Death of a Salesman: Reference Guide

Act I
pg. 7
"Angelo knows the Studebaker"- Linda
- So the Studebaker Company was its own independent thing at the time. And
like all cars of the time it didn't have power steering (hence the giant steering
wheel) but because it wasn't electronic it involved a lot of moving and greased
parts.
"A third steering box design was the Ross can-and-lever design.
Studebaker used these. A cam attached to the cross shaft had
one or two pins that rode up and down the worm gear's grooves,
thus actuating the Pitman arm. This design resulted in smooth,
comfortable steering, because it eliminated "rebound" over
bumps."
-There were two other designed used by more famous companies (Chevy,
Ford, ect.) while it wasn't a bad design by any means the lack of commonality could
be the cause of Angelo not "knowing" the car well enough to fix it permanently. Or
steering isn't the problem at all (because it's not that difficult to fix).
-You know, Willy is really lucky that he didn't wreck quickly (as they mention
later). I was talking to my dad earlier and he told me that the Pitman arm that
attaches the steering column to the axle used to be set straight, so when people
wrecked (if it was bad which, granted, was very hard in old "tank" cars) it almost
always IMPAILED the driver. Now they're set diagonally for that very reason.
pg. 8
"Take an aspirin."- Linda
-Around the late 30s and well into the seventies there was a massive aspirin
war going on between Anacin and Bayer over whose Aspirin was better. During the
late thirties the Anacin Company advertised their product by sponsoring soap
operas and women's day time shows, so it's possible Linda frequents those as a
distraction.
-Also in the 40s and 50s one of their main product lines was that it treats
"headaches, neuritis and neuralgia". Neuritis is a swelling of a nerve that can cause
pain and loss of function, so it might be referencing this as well. Maybe Linda hopes
there's a physical reason for his problems.
-I think it's important to note that she doesn't say anything other than it'll
soothe him. Linda might be trying to fix his problems without confronting him with

his issues. The same as when she takes the pipe away but doesn't want him to
know she is aware of it and then returns it.

pg. 9
"shaving lotion."- Linda
-Barbasol! Super famous for having an incredibly strong smell, strong enough
to linger on the skin for hours. Also in the late 30s it sold its products with men and
women in "risqu" situations. Which is exactly the kind of ad the Loman boys would
respond too. (Especially Happy, that dog.)
pg. 10
"It's whipped."- Linda
-Kraft made a bunch of admittedly really gross sounding "cheese in a jar"
things in the 30s and 40s and just like Aspirin is was marketed specifically to
housewives. A la, Linda. It was probably something similar to Velveeta. Or spray
cheese without the aerosol, I don't blame Willy for not being into it, personally.
-Another note, these kinds of "cheese products" tend to last longer because,
well, they aren't really cheese. Linda might be trying to stretch a buck here by
buying something that will last longer and now she has to convince Willy to give it a
shot.
pg. 11
"lilac and wisteria."- Willy
-Flowers always mean something and these are no different. While both are
knows for their overbearing smell, lilacs stand for "love, and youthful innocence"
while wisteria stands for "releasing burdens, the duality of love, victory over
hardship." Also, people that really like flowers had this to say about wisteria:
"Wisteria reminds us that the journey into our conscious evolution is vital to our
own blossoming." (I didn't even bold that phrase, they did.) So these flower choices
are totally pointedly chosen.
"One of them was deaf."- Willy
-Edison wasn't really deaf. But he was hard of hearing and invited the hearing
aid. So we can let Willy have that one. He also did start late in life because his
teachers at school believed him slow because he learned differently (because he
couldn't hear, more likely). However, Goodrich was a surgeon at (at least) 23, so I
don't know where Willy got him from.

pg. 12
"...windshields don't open"- Willy
-In order to make them safer. But there were very new cars. It was only in
1930 when Ford realized it would be a good idea to reinforce windshields so they
aren't just windows waiting to shatter and stab passengers. Some still move, like
mine, but much differently.
"Simonize"- Willy
-It literally just means polish with (or "as if with") wax. It's from an ad for
Simoniz, the older car care brand in the country which naturally then became slang.
However in the ad they didn't spell it the way Miller does? When Willy mentions it
again as "doing a simonizing job" it's a weird phrase, but he probably just means
"well-polished". Or, you know, he's just delusional, entirely valid.
Meanwhile Bif is working out before bed
-Just like the decades before them the 1940s were all about some stretches
and more about actual fitness rather than getting "buff" if you will. Since the 40s
and 50s were also a big time of machinery that "did the work for you" there were a
lot of scary looking machines that would massage the fat off of you. Regardless, Biff
wouldn't have this stuff. I'm a fan of him following this regimen:
"Bill Orban was a Canadian football and hockey player who
graduated from the University of California physical education
program. Orban designed the 5BX, five basic exercise program for
the Royal Canadian Air Force in the 1950s. A precursor to the
modern circuit training, the premise for his workout was that if
you exercise for 15 minutes a day, three times a week,
performing the same round of activities, you'd remain healthy and
fit. The five exercises included touching your toes, ab crunches,
push ups, a stationary run and leg kicks. The program required
you to build intensity into your workouts as the 11-minute routine
progressed over time."
pg. 16
"grub for money."- Bif
-A money-grubber is someone solely bent on accumulating money. Possibly
Willy's fault, for never giving money value by pretending that it was very easy for
him to come by so neither boy sees value in the struggle of trying to earn any.
pg. 17
"seven or eight thousand."- Bif

-Something in the $120,000-130,000 range now a days.

pg. 20
"Gene Tunney's signature"- Willy
-World Heavyweight champion boxer from 1926-28. Also two time light
heavyweight champion in America. Gene Tunney also published a book in 1938
titled "A Man Must Fight" I'm sure it's no coincidence that Miller picked him, but
Tunney was also a household name at the time.

pg. 22
"Regents"- Bernard
-Statewide standardized examinations in New York. You can get a regents
diploma if you're going to college or not disabled. This test is still around and there
seems to be a different test for every different subject. The exams started in 1866,
in the 20s there were vocational tests, but Bernard is probably talking about a math
based Regents test, since he's a nerd since that's what Birnbaum teaches.
pg. 24 and 25
Conversions of money set to 1928 because that's the year they mention. - Linda &
Willy
-$212 = $2,877.46, $70= about $950, $16= about $217, $1.80= about $25,
$96= about $1,303, $21= about $285, $3.50= about $47.50, $120= about $1,629
pg. 25
"Carburetor"- Linda
-Cars run on a mixture of air (12 parts) and fuel (1 part). Now they do this
electronically but old cars needed these to make those mixtures. This is the LAST
thing you check when you have a problem with an old car so their either getting
fleeced or their car is on its literal last leg.
pg. 26
"70 to 100 a week" "ten, twelve hours"-Linda & Willy
-so 70 is around $950 and 100 is about $1,378 assuming $70 is ten hours and
$100 is twelve he's making about $0.83 to $19.40 an hour. As thinking honestly he's
probably not getting 100 for ten hours. I'm thinking more in the $70 a week working
12 hour days. 83 cent a day seems just like his luck. It's also very close to the
amount that Biff shamefully mentions that he makes later, which is kinda funny.

pg. 27
"stockings"- Ms. Francis (The Woman)
-because flapper styles were a thing even if F. Scott Fitzgerald didn't write you
into existence they were like "the" fashion item for women. Because most dresses
showed calve, and that's why she likes to have "lots of stockings". I couldn't find a
price for adult stockings but young girls were in the quarter range. Assuming
women's cost more probably a dollar. So Willy is hitting on hard times if he can't buy
two pair. Also, seams in stockings were very unfashionable so it's a big deal that
Linda wants to stitch hers, that would make them unseemly almost trashy looking.
pg. 28
"keep your pores open"- Willy
-Literal, but it also means have an open mind and be excepting of new things.
You know, like an on-going affair. Or more lewdly; be open to sleeping with him
again (like legs open, gross, but he doesn't seem to be above that sort of low brow).
pg. 29
"The woods are burning!"- Willy
-A comment on the whole "it's a jungle out there" expression. Everything is
falling apart and there's nothing he can do about it. The woods are burning is
frequently used to express or show being trapping in a terrible situation. He's
already thinking about Ben. "I walked into the jungle when I was eighteen"
pg. 30
"let's shoot"- Charley
-The following are the rules to the actual game of Shoot which might be what
they're playing.
"At the start, the dealer alone puts up a stake, which can be any
amount between an agreed minimum and maximum.
The dealer deals just three cards to each other player. Players
may not look at their cards until just before their turn to bet
(when the previous player's turn is over).
At your turn, you may bet anything between an agreed minimum
and the amount currently in the pot (obviously the agreed
minimum for a player's stake must be less than the minimum that
the dealer has to put into the pool). The dealer then turns up a
card and you win if you can show a card from your hand of the

same suit and higher in rank; otherwise you lose. If the pot
becomes empty, anyone who has not yet bet in that deal does
not have a chance to do so. The deal immediately passes to the
next player to the left.
If money remains in the pot at the end of a deal, the same dealer
deals again. When the same person has dealt three times in
succession they can choose whether to pass the deal on to the
next player, keeping whatever is in the pot, or to deal a fourth
time and pass the deal on after that, keeping whatever remains in
the pot after the fourth hand."
-However, this isn't how the game they're playing goes (they talk
about builds on aces). What they mention sounds more in line
with actual Casino which has some complex rules but it's like a
fishing game that works best for two or four people.
-To save room here's a link to casino rules:
http://www.pagat.com/fishing/casino.html
pg. 31
"deposit bottle"- Charley
-you used to be able to turn in a coke bottle to get a nickel as an incentive to
recycle. But if it's broken you put money in and get nothing out, much like an ill
raised/ungrateful child.
pg. 32
"Alaska"- Ben
-The Alaskan railroad company was booming and encouraging people to buy
land and try out farming. In other senses technological advances made exploring
the far north possible and many saw it as a mysterious opportunity, also the end of
the major gold rushing was going on.
-IF Ben really did have all these enterprises he was probably buying land,
logging it out, and then renting it to farmers. Normally land with a lot of railroads
losses its value because no one wants to live near the constant noise.
-Also, the British extortion of African diamonds ect, began in 1901, so (as we
get the implication that he really was there) Ben was a little ahead of the times.
pg. 34
"Ketchikan"- Ben

-Currently a popular cruise and tourist place in Alaska, probably in the 1920s
as well. Also, it's pronounced exactly how it looks.
pg. 39
"I just stopped dying it is all"- Linda
-Probably a good thing because a bunch of laws were passed about beauty
product safety. "coal-tar hair dye" was a very popular thing and faced a lot of legal
issues because it wasn't good for you. Safety changes probably caused a price
jump, which caused her to stop dyeing her hair.
pg. 41
"drives seven hundred miles"- Linda
-Willy was supposed to be in Boston which is only 215.4 miles away. New
England (where he's "vital") is only 338.7 miles. To give you an idea of a distance
Louisville, Kentucky is 700 odd miles away from New York. So, I don't know where
she thinks he's driving. Maybe he's been playing up the distance like he played up
the amount of money he's been making? Or this is a fiction Linda constructed based
on the time it takes him, as he's driving slowly.

pg. 43
"a new little nipple on the gas pipe"- Linda
-This is actually a pretty common way of carbon monoxide suicide.
-also, all life insurance policies come with a "suicide clause" and if they have
been created, added to, or altered within two years the family can't collect any
money after a suicide. However, being old Willy probably didn't recently change it.
Still after a suicide, you normally have to fight and sometimes don't win money. So
Willy's actually just causing more problems for them.
-I think that Willy has really tried to die peacefully; they don't have a garage
so he can't just park his car and poison himself. So he tried the rubber tube, the
problem is when he faints he probably can't hold the pipe in his mouth and is
therefore revived. Embarrassing.
pg. 45
"Go to Filene's, go to the Hub." - Willy
-Filene's is a very historic (ie. still running) specialty store in Boston they sell
"Fashion and Entertainment" and have since 1870. The full name of the company is
William Filene's Sons Company. The Hub is a little harder to figure out; they have an

employee site but no guest sight. Then there's Universal Hub which is all Boston Sox
stuff. And the Top of the Hub which is a restaurant? Whatever. It's in Boston.
pg. 47
"fifteen thousand" "ten, I think"- Willy & Bif
-$244,595.83, $163,063.88
"Gee"- Bif
-Okay, it's just an expression but it came from a farm hand term meaning
"turn right". So it's kinda funny that Biff uses it a lot. It's totally a kid's word though.
ACT II
pg. 52
"108.68"-Linda
-$1,772.17
pg. 53
"Hastings"- Willy
-I can't find this company. So either it was made up or so unpopular it no
longer exists anywhere on the internet. However there is a band called the
"Hastings Refrigerator Company". That's neither here nor there and I can't speak to
their quality.
pg. 54
"saccharine"- Linda
-Gross sweetener tablets that were advertised to women as things that would
help you lose weight. Probably another thing Linda saw on TV and thought it would
help Willy look "less foolish."
pg. 55
"wire recorder"- Howard
-These weren't easy to come by until the mid/late forties. Nor were they easy
to use or cheap.
pg. 56
"Bulova watch time"- Howard's Son

-Just a brand of watch. Probably the watch he owns. They're VERY expensive
now, so they were probably expensive then. Think in the ballpark of Rolex.
pg. 59
"$170 in commission"- Willy
-Exactly $2,307.40
pg. 60
"the capital of Rhode Island"- Howard's Son
-It's Providence (very unimportant.)
pg. 62
"Commodore Hotel"- Willy
-There is no Commodore Hotel in Alaska.
-There are two Commodore Hotels in history, currently one in Portland, and
The Grand Hyatt in New York which was called the Commodore Hotel until the 80s.
Willy probably thinks that New York is THE place for success. Everything comes back
there, even his brothers success in Alaska comes back.
pg. 65
"Red Grange"- Willy
-"Harold Edward "Red" Grange, nicknamed "The Galloping Ghost" or "The
Galloping Red Ghost", was a college and professional American football halfback for
the University of Illinois, the Chicago Bears, and for the short-lived New York
Yankees."
pg. 66
"Workin'? .or still honest?"- Willy
-"working" here is used in the same sense as "working girl", a prostitute. So
he's asking if she's there to be a prostitute to Bernard/Howard or a secretary.
pg. 70
"fifty" "hundred and ten"- Charley & Willy
-$757, $1,666
pg. 71

"JP Morgan"- Charley

-A financier famous for JP Morgan and Chase. Charley is pretty on about his
appearance.
"Turkish bath"- Charley
-A sauna.
"pockets on"- Charley
-Not a turn of phrase, so probably a Charley-ism, but it's clearly about a
tuxedo and being all dressed up.
pg. 73
"strudel's coming"- Happy
-Strudel means prostitute here, when phones became common so did call
girls and they were preferred but "upstanding men" under the assumption that they
would have less diseases or be less obviously prostitutes in public situations. Call
girls were kind of a step right before escorts. If you know what to look for (like
Happy does) you can find one on a crowd or a restaurant. Every areas prostitutes
have a certain "hint" to their customers of if they're working.
pg. 76
"fountain pen"- Bif
-Nowadays they're like anywhere from $30-100, probably nearly equivalent
then, expensive.
pg. 86
"a malted"- Willy
-Think Ovaltine, or Nesquick, a gruel-ish like chocolate powder, common in
diners and the like.
"The thquare root of thixty-thwee"- Bif
-it's 7.9. (This isn't important either.)

pg. 87
"You've certainly got your nerve"- Ms. Francis

-Two possible meanings here, either she means he's "got a lot of nerve" to
kick her out mostly naked into the hall, or it's a twist of getting on someone nerves
meaning Willy's agitated himself. However, I lean toward the first, since he's kicking
her out post all the flirting and sex and stuff.
pg. 92
"work like a coolie"- Willy
-A derogatory word in some places (at least now it is) but in others it's still a
word for an unskilled worker from China or India. Given the time I'm sure Willy
doesn't mean to have any kind of derogatory tone to it. Ahhhhh, the casual racism
of olden days.
pg. 98
"Twenty thousand dollars"- Willy
-$302,983.22, this is a pretty large sum of money to get. 100,000 (today) is
the average for a 35 year old which I believe is normally higher. Though life
insurance tended to be more forgiving in earlier times, still that's a lot of money.