The play “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller is a story of a salesman, Willy, who is trapped by his daydreams. The story revolves around flashbacks of Willy’s dreams and reality, which reveal a lot of symbolism about Willy’s failure to fulfill the American dream. In the “Death of a Salesman,” there are four symbols: seeds, diamonds, stockings of Linda and the Woman, and the Rubber House.
The seeds that Willy plants in his garden are a representation of his efforts. Usually, planted seeds grow into a plant, similar to how hard work results in success and financial security. However, Willy was not able to achieve success as a salesman, moreover, in some parts of the play, it is evident that he fears that he failed as a father as well. Him trying to plant seeds at night represents his anxiousness.
Diamonds, both in the play and in real life, are a symbol of wealth. In essence, these stones are worthless unless someone wants to pay for them. For Willy, Ben’s discovery of diamonds is another proof that the American dream is not achievable for him. Next, stockings in this play represent the act of cheating since Bill gave Linda’s stockings to the Woman. New stockings represent Willy’s financial capabilities and are a way of him trying to make amends. Finally, the rubber hose in the play is a recollection of Willy’s attempts to commit suicide with gas. Gas, in essence, is a basic necessity that would provide heat and warmth for his home and family while he tried to use it die. Overall, there are four main symbols in the “Death of a Salesman” play: rubber house, diamonds, stockings, and seeds.
Work Cited
Miller, Arthur. 2005. Death Of a Salesman. Penguin Books.