Zum Inhalt springen
L

Das Video kommt von YouTube: erst beim Abspielen verbindet sich die Seite mit YouTube (Google).

Very interesting story Graded Reader | Listen and Repeat | The Death of a Salesman

The English Waves 27:44 7.262 Aufrufe veröffentlicht Auf YouTube

Das Wichtigste aus dem Video

Tipp auf eine Zeit – das Video springt genau dorthin.

Transkriptautomatisch erstellt · 149 Zeilen
Herunterladen
  1. The death of a salesman. Part one, a tired man. Willie Lman is an old salesman. He has worked for many years traveling from
  2. city to city to sell things. He drives a small car and carries heavy bags full of samples, little pieces of what he sells. Every week he goes to different
  3. places trying to meet people and make deals. But now he feels tired all the time. His back hurts. His head feels heavy. And his mind is always
  4. thinking. Thinking too much. One evening, just before dinner. Willie comes home late. He walks slowly into the house. Linda, his wife, sees
  5. him at once. She knows something is wrong. You're very late, she says gently. I know, Willie answers. The drive was hard. Linda looks at him
  6. carefully. She loves him very much. She knows he is not like he used to be. Sometimes he talks to himself. Sometimes he forgets small things. Where he left
  7. his keys. What day it is or even where he is going. Did you sell anything today? She asks. Not much. Willie says people don't listen anymore. Linda
  8. smiles. You must sit down. I'll bring you tea. Willie sits on the old chair in the kitchen. It caks when he moves. The house is quiet now. Their sons are grown
  9. up and live away, but sometimes they visit. Willie waits for those days with hope. As Linda makes the tea, she watches him. She can see the sadness in
  10. his eyes. Were the roads bad? She asks. The roads were fine, Willie says. It's not the roads, it's me. Linda brings the tea and sits beside
  11. him. You need rest, she says. Willie sips the tea slowly. Then he speaks again. I'm not a great man, Linda, he says. But I want my boys to be great.
  12. Linda takes his hand. They will be. They just need time. Willie loves his sons more than anything. Their names are Biff and
  13. Happy. Biff is the older one. When he was young, he was known by everyone. At school, he played football very well. He was fast and strong. All the teachers
  14. liked him. All the students wanted to be his friend. Teachers told Willie, "Your son is special." Willie believed them. He
  15. dreamed that Biff would go to college, become a big businessman, maybe even a leader. But life did not go that way. After high school, Biff failed some
  16. exams. He could not go to college. He tried many jobs after that, farming, working in stores, fixing cars, but nothing lasted long. Now he is 34 and
  17. still looking for a good job. He moves from place to place. He has no family, no steady plans. Willie often thinks about this. He feels sad. He feels
  18. disappointed. He doesn't understand why Biff stopped trying. And Happy, he says suddenly, as if remembering. At least Happy is doing better. Happy is the
  19. younger brother. He is not as famous as Biff was, but he has a job in a store. He lives in New York. He meets new people every day. He tries to be popular
  20. like their father taught him. Willie looks out the window. The sun is almost gone. The sky is dark blue now. Do you think they remember me? He asks Linda.
  21. Of course they do, Linda says. They love you. Willie is silent for a moment. They should come home soon, he says. I have something to tell them. Linda nods. She
  22. hopes so too. That night, Willie lies in bed. He cannot sleep. He keeps thinking about the past. He remembers when the boys were small. He remembers how proud
  23. he was. He had big dreams for them. He also remembers the day everything changed. It was many years ago. Biff had just failed math. He was supposed to go
  24. to summer school, but he didn't. See? Go. Instead, he went to Boston to surprise his father. Willie was not at home. He was in a hotel room with
  25. another woman. Biff saw him there. That was the last time Willie felt like a hero to his son. Now, years later, Willie still
  26. feels guilty, but he never talks about it. In the quiet night, he whispers to himself, "Why couldn't I be the father he needed?" Just then, Linda wakes up.
  27. "Are you okay?" she asks softly. "Yes," Willie says. "I was just thinking about what?" "About the boys, about the past." Linda holds his hand
  28. again. "It's time to rest," she says. Willie closes his eyes. "But sleep does not come easily. Tomorrow, the boys are coming home. Maybe this time things will
  29. be different. Maybe this time he can fix what's broken. Part two, memories and dreams. Willie Lman sits in his old
  30. chair after dinner. He is tired again, just like every night. His body feels heavy and his mind feels full of thoughts. Linda is cleaning the kitchen.
  31. Biff and Happy have gone to their rooms, but Willie does not sleep. He stares out the window and begins to remember. He thinks about when his boys
  32. were young. Back then, life felt full of hope. Biff was handsome, strong, and popular. Everyone liked him. Teachers, neighbors, even girls. He played
  33. football very well. Coaches from big schools came to watch him play. Willie believed Biff would become a great man one day. Maybe a businessman, maybe a
  34. leader, maybe even rich and famous. Happy was younger, but he also looked up to his brother. He tried to be like Biff. When
  35. they played together in the backyard, Happy always wanted to win, but Biff was better at everything. Still, Willie loved both his sons. He
  36. dreamed of them having good lives, better than his own. But things did not go as he hoped. Biff failed math in high school. That was the end of his chance
  37. to go to college. "Willie could not understand why. He told everyone it was the teachers fault." "That man hated my boy," he used
  38. to say. But deep inside, Willie felt shame. He thought maybe Biff was not as smart as he looked. Or maybe he was lazy. From that day on, Biff changed. He
  39. stopped trying. He worked odd jobs here and there, but nothing serious. He never stayed anywhere for long. He traveled, tried new things, but nothing stuck. Now
  40. he is 34 years old, and he still doesn't know what he wants. Willie still believes that success comes from being liked. He tells people, "It's
  41. not what you know, it's who knows you." He thinks if someone is popular, doors will open for them. That's how he lived his life, selling products, smiling at
  42. customers, shaking hands. He believed that charm could beat hard work any day. Sometimes Willie talks to himself, or rather he talks to memories. One person
  43. he often speaks to is his brother Ben. Ben died many years ago, but in Willy's mind, he is still alive. Ben went to Africa when he was young and became
  44. rich. He found diamonds in the ground and built a big business. Willie imagines talking to Ben. If I had gone with you, Ben, maybe I'd be rich,
  45. too. He says, "Maybe I'd have a big house. Maybe my boys would respect me." Ben was bold. He took chances. He left home and made something of
  46. himself. Willie stayed behind. He got married. He bought a house. He raised two sons. But he never became rich. He never became famous. And
  47. now he feels like a failure. Linda tries to comfort him. She tells him, "You are a good man. You are loved by your family." But Willie doesn't hear her. He
  48. only sees what he didn't get. He also remembers other times. Times when he felt proud. Like the summer before Biff failed school. when the whole
  49. neighborhood came to see him play football or the time Happy won a race at school and shouted, "Look, Dad, I did it." Willie keeps these moments close.
  50. They make him feel like a good father. But those days are long gone. Now his boys don't listen to him. They don't respect him. They don't believe in
  51. his dreams. Still, he holds on to hope. One day he thinks Biff will find a job. He will meet a nice girl. He will start a
  52. family. He will prove that Willie was right all along. That Biff was meant for something bigger. But deep down, Willie is
  53. afraid. He sees the look in Biff's eyes, disappointment, maybe even anger. He doesn't understand why Biff looks at him that way. He doesn't want to ask.
  54. Sometimes he drives past the places where he used to sell things. The stores are closed now. The people are gone. Even the roads seem
  55. different. Time has passed him by. At night, he dreams of green fields and big houses. He dreams of Biff giving speeches on TV. He dreams of being
  56. respected, of being remembered. But when he wakes up, he is still Willie Lman, a tired salesman with no money and fading hopes. And yet he refuses to give up. He
  57. tells himself, "Tomorrow." Biff will try again. Tomorrow everything will change. Part three, a broken promise. After many years of trying to find his way in life,
  58. Biff decides it is time to try again. He sees how sad and tired his father has become. Willie talks too much about the past. He says things that are not true.
  59. But Biff still wants to help him feel better. He tells his mother, Linda, I will talk to Mr. Bill Oliver. Mr. Oliver was one of Willy's rich customers long
  60. ago. Biff used to work for him during summer breaks. Now he hopes Mr. Oliver will give him a job or some money to start a business. Willie hears this and
  61. becomes very excited. For the first time in weeks, he smiles. He says, "That's my boy. You were always special, Biff. Go and see Mr. Oliver. He will remember
  62. you. He liked you." Willie starts to dream again. He imagines Biff as a great businessman with an office and a car. He even tells his younger son, "Happy, your
  63. brother will make us proud. He will be a success." Biff does not share his father's dreams, but he agrees to go. He wears clean clothes and tries to look
  64. good. He wants to show Mr. Oliver that he is serious. He also wants to prove something to
  65. himself. Maybe he can do something useful. Maybe he can finally grow up. The next morning, Biff leaves the house early. Willie watches him from the
  66. window. He feels proud. He tells Linda, "This will change everything. Biff will come back with good news. At the same time, Biff walks through the city
  67. streets. He feels nervous. He hasn't seen Mr. Oliver in many years. What if he doesn't remember him? What if he says no? Still, he keeps walking. He wants to
  68. help his father. Even if he doesn't believe in the same dreams. When Biff arrives at Mr. Oliver's office, he waits outside for a
  69. long time. At last, he gets a chance to speak. He sits across from Mr. Oliver, who looks older now. Biff tells him who he is. He says he worked for him once.
  70. He asks for a small loan so he can start a business. He mentions his father's name, Willie Lman. Mr. Oliver listens quietly. Then he says, "I don't remember
  71. you and I never knew your father well." Biff is surprised. He tries to explain again. He says they met many times. He says Willie told stories about
  72. him, but Mr. Oliver just shakes his head. I'm sorry, but I can't help you. Biff leaves the office feeling empty. He had hoped for something, anything, but
  73. nothing came of it. As he walks through the city, he begins to think, why did his father lie so much? Why did he tell such big stories about people who barely
  74. knew him? Then Biff remembers something else. He wants to visit his father at his old job. He thinks maybe he can talk to Willy's boss. He wants to understand
  75. why Willie seems so unhappy all the time. He finds the building where Willie works. It is not far from the center of town. Biff goes inside and asks to see
  76. his father. A man points to a room down the hall. Biff walks in quietly. Inside the room, Willie is talking to a young woman. She is wearing nice clothes and
  77. laughing. Biff stops. He hides behind the door and watches. His father is smiling. He seems happy, but not like the man who comes home tired every
  78. night. Biff feels something cold in his chest. Then the woman says, "You promised to take me somewhere tonight." Willie laughs and says, "Yes, yes, don't
  79. worry, darling. I'll be there." Biff cannot believe what he is hearing. He feels like someone hit him. This is not the father he knows. This is
  80. not the man who cries at night and worries about money. This is someone else. Someone who lies. Biff turns around and walks away.
  81. He doesn't want to see his father again. He feels angry and hurt. He walks for a long time. He passes stores and restaurants. He sees people laughing and
  82. smiling, but he feels alone. Later, he meets Happy at a bar. Happy asks, "What happened with Mr. Oliver?" Biff says, "Nothing. He didn't remember
  83. me." Happy says, "Maybe dad can talk to him. He knows him better than you do." Biff shakes his head. "No, I don't want to talk about it anymore." They finish
  84. their drinks and leave. Biff never tells Happy what he saw, but he knows now his father is not who he thought he was. Just all those stories, all those
  85. dreams, they were lies. When Biff returns home that night, Willie is waiting. He jumps up and says, "Well, did you get it?" Biff looks at him and
  86. says, "No, he didn't remember me." Willie doesn't believe him. That's not true. He must have said something. He must have offered you something. Biff
  87. says, "Forget it, Dad. It's over." But Willie won't stop. "You ruined everything. You didn't try hard enough." Biff shouts. "Stop lying to yourself.
  88. Mr. Oliver didn't know you and you're not important to anyone." Willie is shocked. He steps back. "How dare you say that to me?"
  89. Biff says, "It's true, and I'm tired of pretending it isn't." Linda tries to calm them down, but Biff is already leaving. He packs his bag. He tells his
  90. mother, "I can't stay here anymore." She pleads with him, "Please, Biff, stay just a little longer." But Biff shakes his head. I've made my
  91. choice. As he walks out the door, he feels both sad and free. He loved his father once, but now he only sees a man chasing dreams that will never come
  92. true. Part four, losing hope. After Biff leaves the city, Willie feels more alone than ever. He does not understand why his son is angry with him. Every day he
  93. thinks about their last conversation. "I only wanted the best for him," Willie says to himself. "But now he begins to feel that nothing has gone the way he
  94. planned." Willie goes back to work, but things are getting harder. He drives from town to town trying to sell goods, but no one seems interested in what he
  95. is selling. Customers forget his name. Some do not even want to talk to him. Willie feels tired, old, and useless. One morning, he walks into his
  96. boss's office. He asks for a job in New York so he doesn't have to travel anymore. He says, "I've worked for this company for over 30 years. I should get
  97. a better job." But the boss says no. He tells Willie that he is not making enough sales. He says Willie can no longer work for the company. Willie
  98. leaves the office slowly. He walks outside and sits on a bench. He feels like the world is closing in on him. He whispers to himself, "What am I going to
  99. do now?" He wants to cry, but he holds back his tears. When he gets home, Linda sees that something is wrong. She asks, "Did
  100. you see your boss today?" Willie nods and looks at the floor. Linda tries to be strong. She says, "It will be okay. We can find
  101. another way." But Willie doesn't answer. He just sits down and stares out the window. That night, Willie cannot sleep. He lies in bed thinking about his life.
  102. He remembers when Biff was young. He remembers how proud he felt watching his son play football. He thought Biff would grow up to be a great man. But now Biff
  103. is far away and they don't speak much. Willie misses him. He also thinks about Happy. His younger son lives in the city and works at a store. He is not very
  104. happy with his job, but he never complains. Willie knows Happy loves him, but he also feels that neither of his sons turned out the way he
  105. dreamed. The next day, Willie decides to visit his friend Charlie again. Charlie owns his own business and is doing well. Willie knocks on the door and says, "Can
  106. we talk?" Charlie invites him inside. Willie sits down and says, "I lost my job. I need some help." Charlie looks at him with kind
  107. eyes. He gives Willie some money and says, "You don't have to ask. I'm here for you." Willie takes the money, but he feels ashamed. He says, "I used to be
  108. somebody. People knew me. Now I feel like nothing. Charlie answers, "You're still a good man, Willie. You've done your best." But Willie doesn't believe
  109. him. He believes that success means money, power, and respect. He thinks that if he has none of these things, then he is a
  110. failure. Later that week, Willie starts acting strangely. He talks to himself more often. Sometimes he pretends he is talking to his brother, Ben, who died
  111. long ago. In his mind, Ben says, "Go ahead, Willie. Take the risk. Make something of yourself." Willie begins to think that the only way to help his
  112. family is to die. He believes that if he dies in a car accident, his family will receive money from his life insurance. He tells himself, "They will finally
  113. have something because of me." Linda notices that Willie is not acting like himself. One evening, she asks, "Are you feeling okay? You seem different lately.
  114. Willie smiles and says, "Don't worry. Everything will be fine soon." But Linda is worried. She tells her sons, "Your father is not himself. I think he is
  115. planning something bad." Biff and Happy promise to talk to him when they come home. Days go by and Willie becomes quieter. He spends time in the garage
  116. looking at his car. He makes sure it runs well. He buys new parts for it. Linda doesn't understand why he is doing this. One night, Willie goes to the
  117. kitchen and finds Linda sitting at the table. He looks at her and says, "You have always been good to me." Linda smiles and says, "Of course I have. I
  118. love you." Willie hugs her and says, "Thank you for everything." Linda feels something is wrong, but she doesn't say anything. The
  119. next morning, Willie wakes up early. He gets dressed and writes a small note. He puts it on the table. Then he walks quietly to the garage, gets into his
  120. car, and drives away. He drives fast. He doesn't look back. He hopes that this will be the end. He hopes his family will finally feel proud of
  121. him. Part five, saying goodbye. One night, after Willie loses his job and feels more lost than ever, he makes a quiet decision. He believes that if he
  122. dies, his family will receive money from his life insurance. That money, he thinks, will finally make him useful to them. He gets into his old car late at
  123. night. The house is dark. Linda is asleep inside. Biff and Happy are not home yet. Willie looks back once, then drives away slowly into the night. He
  124. drives through the empty streets, his mind full of dreams that never came true. He remembers when his sons were young
  125. and looked up to him. He sees flashes of the past, games in the backyard, laughter, plans for the future. But now everything feels broken. He doesn't feel
  126. like a success. He feels like a failure. Suddenly, there is a loud crash. The next morning, Linda wakes up and realizes Willie is gone. She searches
  127. the house but finds no note, no sign of where he went. She calls Biff and Happy. They look everywhere. They ask neighbors and check hospitals. Later that day,
  128. they get the terrible news. Willie has died in a car accident. Three days later, Willy's funeral takes place. The sky is gray and heavy. A small group of
  129. people stands near the grave. Linda wears black clothes, her eyes red from crying. Biff and Happy stand beside her, both silent and sad. Charlie Willy's old
  130. friend comes too. A few others show up, but most of the people Willie used to know do not come. Biff looks at the grave and feels many things at once.
  131. Sadness, anger, confusion. He says quietly, "Dad tried so hard to be someone important, but he was already important to us." Happy places his hand
  132. on Biff's shoulder. I will prove that Dad's dreams were right, he says. Linda walks close to the grave. She touches the wooden cross with Willy's name on
  133. it. Tears fall down her face. She whispers, "We are finally free from debt. But we miss you." After the funeral, the family returns to the
  134. house. They sit around the kitchen table drinking coffee and saying little. "Charlie breaks the silence." "Willie was a good man," he says, "but he
  135. believed in the wrong dreams. Biff nods. He always thought success meant being rich and popular. But what he gave us was love. That was enough.
  136. Happy drinks his coffee and looks out the window. Maybe he just wanted more for us. Charlie looks at both sons. You must live your own lives now, not his
  137. dream. That night, Biff sits alone in his old bedroom. He looks at the walls where posters once hung. He finds an old football under the bed and holds it in
  138. his hands. He remembers how proud Willie used to be when he played. He also remembers the pressure, the need to be perfect, to be successful. "I was never
  139. who he wanted me to be," Biff whispers. But then he smiles a little. "Maybe I can be who I want to be now." In the living room, Linda sits in her chair.
  140. She looks at a photo of Willie. He is smiling, wearing his best suit. She talks softly to herself. You were not perfect, my dear, but you were mine. And
  141. I loved you. She looks out the window. The sun is setting. The house is quiet. For the first time in years, there are no bills to pay. We are free, she says
  142. again. But I wish you were here. The next morning, Happy packs his bag. He is going back to New York. He tells Biff and Linda, I'm going to work harder. I'm
  143. going to show the world that dad mattered. Biff hugs him. Don't forget to be happy. Happy. Happy smiles. I won't. As he walks out the door, he looks back
  144. one last time. Then he turns and walks away. Biff decides to stay in town for a while. He wants to spend time with Linda. He wants to find
  145. peace. One day, he plants a small garden in the backyard. He grows tomatoes and carrots. He enjoys working with his hands. Sometimes he talks to Linda about
  146. Willie. They share memories. Some make them cry. Others make them laugh. They do not talk much about the past. Instead, they enjoy the quiet moments
  147. together. Willie Lman was not a rich man. He did not become famous, but he had a family that loved him. And even though he made mistakes, he tried to do
  148. the best he could. His story reminds us that success is not only about money or fame. Sometimes success is simply being loved by those who know us best. And in
  149. the end that may be

Zum Nachlesen