Aaranow. I do?
Moss. Yes.
Aaranow. And why is that?
Moss. Because you listened.
Moss. What's your name?
Blake. Fuck you, that's my name. (from the film version)
You may not believe this, but Glengarry Glen Ross is now considered a classic of contemporary American theater. Right now it is playing in previews on Broadway, starring Al Pacino. Pacino starred also in the film version, but then playing the young hustler Ricky Roma: now, older and more grizzled, he plays Shelly Levine, the desperate salesman we meet in scene one. The play was revived quite successfully in 2005, with Alan Alda of MASH fame as Levine. If Willy Loman and Death of a Salesman are King Lear for American actors (and British too, as we saw in the last blog), then Mamet and Glengarry Glen Ross are Hamlet: some of the hardest dialogue written for actors, but some of the most pleasurable for actors. Mamet is also a screenwriter and film director, best known for his script for The Untouchables starring Kevin Costner and Sean Connery, his television series The Unit, and his play American Buffalo. As well as this play, clearly.
Mamet is hard to read on the page with all the pauses and all that's hinted at but unsaid, the convoluted cadence of his language. Take a look at 3 clips below. The first I gave you a couple days ago, with Alec Baldwin as Blake, the man sent from Mitch and Murray to "inspire" the sales office. It also makes clear what's at stake for these men. The second is a moment from scene 1 between Levine (Jack Lemmon) and Williamson (Kevin Spacey). The third is the opening of scene 2 with Moss (Ed Harris) and Aaranow (Alan Arkin).
So: 1. Your reaction to the play so far? What do you like? Dislike? Is it an easy read? Difficult? In either case, how so?
2. What's the play about to you? What line in the play so far best captures what it's about—and how so?
Write a couple hundred words. I hope all was fine in class and that it helped you get the reading done.
1) It's been a little difficult to understand, but I really like how the play jumps into action from the beginning. Within our first day of reading, we've seen bribery, blackmailing, and theft in a seemingly normal office space. The book has opened up many possibilities and paths for these characters to go down. Each character is so distinct and strong that it kept my attention through the difficult dialogue. The only part that felt repetitive to me was when characters would respond to a question with a question. It took me out of the moment and got tedious after a while, but I understand it's effect. Overall, I really liked it and I look forward to reading further.
ReplyDelete2) The play is about establishing control. Every character that we have met so far has made a point out of exerting power over another. From Moss stealing from the company to Williamson refusing to negotiate with Levene, these characters are clearly insecure in their own positions. They all want to "win the cadillac" in their own sense and prove that they are superior. "I got to close this fucker, or I don't eat lunch" (My page 15). These men are sacrificing themselves in order to better their chances of being the best. The pressure mounts and it turns nice people into jerks. I think the book will prove that the need for success can change people in ways they couldn't imagine.
1. It's pretty difficult to read, especially in the beginning, because you don't know what's happening and you just jump into this Chinese restaurant with these two salesman. At the beginning, I had no idea what was going on. I was so confused, but as I continued reading I started to get an idea of what was happening. The dialogue is also difficult to follow, because the characters go back and forth and they interrupt each other and they finish each others thoughts. They just bicker a lot. This play also reminds me of Death of a Salesman, because these guys are just desperate. Levene reminds me of a Willy, but he's more aggresive.
ReplyDelete2. I think it's about getting to the top of the ladder and being the top salesman. All the men are competing to get on the "board" and win the Cadillac. It's just like the American Dream. In society, we all fight to get to the top and be the best. It's a competition. I like this quote a lot: "The whole fuckin' thing... The pressure's just too great.. or I don't win the Cadillac..." (Moss) (30). The company puts pressure on these salesman, and society puts pressure on us to work hard and win. The pressure of the competition and winning is too great.
1. I like this play quite a lot so far! It seems way more like realistic conversation and I find that it makes it pretty easy to read. It is also nice because you can really imagine it as two people talking. Yet again, I think that this is an extremely relevant topic to be studying because of American Society today. While this has the same business theme as Death of a Salesman, there is a kind of mysterious and foreboding air to the story because of Aaronow and Moss's plan. I can already say I like this play better because it simply feels more exciting and readable.
ReplyDelete2. Even in the first scene, one can see that Levene is an extremely nervous man. He is stammering throughout his conversation with Williamson as he begs for the next best lead. This scene reminded me a lot of when Willy asked Howard for a raise because they were both essentially begging for money. Levene, like Tom Buchanan, seems to be yearning for the time when he used to be a successful salesman, rather than now were he is being bossed around by a guy younger than him. I really enjoyed the second scene because Moss's plan brought in a lot of excitement to the plot. I think the quote that best captures what this play is about, which is the stress of being in a job where if you don't get the lead, you get no money is when Levene says, "I don't get on the board the thirtieth, they're going to can my ass. I need the leads. I need them now. Or I'm gone" (18). This shows the immense pressure that salesmen are under to compete with each other and win.
1. I find the play hard to read, especially since it seems to work better as a narrative or a movie rather than a book you sit down to read before you go to bed with your tea and candlelight. I do enjoy the pauses though, it makes it seem much more realistic and not as premeditated as some plays can seem. The characters pause naturally, and play off of each others sentences, not like in other plays where each character takes turns with five line monologues. It seems to take the pauses a bit too far sometimes and some lines leave me confused. It is difficult for me to read, no doubt.
ReplyDelete2. To me the play seems to be about competition and success, just like death of a salesman was, just in a different side of the spectrum. The play is made up of determined businessmen that will do anything to get to the top of the ladder, or win the prize in this case. The line that best describes this for me so far is when Williamson is essentially telling Levene, "Business is Business" on page 19. "Let me tell you something, Shelly. I do what I'm hired to do. I'm...wait a second. I'm hired to watch the leads. I'm given...hold on, I'm given a policy. My job is to do that. What I'm told. Thats it. You, wait a second, anybody falls below a certain mark I'm not permitted to give the premium leads." It seems that they are arguing due to all the pauses and breaks in his speech, but he is essentially saying each man has to "pull his own weight" and so forth. This is the classic case we are given in death of a salesman. I'm interested to see how this story will develop.
1. I really like this play so far because, like Christine said, the dialogue is so realistic and it’s a little jerky but I think it is easier to imagine two people having these kind of quick, disorganized conversations opposed to people talking in soliloquies. I think the dialogue sets the tone nicely and I already feel sense air of urgency and stress from the way the characters speak. We don’t know many specific details about the characters, but just from the dialogue you can tell what kind of people they are.
ReplyDelete2. What we have read so far really reminds me of The Paper Chase in that the world these characters are in revolves around competition. It is built on these characters viewing each as competitors, rather than friends. In both the exchange between Levene and Williamson and the one between Moss and Aaronow, I do not get the sense that there is not much camaraderie between these guys and no matter what they do, they will always be in contest with each other. “Somebody wins the Cadillac this month. P.S. Two guys get fucked.” (36) Their business is promoting this kind of competition and by extension self-loathing and resentment. The business is manipulating competition to get more profit. In Death of Salesman, we were told that “business is business”, but here it seems that there is something slimier going on than just business.
1. I find the play very unorganized with ideas being thrown about and disregarded in a moment as if they were nervous impulses. Nowhere in the first two scenes do I see a story being built, there is no clear main character and none of the characters have the best relationships with others. Each individual seems to be striving for the top and aiming to take out the individuals that are already there. I do enjoy the quick sentences that are spit back and forth between characters I can hear the emotions through the page at these parts of the play. Though when the characters are constantly breaking off and cannot complete their own sentences the play becomes harder to follow. So far not the easiest play to follow and no clear story.
ReplyDelete2. Money and a title. Everyone has to have a higher salary than the others. Moss says to Aaronow: "'Twenty-five hundred apiece. One night's work, and the job with Graff. Working the premium leads.'" (41). These salesman only care about bettering themselves no matter the consequences. Moss would even commit robbery to become the top dog and put everyone else in their place. These men want a name for themselves; they want to be respected. We haven't seen enough of these men to know if they are hard working and deserve to be the top dog, but from the way Moss "talks" about his plans he doesn't seem like a hard worker. This play has been difficult to follow but I am hoping that it expands into an eye opener.
Just something to consider in response to one of Graham's points. Indeed, are these men hard working? We've been dealing with Willy and the Lomans where hard work wasn't necessarily the norm, so it makes sense to question these men. I think if you look at the clips, particularly the one with Blake, we see that Mamet wants us to see these men as hard working. In the next scene with Roma, we'll see how these men work. But yes, I'd argue they do work hard.
DeleteTo start, I definitely had a really hard time reading the first couple pages. As you said John, Mamet's style of writing really takes a while to get used to, and I felt like the book starts abruptly, in the middle of a conversation between Levene and Williamson, and it takes a while to figure out what was being talked about. There is a lot of business or real estate lingo in this book that I am not yet aware of. But it did get much easier to understand as I kept reading and began to get into it a little bit. Despite the difficulty of the dialogue, I really did enjoy the beginning of this play. The language and the setting, the story are all more contemporary than anything we have read so far (besides maybe the dialogue of The Paper Chase) and while I know nothing of real estate, I am more able to really get into the story because it is a play that is more relatable than any other book or play we have read. I would say though, I wish the dialogue was a little bit easier to understand, without the pauses and starts and stops that occur all over the place.
ReplyDeleteI think this play is extremely similar to Death of a Salesman in many ways. This play is about getting ahead, succeeding and being the best, making the most profit. It's a play about the struggles of doing all of this, and how this consumes people's lives. We already have in the second scene of the play two co-workers planning to rob their own company solely for the financial aspect, the fact that they will make money for doing so and have a much better opportunity to sell as a result. And in the very first scene even, we have Shelly convincing a Williamson to go against the rules and take from someone else so that he has a chance to get ahead and be successful, and Williamson trying to make as much profit himself out of the deal that he can. From what I have read so far, morals seem to be thrown out of the window already, with people so willing to sell they will break the law and take things that are not theirs, even if there probably is some sort of justification in them doing so. The line that best captures the meaning so far is said by Shelly after Williamson says that his job is only to watch over the leads and distribute them, and that he can't give the best leads to the worst salespeople. "Then how does anyone ever get above the mark? With dreck? That's nonsense." I think this line best captures the meaning because it talks about the hopelessness and the struggle in trying to get ahead in business and in life. It gives us that picture of Shelly trapped in a ditch that he cannot climb out of, that the successful will keep on being successful and the less successful are stuck in a cycle that will keep them there for as long as they are working.
1. Right now, I'm very confused by the play. I don't really have a grasp on the characters and who they are except that they're real estate salesman who are desperately wanting and needing money so much so that they'll resort to robbery. The dialogue is written in a very confusing and unclear manner so I'm not exactly clear even of what's happening. I like the quick jabs between the characters and it adds action to the book. I agree with Sam about starting the book in the middle of a conversation which is very confusing as well. However, I do like the book so far though I'm very confused.
ReplyDelete2. I think that this book is about money, definitely. Not just about making it, but living for it. In the scene we watched in the clip about ABC and AIDA, it was made very clear when he says "you're a good father? fuck you." I mean, I think of the happy sitcom family with a comfortable income and a nice-ish house when I think of the American Dream, but Blake just shuts it down by basically saying: your American dream should be money and if it isn't... "fuck you."
Indeed! In terms of the desperation, remember: these men are fighting for their lively hood, their jobs. First place, new car; second place, steak knives; third place, "Hit the bricks," as Blake says. You're fired. What will you do to keep your job? Bribe? Steal? Whatever—just stay on the board.
Delete1. I think one of my biggest complaints is also an aspect that could be thought of as a core part of the play. The seemingly rushed dialogue that is a result of the constant interruptions throughout the reading leaves me somewhat dazed. It becomes hard to maintain a stream of consciousness when every discussion is filled with responses and interruptions. Other than that I actually have been enjoying the play a good bit. The writing is very well done, and I like the banter that constitutes both scenes so far. The interactions between characters are well done as a whole and I look forward to continuing the novel. So far it doesn't seem overly depressing, I have high hopes.
ReplyDelete2. So far I see the common theme playing along with previous novels in that the book, at least this far, seems to be about doing whatever you can to get ahead. The entirety of Moss's conversation with Aaronow is about getting ahead. They discuss how their boss, Jerry Graff, doesn't have to do anything, but he makes thousands of dollars a week. Moss plans out his idea to steal the leads and the play begins to show one of it's many themes, that you have to get ahead no matter what. Moss claims, "He made up those rules, and we're working for him." This quote shows the basis of our reading so far, in that it expresses the attitude that these businessmen are looking up to and what they strive for.
1. definitely had a hard time following what was going on in this reading. It obviously starts in the middle of the story, while sometimes it's not hard to catch on this was very difficult to understand. The pauses and the way they converse with each other is very realistic but it makes it hard to follow on paper. So much that is going on is unsaid which makes it even harder to understand the storyline.
ReplyDelete2.To me, this book is about competition. As you get past the first pages you realize that they are literally in a competition with each other. They all want to win the cadillac. The true nature of this business competition is shown when Moss said, "Somebody wins the Cadillac this month. P.S. Two guys get fucked." The nature of business (as we see in Death of a Salesman) is that someone is always going to get fucked over. Inevitably someone will lose. I think the book is just going to further that commentary on the world of business.
I was confused by Mamet's writing at first and was very annoyed with all the pauses, interruptions, the .....'s and had no idea what was going on. I disliked what was being said and felt it was repetitive. I only got that these characters are all trying to be the best salesman in the office and win the cadillac. I re-read the scenes and read each person with different voices and was able to understand a bit of what was going on. The videos really clarified the situation and I actually enjoyed watching the scenes and want to watch the film. I was reminded of Willy asking Howard to give him some help with money and a job in New York when Levine and Williamson are having the conversation in clip #2.
ReplyDeleteI feel this book is about competition that goes on in the work field and the competition against each other, like other have said. They are all also trying to keep their job because Mitch and Murray aren't happy with their work so they send Blake. This play will be a journey of either succeeding or failing to win the Cadilac.
And succeeding or failing to keep their jobs as well.
Deleteyeah i accidentally reliazed i dind copy my whole paragraph since i do it on word which was :
DeleteBut it will also be of keeping that job and being able to eat lunch like Moss says on page 30
1. If I hadn't seen the clips that you presented to us, then I am sure that I would have absolutely no idea what the heck was going on in the play. But still, I like it. The play immediately throws us into the world of these agents, with their own distinctive personalities and relationships. I like how the pressure that these salesmen have is well shown by their decision, or attempt, to cheat the system. The play is easy to read for me, mainly because the conversations are entertaining, and I consistently find myself thinking about the connections this book has to our previous books.
ReplyDelete2. The play revolves around competition and its relationship to the American Dream. The real estate agency is a model of American society; those on the top of the board have hundred thousand dollar Cadillacs, those in them middle of the board get a nice set of steak knives, and those on the bottom get nothing. Everybody will bite, kick, and pull no punches to be on the top, and those unwillingly to do so are undeniably given the sack. It’s a rat race to the top, and everyone just “want[s] a chance… to get up on that f---ing board”.
1. The first thing I notice is how different the play is from everything else we have read. It is hard to follow at first because I am not use to the dialogue. On the other hand, I like the play because it is written in a way that seems realistic. Like Ben mentioned, I like the way it introduces the problems right away. Unlike many pieces of literature, this play starts in the middle of an issue. I think that the characters are very diverse and complicated which will make the play very interesting. Also, the only thing besides the dialogue that may make the play hard to keep up with is the names of the characters and keeping the first and last names straight.
ReplyDelete2. I think that, like Erin, the play is about reaching the top. However, I think that unlike Willy, the men in this play may not try to get there by 'right' way. I think that the play deals of how men struggle to reach the top and sometimes commit mistakes and fall down the ladder. I found the second scene quite interesting but when Moss tells Aaronow, "He's got the leads... what are we, we're sitting in the shit here. Why?"(34), I realized the struggle that is going on here. I saw that these men are desperate to get up and succeed. It also showed a contrast between people who are "sitting in the shit" and those who "win the Cadillac". The emotion this characters display (especially Moss and Levene)can make them commit radical acts. The tension in this play is highly unstable.
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ReplyDeleteI had a really hard time with this first reading assignment, because I was not sure about what was going on. However, the two shorter clips above made things a lot clearer and I think it will help with the next reading assignment. I like the play and I think I will like analyzing it, although the business talk can get a little repetitive.
ReplyDeleteThis play seems to have the theme of competition and attempt at success in society (just like Death of a Salesman). What the characters we have seen so far are struggling with is how to make it in the business world when times are bad; they have the experience and had some successful moments, but how does one keep going when competition becomes tougher? This quote really stood out to me: “Levene: You want to do business that way…? Alright. Alright. Alright. Alright. What is there on the other list…?” This reminded me of Death of a Salesman because Levene is desperate and begging Williamson and taking anything he can get. Levene settles for whatever Williamson can give him, just like Willy, Levene lowers his first request from a lead from the A list to a lead from the B list.I think the struggle presented so early in the play will make for an interesting and tense story about survival schemes in the business world.
1. I had a hard time understanding what was going on. They use very simple language and it seems very normal and it doesn’t have any cheesy language like some parts of Death of a Salesman did but like most people have said, I don’t like how there are so many interruptions. It makes it really hard to follow, I don’t really have a clear idea of what the characters are like besides the usual one person is holding power over another which we saw in both scenes. I think that because it is so rushed and everything is overlapping makes it difficult to read because we aren’t sitting right next to the characters and we aren’t in the loop of whats going on. Its like Mamet is writing this assuming that the audience understands what’s going on or he’s doing it on purpose to force us to piece it together in our own individual interpretations.
ReplyDelete2. The quote that stands out for me is when Moss said: “Look at Jerry Gaff. He’s clean, he’s doing business for himself, he’s got his, that list of his with the nurses…see? You see? That’s thinking” (33). To me this shows that business is about getting ahead and doing it for yourself instead of being forced to be the little man at the bottom of a corporate food chain. Everyone wants to do the next smart thing that will get them out of this black hole of business because it’s hard to be a business man especially when you know that you aren’t going to succeed. And to compare himself to Jerry Gaff and to try to be as clever as him and as successful as him, I think this shows that even the people like Moss, who tries to hold his power over Aaronow, is always striving to be someone bigger and better than himself. I think this moment touches on a bit of an identity envy and the want to be something better than what you are.
1. I found it difficult to read when I started, but it got easier as I got used to the style. As other people have said, the dialogue is realistic. It’s conversational which makes sense because these people are having conversations. There are pauses and interruptions scattered throughout which make it more realistic and more challenging to read. I like the story so far. It’s interesting to see how desperate and how tightly wound these guys are. I like how the first time we meet two of the characters is in the midst of a conversation concerning a possible robbery of their company.
ReplyDelete2. I think the play is about desperate people trying to be successful against all odds. The pay off can be great (a new car or a set of beautiful steak knives), but even a small failure means the end of that particular career. And it’s clear from the first scene that even hard work, past success, earnest begging, and generous bribery won’t necessarily save any of these people. I think it’s summed up pretty well when Levene says, “You know who I am…I NEED A SHOT. I got to get on the fucking board”(22). But despite his pleas, Williamson doesn’t give him a shot.
1. At first I was very confused when I first started reading the play. Mamet jumps into a scrambled story line with two people talking to each other without any kind of introduction. He takes us straight to the heart of the story and takes time to understand what is going on. Also the dialogue is somewhat difficult to follow. There are lots of pauses and cut off sentences to keep my attention. I think that Mamet constructed his writing to reflect the chaos of the plot. All of these men want to win the contest and get the best leads. If they fail the they will be fired. This puts the characters into a frenzy. The situation causes these men to lose sight of everything else. When a job is on the line people get scared. I like the play so far and I want to know what happens next.
ReplyDelete2. Mamet shows, through this play, the lengths that people will go to in a time of desperation. Moss is ready to commit a crime and drag a bystander into it with him. Levene begs on his hands and knees for leads to Williamson, "And know I'm saying this. Do I want charity? Do I want pity? I want sits. I want leads don't come right out of a phone book. Give me a lead hotter than that, and I'll go in and close it. GIve me a chance. That's all I want" (22). These men will do anything to get to the top. Levene wants a chance because he does not have good leads already. There is so much pressure on them to do well. Levene is near the end of his career and he wants to revisit the top. I am not sure if Levene ever was a good salesman. He says that he was, but so did WIlly. These men work hard, but are they all good enough to keep their jobs?
Elizabeth, I like the tern "frenzy" here. They are in a frenzy indeed. As for Levene, it will be made clear later in the play that he was a good salesman. His nickname is "The Machine."
Delete1. I love how this play is presented. There is no introduction or instruction on how to read or direct the play, unlike Death of a Salesman. I wouldn't say that it's necessarily difficult to understand the dialog, but for me it's frustrating to read because many times the characters' thoughts aren't finished, and often times its hard to figure out exactly was going though their minds at that moment. Are they being cut off? Do they not really understand what they're trying to say? Are they overcome with emotion? All of these questions keep running through my mind, and that's why I love to watch these clips you're giving us. I think that they did a great job with the movie even after only watching a few short scenes.
ReplyDelete2. I completely agree with Molly: this book is all about the money. The American Dream is to get rich, so screw you're family. Screw the love you have for anything else in the world that can't be sold. Everything has a price tag. You are only worth as much as you sell. So far, the book is illustrating how the business world can be inhumane and obsession with wealth takes over people's minds so that they don't care about anything else. A great line is when Moss tells Aaronow, "Look look look look, when they build your business, then you can't fucking turn around, enslave them, treat them like children, fuck them up the ass, leave them to fend for themselves...no"(36). To answer your question on whether or not these men are working hard: I think that yes, they are. They put in their time and effort, but like some of the salesmen have already pointed out, there are certain types of people who are assigned to you who just will not buy. No matter how hard you work.
1. It took me a while to get into the play. Longer than usual. The mayhem of act one made it hard to realize what was happening. I think the play could get interesting. I enjoyed the clips, they clarified certain things for me. I think the play will get more interesting. I like the conflict already set up. I like the strong willed characters and their juxtaposition to each other. I think I will get into the play, it will just take a little while.
ReplyDelete2. Explicitly the play is about the competition. More implicitly, however, I believe it is about how we, as humans, deal with competition. Competition with each other, inter-personally and in business, drives us, motivates us. Competition is what keeps our world turning. I think Mamet is showing us the truth behind business, the dark side of our inherent need for competition. The line that stuck out to me was on page 30. "The whole fuckin' thing...The pressure's just too great. You're ab...you're absolu...they're too important. All of them. You go in the door. I...'I got to close this fucker, or I don't eat lunch,''or I don't win the Cadillac...'" This exemplifies our need to compete and succeed. We work ourselves to the death, work for that next prie. We throw each other under the bus, forget about everything, just to win that next title. This is what Mamet wants us to take away, I think.
1.
ReplyDeleteI find that the conversation flows more realistically, with each character pausing to consider, and occasionally talking over one another. I believe in this respect it presents a challenge to read and fully comprehend. I liked the nondescript setting, the restaurant booth, because it centers the attention of the reader/watcher solely on the dialogue, with little thought going on about the surroundings. It is also the standard setting for stereotypical back-room dealings, which is all we have seen so far, which I feel speaks a great deal about the message of the play.
2.
On the surface, we see Darwinistic competition at its finest: the strong flourish and the weak are removed from the equation. But underneath I feel that this play is about the pressure surrounding the world of business, the pressure to reach the top, to succeed, much like what we saw in Death of a Salesman. This pressure causes people to become desperate, as we see here, and these desperate individuals will go to great measures to succeed, causing them to go up against their moral values and principals.
1. So far this play isn't my favorite. I'm intrigued, but its a little hard to follow in my opinion. The dialogue just isn't as clear as I'm used to; the characters don't really speak in complete thoughts. I like all the characters, but at this point I find it kind of hard to discern between them. However, after reading scene 2 I like the play a lot more. I thought the plot started to develop and make sense.
ReplyDelete2. Like others have said, I think the play is definitely about success. The main concern is getting to the top, and staying at the top while everyone else gets screwed. It seems to be an all men for themselves environment. Moss talks about how important it is to be independent: "To say 'I'm going on my own.' Cause what you do, George, let me tell you what you do: you find yourself in thrall to someone else" (35). Moss is saying that you have to be in this business for yourself, and everyone else doesn't matter. Because the other people will only use you to get to the top.
The play is a little tough to get into at first- the dialogue is very fragmented and fast-paced. You really have to imagine the action taking place in the scene, otherwise the lines don't make much sense. This is certainly the type of play that is best appreciated when on the stage, I think, as all plays are to a certain degree. As Cam said, it doesn't make very good bedside reading. However, I feel that this is what gives the play it's tone, it's mood, and I like it for that. I think that this will be an interesting read.
ReplyDeleteFrom the first two scenes, it would appear that the play is about the pressures and rigors of selling real-estate, and the ruthless game that the higher-ups play with their leads to incentivize competition. Just looking at the scenes from the movie, one could conclude that it is partially about the irony of a man much more his employee's junior telling him what to do like scolding a bad dog (that would be Alec Baldwin). "Let me tell you something, Shelly. I do what I'm hired to do" (19). Everybody is in it for themselves, and these men hold no scruples about getting ahead of the next man. Levene uses bribery, Moss theft and burglary. It will be interesting, to say the least, to see how this contest plays out.
The dialogue definitely jumps right into the action with no room for introductions. It took me a while to understand exactly who was who and who did what. I like the pace, I think it adds to the effect the play is trying to create. I find myself reading faster than I usually would, but I end up having to go back and re-read to understand what happened exactly. Each sentence runs into each other like a train wreck. All of the characters seem stressed and tense, and it provokes a conflicting reaction. On one hand, I cannot empathize with their stress because I am forced to believe it is ridiculous, but on the other hand, I am faced with the reality of their lives, and the masses of people who share that same perpetual sense of competition for survival.
ReplyDelete" Bad people go to hell? I don't think so. If you think that, act that way. A hell exists on earth? Yes. I won't live in it. That's me." Ricky Roma captures the mantra of the fundamental American dream; to make it. He must fend for himself and make his own way, fair or not. It shows the pressure and desire for reward, the thirst for not only survival but success. The story of success is one of the individual, not of the collective, and already it is clear that this is a commentary about people turning on other people for the sake of money or a promise, false or not.
This is the first book that I am already not liking the book. It is very difficult to read because of all of the dialogue. The pauses during the dialogue also add to the confusion because a lot of times the characters are not finishing their words and so when I am trying to read it, I get a bit jumbled and I always have to go back and look at it. What also made it difficult was that there was no context even from the beginning. At first I thought it was about police leads and then I finally i figured out that it was about selling, but without context it was very hard to begin the book. Especially in act one tere is just so much going on and there are so many different conversations that are going on within this one conversation that I was lost for most of the first act.
ReplyDeleteOne of the lines that sticks out to me so far is on page 35, "Moss. He made up those rules, and we're working for him." I feel like in both conversations in act 1 and act 2 we see this idea of rebellion among the workers. They both want to rage against the machine and they want to go against the rules, because they think the rules are holding them back. I think this captures the ideas of all the men. They are all being used and working tirelessly for the minimum rewards and their boss, who similar to Willy's boss does not have to do anything but tell someone to dole out the leads and it is done. They are being taken advantage of, and I think this captures the idea of the first to conversations because on both cases they are breaking the rules that they are supposed to follow.
I'm still undecided because there are several points that I dislike and like. One of the things I do like is the language that the author uses. Its very refreshing and much bolder than Death of a Salesman. I also like that almost every other page there's dialogue about a "cock-sucker" or "bullshit". I like it because its very realistic, I feel like in real life people use language like this very often. One thing I didn't like though is the weird way that the dialogue connects. Its very confusing because people will often stop talking in the middle of a sentence and someone else will end the sentence. Also the book seems to start like right in the middle of these people's lives without any background. So that's why I'm undecided.
ReplyDeleteOne of the lines that jumped out at me was "You, wait a second, anybody falls below a certain mark I'm not permitted to give them the premium leads." It jumped out because it seems very similar to Howard in Death of a Salesman. It doesn't seem like Williamson and Howard are any way alike, but this line just jumped out. Anyone that falls beneath the mark is not given help getting back up, and that's certainly true in this book and Death of a Salesman.
1. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the play books. As far as reading pleasure, it doesn't really measure up to something like The Great Gatsby or The Paper Chase. I think I have a really hard time getting a mental image of what's going on, and end up mostly just trying to figure out who's talking in the scene. However, what the play lacks in scene descriptions and illustrative literature is at least partially made up for with its ability to get to the point, to cut down to the key issues. There is already, in only the first couple of pages of the book, an evident theme.
ReplyDelete2. So far, the play is focusing on business. We've seen this tiny little world of two men, sitting in a restaurant, arguing about leads. One thing we can see is that the two men arguing have an obvious obsession for money. It seems that, above all else, they care about money. The way they talk about getting leads and closing deals, you would almost think that they were talking about the fate of their own lives. They sit around the entire time, cursing, yelling, and interrupting each other. I think that we can gather a lot about this play by looking at not only what they say, but how they say it. The way that they raise their voices and interrupt makes them seem like animals, already having forgone almost all moral restraint. But as we've already scene in the clip, the world of business is not about morals. It's about making money. I have a feeling that the play is going to revolve around this issue.
1. First, this is late because I was sick. But so far, I like this play. It’s interesting, especially how the salesman are pitted against each other. But not so much to the point of sabotage (although Moss does get Aaronow to steal the leads, but not for sabotage of the others). It’s interesting. But, I also somewhat dislike this play. And that is because it is a play. Like Jake said, I like books more. Also, I dislike the disconnectedness of the play. Sometimes, it is hard to get a good grip of what is going on.
ReplyDelete2. This is play is about selling, business, and competition. They are trying to get on the “board” and try to be the best to win the competitions. And everything is about money. Levene and Williamsom are arguing about money. Or at least, a way to get. “I’ll give you ten percent”(23). There it is. Business. A bribe. Money. They are both trying to do their job, and also trying to get this to work.
1) I really like the play so far although I find it kind of confusing. I had a lot of trouble understanding the dialogue initially but as I began to try to read it aloud and actually envision the scenes in my head, it has become much easier.
ReplyDelete2) To me, the play is about selling the dream. It is about taking the facts and making them personal. The line that I think encompasses what the play is about is when Levene is talking to Williamson and he says "don't look at the board, look at me"(22). I think that this is a really good example of how the salesmen take what they are pitching and make it more of a personal and emotional decision.