Willy’s Argument

This extended writing worksheet is designed for Grades 9-12 and challenges students to engage deeply with one of the play’s central moral questions: Is Willy Loman’s pursuit of success noble, or is it fundamentally misguided? Students choose a clear position and develop a full argumentative essay, defending their claim with at least two direct quotes or specific textual examples from Death of a Salesman. The task requires careful analysis of Willy’s motivations, illusions, values, and failures, pushing students to connect character behavior to larger thematic and moral questions.

Learning Goals

• Argumentative Essay Writing (Secondary ELA) – Develop a clear thesis and sustain an argument across multiple paragraphs
• Textual Evidence & Citation – Integrate quotes and examples effectively to support claims
• Character Analysis – Evaluate Willy Loman’s beliefs, choices, and internal conflicts
• Moral & Thematic Reasoning – Interpret how individual ambition connects to broader ideas about success, identity, and self-worth

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Aligned with high school ELA writing and analysis standards
• Essay-Ready Structure – Guides students from position-taking to evidence-based reasoning
• Deep Critical Thinking – Encourages nuanced evaluation rather than simple judgment
• Supports Writing Stamina – Builds skills for extended, formal literary essays
• Flexible Use – Ideal as a summative assessment, major writing assignment, or AP/IB-style practice
• Low Prep – Print-and-use worksheet with clear expectations and writing guidance

This argumentative essay worksheet helps students move from discussion and short responses to sustained literary analysis. By defending a position on Willy Loman’s pursuit of success, learners strengthen their ability to construct persuasive arguments, analyze complex characters, and connect textual details to meaningful claims. Whether used as a culminating task or a major writing assessment, this activity supports rigorous, thoughtful engagement with Death of a Salesman and its enduring moral questions.

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