Character Comparison

This analytical worksheet is designed for Grades 9-12 and helps students compare Willy Loman and his brother Ben to better understand Arthur Miller’s critique of the American Dream. Students complete a structured chart examining each character’s views on success, attitudes toward work, and relationships with family, then determine the outcomes of these differences. A reflection prompt asks students to explain how the contrast between Willy and Ben reinforces Miller’s thematic message about ambition, material success, and self-worth.

Learning Goals

• Comparative Character Analysis (Secondary ELA) – Identify and evaluate similarities and differences between characters
• Theme Evaluation – Analyze how character contrasts reveal critique of the American Dream
• Textual Evidence Use – Support comparisons with details from the play
• Dramatic Structure Understanding – Recognize how secondary characters function to highlight central ideas

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Aligned with high school literature and analysis standards
• Clear Comparative Framework – Chart format supports organized, evidence-based thinking
• Theme-Focused Reflection – Moves students from comparison to interpretation
• Supports Essay Writing – Builds skills needed for comparative analysis paragraphs
• Flexible Use – Ideal for close reading, discussion prep, formative assessment, or review
• Low Prep – Print-and-use worksheet with clear directions and structured sections

This character comparison worksheet helps students see how Ben serves as a foil to Willy, embodying an extreme version of the American Dream that both tempts and destroys Willy. By analyzing their contrasting values and outcomes, learners deepen their understanding of Miller’s critique and strengthen their ability to use character analysis as a tool for thematic interpretation.

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