Norma Desmond used to be in silent movies. She was really big at the time, and now that talking pictures were new, the silent actress wasn’t in showbiz anymore. From what we expect, we think that Willy used to be a really good salesman in his youth. From the Death of a Salesman, as an older man, he isn’t a very good salesman.
She is crazy too, just like Willy. She had her own monkey, and when the monkey died, Norma buried him in a satin coffin. She even had a funeral for it that was very serious. This showed that she had a really empty life. Willy also has an empty life because he has nothing to show for what he has done with his life.
Because Norma doesn’t want to be in any of the talking pictures that are “strangling the business,” she is stuck in the same place in her career as Willy is stuck in his.
Norma is really, really, really arrogant. Desmond has pictures all over her house of herself and whenever her and Joe watch movies, she is always in them. In her own script, her character is in every single scene.
Norma isolates herself from everyone else is afraid of the world outside her home, because she doesn’t want to see how different it is because of the time that has past. Willy doesn’t really isolate himself, but he doesn’t like to think of the present timing. He is always thinking in the past, and can’t let the past go either.
The Bell Jar
2 comments:
i agree.. your last point is related to Willy not wanting the recorder to play. He didn't like anything that could accurately repeat the past.. because it might not be what he thought it was. Good Post!
Good Blog, Erica!
I liked how you described each character in such detail. I thought it was interesting how you said that Norma isolates herself from everyone else, because she doesn't want to see how different it is because of the time that has past. That was something that I never thought of before. Nice job, dude. =)
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