Ben Loman Character Analysis in Death of a Salesman

Willy's adventurous brother, who has just died in Africa when the play begins. At moments of great stress or doubt, Willy converses with Ben's ghost. Ben is the embodiment of the most old-fashioned aspect of the American Dream, the idea that a man can set out into the wilderness by himself and come back wealthy. Willy regrets not following Ben's path and testing himself against rugged natural settings. Yet he barely knew Ben, and Ben showed contempt for him on his few visits to Willy's home.

Ben Loman Quotes in Death of a Salesman

The Death of a Salesman quotes below are all either spoken by Ben Loman or refer to Ben Loman. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

).

The man knew what he wanted and went out and got it! Walked into a jungle, and comes out, the age of twenty-one, and he's rich! The world is an oyster, but you don't crack it open on a mattress!

Related Characters: Willy Loman (speaker), Ben Loman

Page Number and Citation: 28

Explanation and Analysis:

Never fight fair with a stranger, boy. You'll never get out of the jungle that way.

Related Characters: Ben Loman (speaker), Willy Loman

Page Number and Citation: 34

Explanation and Analysis:

The jungle is dark but full of diamonds, Willy.

Related Characters: Ben Loman (speaker), Willy Loman

Page Number and Citation: 107

Explanation and Analysis:

Ben Loman Character Timeline in Death of a Salesman

The timeline below shows where the character Ben Loman appears in Death of a Salesman. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...go to bed. Willy wonders aloud why he didn't go to Alaska with his brother Ben, who started with nothing and made it rich by discovering a diamond mine in Africa. (full context)

In a kind of daydream, Willy's rugged, dignified older brother Ben appears onstage. Willy tells Charley that Ben died only a few weeks ago, in Africa.... (full context)

Now alone, Willy remembers a time when Ben visited the house. In the memory, the two of them discuss their family history with... (full context)

Willy calls Biff and Happy into the room and asks Ben to tell them about their grandfather. Ben describes "a very great and a very wild-hearted... (full context)

Willy boasts that his sons are also rugged. To test his claim, Ben begins to mock-wrestle with Biff, and then trips the boy and threatens him by hovering... (full context)

...his sons steal any more from the construction site nearby. Willy, still trying to impress Ben, brags that his sons are fearless characters. Charley counters that the jails are full of... (full context)

Howard leaves, and Willy slips into a memory in which Ben is offering him an opportunity to come to Alaska to manage a tract of timberland.... (full context)

In the garden, Willy is talking with Ben, and mentions the $20,000 dollar life insurance policy his family will be entitled to when... (full context)

...goes upstairs. Linda follows soon after. Willy promises to also come upstairs soon. Alone, now, Ben appears to him, and Willy assures Ben that Biff will be magnificent one day, once... (full context)