Glengarry Glen Ross

In the play Glengarry Glen Ross, selling is like a complicated courtship. Richard Roma is sales. Throughout the play, we never once get a true insight into the real Richard Roma. All we know is that he is good at his job, greedy and calculating. His demeanor changes on a dime; he is whoever he needs to be in whatever situation he happens to be in. This is his edge.

Roma starts out as a pseudo-intellectual sitting in a restaurant. He sees a man that he has never met before, Mr. Lingk, sitting by himself. Roma decides to try and make a completely unplanned sale. Roma starts out easy, not wanting to raise the stranger's defenses by saying immediately that he is a salesman. Roma begins talking about simple things that any man could relate to. Roma captures Lingk's interest, gains his trust, and artfully pitches his sale in the guise of a disillusioned salesman just trying to help a fellow man out.

The last thought on Lingk's mind is to invest in real estate, but Roma puts on his "good ol' boy" face, and makes the sale anyway.

When Lingk comes to see Roma at the office the next day to cancel the sale, Roma is ready to play the game. Without any preparation time, Roma cues Levene, and slips easily into his faÐ"§ade of the night before.

First, Roma tries to distract Lingk from the purpose of his visit by introducing him to an "impressive businessman" that Roma supposedly does much business with. Levene is an old campaigner himself, and has no problem slipping into his part. By making Lingk think that Roma does business with someone of so much influence, Roma is also hoping to increase his credibility and authority with Lingk.

When Lingk persists in his urgency to talk with Roma about the cancellation of his sale, Roma makes an excuse to leave the office, wanting to stall Lingk until the sale is irreversible. Lingk is not put off, so Roma tries to shame Lingk by making him admit that he is bowing to pressure from his wife. This strikes a nerve within Lingk, so Roma persists, and starts to convince