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Summary A* DEATH OF A SALESMAN NOTES - Symbolism stockings, place, seeds
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A* DEATH OF A SALESMAN NOTES - Symbolism stockings, place, seeds
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Death of a Salesman revision booklet AQA A Level English Lit B
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compare & contrast of the characters Willy Loman and Charley in the play Death of a salesman by Arthur Miller
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Death of a Salesman as a story told through mind and memory of Willy Loman
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Symbolism: stockings, place, seedsSeeds:
"you can't even raise a carrot in the backyard"
"i don't have a thing in the ground"
"nothings planted" (Willy)
"nothing will grow anymore" (Linda)
The repeated image of seeds and the inability to even "raise a carrot in the back garden" or
"get some seeds" is symbolic of the tragic element of the American dream. Seeds represent
rewards for labour but for Willy as both a salesman and father he has no reward, so the barren
garden is a metaphorical encapsulation of Willy's failure as both a salesman and father – and
how he has nothing to leave his children when he passes. Willy's garden is a burial mount for all
his hopes and dreams. He digs in the garden moments before his death symbolising how Willy
somewhat dug his own grave. Seeds symbolise the worth of your labour but for Willy as a failure
he has nothing growing and nothing planted. Initially Willy wants to grow carrots, peas and
beets which signifies how he wants to nurture his family by cultivating a garden as opposed to
growing flowers for appearance. /appearance vs reality/
Miller concentrates on the image of seeds because it is associated with the growth and
prosperity, and Willy suffers from the lack of these aspects.The last scene where Willy is
planting seeds in the backyard represents a hallucinatory effort to become successful. Overall
Willy's character does not match the symbol.
Stockings:
"thanks for the stockings i love a lot of stockings" (woman)
"just mending my stockings, they're so expensive" (Linda)
"i wont have you mending stockings in this house! now throw them out" (willy)
"will you stop mending stockings at least when i'm in the house, it makes me nervous" (willy)
"you gave her mama's stockings" (biff)
New stockings are a symbol of success and triumph in the American dream but here they are a
symbol of betrayal and sexual infidelity. Willy's affair gets new stockings while Linda mends her
old ones, and the repeated use of the stocking imagery in the dialogue emphasises this tragic
element of the disintegration of the family's relationship. Stocking illustrate the moral corruption
to which Willy has fallen. While chasing a dream of wealth and opportunity he has forgotten the
importance of his family, and he has no success to show either way. Biff's discovery of the affair
alters his relationship with his father forever - as Willy has now betrayed his wife and son. They
are a symbol of Linda's love and Willy's betrayal. They are also a symbol of the problems
between Biff and Willy's relationship - the stockings being a rift between them.
During WW2 the materials used to make stockings were rationed for the war effort making them
scarce and unobtainable for a while. The means that the gift Willy gives his lover is rare and
valuable something he does not give Linda. This symbolises his betrayal and deception.
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