Death Of A Salesman: Symbols Essay, Research Paper

Death of a Salesman: Symbols

Many symbols are incorporated into the drama & # 8220 ; Death of a Gross saless adult male & # 8221 ; and they in

bend relate to both character and subject. The hosiery, tape recording equipment and the seeds

are some of these symbols.

The hosiery in Miller & # 8217 ; s play straight relates to the subject of 500 eath. The hosiery is

a line attached to the gas chief in Willy & # 8217 ; s house which allows him to snif f the

gas. This action can be seen as Willy & # 8217 ; s suicide wish, and flight from the

worlds of life. As seen in the loss of his occupation and his failure to win.

The hosiery besides represents heartache and misrepresentation. For when Linda, Willy & # 8217 ; s married woman,

finds the hosiery, she is distraught over its in tended intent. The delusory

nature of the hosiery is evident when Willy is confronted about it by Biff his boy

and Willy denies its being. A similar denial is besides apparent when Willy is

confronted with the tape recording equipment in Howard & # 8217 ; s office.

The tape recording equipment signifies the alteration in Willy & # 8217 ; s life throug h the promotion

of engineering. It besides represents the terminal of Willy & # 8217 ; s calling. This is brought

about when Howard, Willy & # 8217 ; s foreman and godson, shows the tape recording equipment to Willy and

appe Ars to be more interested in the sound and engineering of the machine

alternatively of Willy, who i s contending for his occupation. Howard no longer necessitate s Willy & # 8217 ; s

services and without concern fires him. This, to Willy, was like, & # 8220 ; eating the

ora

nge and throwing off the peel” . However, Willy is partially to fault, as he

does non accept alteration and wants to stay in the pas t. This is foreshadowed in

the scene where Willy is left entirely with the tape recording equipment and is unable to close

it off. Willy believes in utilizing his old techniques and manner to win.

However, in his occupation, it is non what you know, but it is who you know. Willy

is non up to day of the month with the concern nor engineering. Yet, Willy still has hope,

and wants to go forth some fo rm of support behind for his household as illustrated

in his planting of the seeds.

Willy feels that he must go forth something behind something for Biff. In Willy & # 8217 ; s

fanciful universe he wants Biff to be brilliant and he symbolically workss seeds

in his garden. In malice of such an action he is doomed to neglect. Willy sta rts

seting the seeds at dark, but at dark there is no sun polishing and this seems

really od vitamin D as seeds require light to turn. What else is unusual is the fact that

Willy & # 8217 ; s house is boxed in between big flat edifices and is covered by

the shadows cast by them. It is apparent that no visible radiation will fall on Willy & # 8217 ; s

garden. Willy & # 8217 ; s try to works and turn seeds is ineffectual, but he persist in his

effort to seek rapprochement and forgiveness. Thus the hosiery, tape record Er

and the seeds are all symbolic of Willy & # 8217 ; s dreams gone rancid, and his inability to

live in the present. His decease is inevitable and is mirrored by his life.