickly goes by himself into the house. BIFF follows.]
Linda [to WILLY]: Did you plant, dear?
Biff [at the door, to LINDA]: All right, we had it out. I’m going and I’m not writing any more.
Linda [going to WILLY in the kitchen]: I think that’s the best way, dear. ’Cause there’s no use drawing it out, you’ll just never get along.