Timeline Sorting

This analytical worksheet is designed for Grades 9-12 and helps students navigate the complex, non-linear structure of Death of a Salesman. Students organize twelve key events from the play into correct chronological order while also labeling each moment as Present Day (PD) or Flashback (FB). Because Arthur Miller intentionally blends memory with reality, this activity requires close reading and careful reasoning as students distinguish between actual events and Willy Loman’s recollections. The task clarifies how shifts in time reflect Willy’s psychological state and deepen the play’s meaning.

Learning Goals

• Plot Structure & Sequencing (Secondary ELA) – Accurately order events despite non-linear narration
• Understanding Flashbacks – Distinguish between present action and memory
• Reading Comprehension (Drama) – Track events across scenes and timelines
• Analytical Categorization – Classify moments based on narrative time and purpose

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Aligned with high school literature and drama standards
• Targets a Common Challenge – Directly addresses student confusion about time shifts
• Visual & Logical Organization – Sorting format supports clarity and retention
• Psychological Insight – Reinforces understanding of Willy’s mental fragmentation
• Flexible Use – Ideal for mid-play clarification, review, assessment, or test prep
• Low Prep – Print-and-use worksheet with clear instructions and structured space

This timeline sorting worksheet helps students make sense of Death of a Salesman‘s layered structure by untangling past and present. By sequencing events and identifying flashbacks, learners gain a stronger grasp of plot, character psychology, and Miller’s dramatic technique. Whether used as a comprehension checkpoint or an analytical exercise, this activity supports deeper, more confident engagement with the play.

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