1994. In some works of literature, a character who appears briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence. Choose a novel or play of literary merit and write an essay in which you show how such a character functions in the work. You may wish to discuss how the character affects action, theme, or the development of other characters. Avoid plot summary.
A characters presence in a novel, while sometimes brief, can serve a purpose than the reader may at first not realize. Many novels have minor characters be the cause of problems while others use them as a solution. In Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesmen, "the woman" appears only twice but is the ultimate person who tears the Loemen family apart, brings out the truth about Willie and sends Biff to realize what he's been searching for.
The first time we see the women she seems to have no set purpose and seems to be thrown in for no apparent reason. The woman's actions and feelings toward Willie show that Willie is more connected to her because of her perfection and youth, something that his wife Linda doesn't have anymore. It is the woman's youth and beauty that begins to see Willie's life in a sownward spiral, causing problems that at the time neither of them could have imagined.
The woman's role later on in the novel is perhaps the most important role of the entire play. While Willie is with her while on his "business trip to Boston", someone knocks on the door and Willie hurries her into the bathroom attempting to hide the truth. When the woman comes out of the bathroom and Biff sees her practically naked, his image of Willie is changed and the truth about what kind of man he is comes out whether Willie wanted it to or not. Biff is pushed over the edge when he tells Willie that "[he] gave her mama's stockings". This scene with the woman shows her true importance and how one person can be the difference between a functional and nonfunctional family.
The overall theme of the play is greatly shaped by the woman and her actions. While she is not in the play very long, her actions and feelings shape the other characters, their roles and their overall outcomes.
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