Welcome to the office. You'll notice a big board on the wall that ranks you in order of sales. If you're on top of the board, you win a car. If you're second, you still have a job. If you're third or fourth, you get fired. Good times.
Competition drives Glengarry Glen Ross forward, and these guys are literally competing against each other for their jobs. If one of them does well, it's bad news for the others, so needless to say, it's tense, y'all. This tension drives the actions and interactions of all the main characters. Add the fact that most of them have an unhealthy obsession with masculinity, and you know that sparks (and words) are going to fly.
Questions About Competition
- Why are the salesmen so obsessed with the board?
- Why does Moss argue with Roma in Act 2?
- Why does Moss want someone to break in and steal the leads?
Chew on This
Moss accuses Roma of acting like he runs the place because he's #1 on the board. In the world of the play, Roma is justified in his actions.
Williamson doesn't go out and sell, so the salesmen think he is not part of the competition. Williamson, however, sees himself as being in competition with all of them.