Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller is a play full of symbolism and themes that are intertwined with one another throughout the entire play. Most of these symbols are either symbolizing something that cannot be had, or something that is wanted but simply cannot be reached. The three symbols particularly used in this play are diamonds, seeds, and Linda 's stockings, all of which are either not obtained or simply used to leave a legacy. The symbolism of diamonds in this play portrays tangible wealth and how wealth in the world can be taken by the hand in the literal form. Willy sees how Ben can tangibly grab wealth and live the life of elegance from that point on. While Willy feels he is past the point of literally finding wealth in a great big sum like Ben, he encourages his two boys Biff and Happy to find it. "There 's a new continent at your doorstep, William. You could walk out rich. Rich," (1939). Ben tells Willy of the opportunity to tangibly become rich just like him and Willy undoubtedly wishes this upon his son Biff and tells him of the greatness he would obtain in his life by simply walking into richness. Willy knows of his soon death and wants to leave something behind. Willy 's planting the seeds symbolizes him attempted to leave something behind in his name that he accomplished. Willy has only worked his whole life to make money and support his family and has never really left something historically for his boys just as his father never left him. "Oh, I 'd better hurry. I 've got to get some seeds. I 've got to get some seeds, right away. Nothing 's planted. I don 't have a thing in the ground." (1959). Willy leaves the restaurant with an anxious need of seeds in order to go home and plant to leave behind something tangible for his family and others to show the worth of his labor. In order to prove to everyone his labor wasn 't in vain he must plant the seeds and eventually they will blossom and mirror the root of his labor. The obsession with Linda 's stockings early in the play foreshadow Willy 's later flashback to Biff 's discovery of his affair taking place. The actual stockings symbolize betrayal and adultery to Willy and are a constant reminder of his untruthfulness to his wife and family. "You-You gave her mama 's stockings!" (1958). Biff weeps as he admits this terrible thing to his father and what his father has done with this woman. The stockings will forever remind him and Willy of what has happened in this Boston hotel room and how it has torn a certain bond that was once there between Biff and Willy. For as Willy orders and demands Biff to do a certain task, Biff no longer has the respect to obey this order unlike he would have in the past. All three of these symbols in the play "Death of a Salesman", intertwine together to make one big mix of lies, and dreams come together for one man, Willy. He is living a life fixed upon one dream, and that dream is the American dream he seeks out for him and his two boys. It is all that Willy has left for his boys now that he has fought so hard to make his family live the American dream for so long and has seemingly failed in the long run. These symbols reflect many of Willy 's mistakes, but also his dreams and how
Works Cited
Miller, Arthur. "Death of a Salesman." Literature: An
Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. XJ. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. Custom ed. For San Jacinto College Central. Boston: Pearson Custom, 2005. 1897-1969.
Cited: Miller, Arthur. "Death of a Salesman." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. XJ. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. Custom ed. For San Jacinto College Central. Boston: Pearson Custom, 2005. 1897-1969.
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