Character Motivations

This worksheet asks students to analyze the motivations of Willy, Biff, and Happy at different points in Death of a Salesman. Students begin by identifying each character’s goals at the start of the play, then pull direct evidence from Act I to show how the text reveals those motivations. They also examine how each character’s drive or purpose changes by the end of the play, encouraging students to track character development. By responding in complete sentences, students practice citing textual evidence and explaining character arcs. This activity strengthens students’ understanding of psychological complexity, family dynamics, and thematic shifts in the play.

Curriculum Matched Skills

English Language Arts – Character Development Analysis

English Language Arts – Using Textual Evidence

English Language Arts – Literary Theme Interpretation

English Language Arts – Constructed Response Writing

This worksheet is part of our Death of a Salesman Worksheets collection.