Symbolism In Arthur Millers Death Of A Salesman - 1783 Words

Thomas Edison, an American inventor and businessman, says, There is no substitute for hard work. In other words, Thomas Edison believes individuals cannot cheat the process of success to get to the top, they must work for it. In the play, Death of a Salesman, the author, Arthur Miller, uses the narrative techniques of imagery, motifs, and symbolism to show how success and social acceptance can be deceptive for Willy Loman and his family. Willy Loman is a troubled, self-defrauding travelling salesman. He genuinely believes in the American Dream of easy success and prosperous wealth, but he cannot achieve it. Neither can his sons fulfill their dreams which Willy feels is a reflection on himself and his parenting skills and the values he†¦show more content†¦And banners over the ring and the basketball court: Loman Brothers. Again, the image is in the center around gaining public attention rather than on quality products or athletic achievement. Happy also lies to the glamorou s and attractive Miss Forsythe: Biff is quarterback with the New York Giants to get her attention. Other images that are significant in the play are the houses and gardens.The images of houses and gardens have considerable symbolic significance in the play. For Willy, they are not merely places to live or to sustain life: they stand for the legacy of beauty, abundance, and self-reliance that he wants to leave behind. Willy and Linda have almost paid off their twenty-five-year mortgage, and Willy is proud that there aint a crack to be found in the house after his years of painstaking repairs. Owning their home distinguishes the Lomans as permanent residents in a neighborhood of apartment renters. Willy hopes to leave the house to Biff one day so that his hard-earned mortgage payments and repairs will not go to waste on strangers. He also reminisces about the elm trees and the lilac, wisteria, peonies, and daffodils that grew nearby before the construction of the apartment buildings: Remember those two beautiful elm trees out there? These evoke notions of beauty and plentiful growth. More specifically, elm trees are to typify inner strength and intuition. Lilacs stand for innocence and self-assurance; wisteriaShow MoreRelatedSymbolism In Arthur Millers Death Of A Salesman717 Words   |  3 PagesArthur Miller’s â€Å"Death of a Salesman† takes place in New York City in the late 1940’s. This play chronicles the life of Willy Loman, who often reflects upon his life and the decisions he has made. Miller characterizes Willy as guilt-stricken by his decisions and driven for his children to achieve wealth and success through the use of symbolism, idioms, and similes. Miller uses symbolism to develop dimensions of Willy’s character. During one of his flashbacks, Willy remembers his affair with a womanRead MoreEssay on Symbolism in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman1197 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman is wrought with symbolism from the opening scene. Many symbols illustrate the themes of success and failure. They include the apartment buildings, the rubber hose, Willy’s brother Ben, the tape recorder, and the seeds for the garden. These symbols represent Willy’s attempts to be successful and his impending failure. When Willy and Linda purchased their home in Brooklyn, itRead More Symbolism in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman Essay967 Words   |  4 PagesSymbolism in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman In his play, Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller employs many symbols to illustrate the themes of success and failure.   They include the rubber hose, the tape recorder, and the seeds for the garden.   These symbols represent Willys final, desperate attempts to be successful and the failure he cannot escape.  Ã‚  Ã‚   The rubber hose represents both success and failure.   It is attached to the gas main in Willys house and provides him with the opportunityRead MoreArthur Miller Criticism913 Words   |  4 Pages Arthur Miller is a highly distinguished author. He is considered by many to be one of Americas greatest writers. As distinguished a writer he is, Miller deserves to be selected for a spot in the prestigious American Author Hall of Fame. His works meet the criteria for the American Authors Hall of Fame since they have themes important to society, are unique, and have universal appeal. Arthur Millers works meet the American Author Hall of Fames first criteria by dealing with themes highly importantRead MoreArthur Millers Death of a Salesman Essay904 Words   |  4 PagesArthur Millers Death of a Salesman Arthur Millers play, Death of a Salesman contains many themes of success and failure. They include the apartment buildings, the rubber hose, Willys brother Ben, the tape recorder, and the seeds for the garden. These symbols represent Willys attempts to be successful and his impending failure. In the start Willy and Linda moved to a home in Brooklyn, as it at the time seemedRead More Reality and Illusion in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman Essay1088 Words   |  5 PagesReality and Illusion in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman In Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, a major theme and source of conflict is the Loman family’s inability to distinguish between reality and illusion.   This is particularly evident in the father, Willy Loman.   Willy has created a fantasy world of himself and his family.   In this world, he and his sons are men of greatness that â€Å"have what it takes† to make it in the business environment.   In reality, none of them can achieveRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman Literary Analysis768 Words   |  4 PagesFormal Essay 2: Drama Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is based in post-World War II America where a man named Willy Loman has the hopes and dreams of becoming a well-esteemed, successful salesman. However, throughout the play, it becomes evident his pride and delusion interfere with this dream and having the model family. The playwright uses symbolism and several forms of irony throughout the play to deepen the plot and intensify the conflict, as well as further illustrate the characters. ThroughoutRead MoreWomen’s Treatment in Death of a Salesman1463 Words   |  6 PagesWomen’s treatment in Death of a Salesman December 11, 2012 Abstract In our today’s men and women hold equal rights, however, in times prior to the 1950’s the majority of people would agree men held favorable positions and were said to be superior over women. Unfortunately this behavior still exists in countries. Arthur Miller’s, Death of a Salesman probes into these issues and solidifies how the past plagued woman. Miller categorizes women into two buckets; housewives or whores. TheRead MoreEssay about Marxism and the Fall of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman2986 Words   |  12 PagesUnited States endured internal battles in political ideologies between capitalists and Marxists, which is the focus of Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman. According to Helge Normann Nilsen, author of â€Å"From Honors At Dawn to Death of a Salesman: Marxism and the Early Plays of Arthur Miller,† the Great Depression had a profound impact in forming the political identity of Arthur Miller: â€Å"The Great Depression created in him a lasting and traumatic impression of the devastating power of economicRead MoreDeath of a Salesman - Materialism Alienation1696 Words   |  7 PagesModern Tragedies deal with modern issues such as materialism, consumerism, procrastination and alienation. To what extent does Death of a Salesman show evidence of at least two of these issues, and how does Miller present them? Arthur Miller’s ‘Death of a Salesman’ is a modern tragedy; one that incorporates both the tragic genre presented in theatres for centuries as well as essences of the modern world we live in. Materialism is a modern phenomenon, something which possibly began due to the American