Symbolism in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller | Free Essay Example (2023)

FAQs

What is an example of symbolism in Death of a Salesman? ›

Diamonds. To Willy, diamonds represent tangible wealth and, hence, both validation of one's labor (and life) and the ability to pass material goods on to one's offspring, two things that Willy desperately craves. Correlatively, diamonds, the discovery of which made Ben a fortune, symbolize Willy's failure as a salesman ...

Here is an analysis of symbolism in the play: Willy Loman's character, including his salesman career, symbolizes an ordinary man in American society. He acts as a representation of the ordinary man leading a fruitless life in a flourishing nation.

Answer and Explanation: In Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman, hope affects Willy by giving him an inflated sense of possibilities for dreams that do not materialize. In Willy's flashbacks, his life was full of hope. He had hope for his success in business, as he was not yet unraveling due to failure.

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 Willy's final, desperate attempts to be successful and the failure he cannot escape.

The flute made and played by Willy's father evokes the phallus passed by him to Willy, and by Willy to Happy and Biff, through procreation. It is a constant reminder of Willy's lin- eage. No other instrument or (for the father) occupation was appropriate. Willy refers frequently to death.

In Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman, the jungle symbolically represents the world of business. Willy has a conversation with his dead brother, Ben, and Ben tells Willy that he was in the jungle for four years before he came out a successful businessman. Ben was in Africa, mining for diamonds.

Not only does she function as the plot device that disillusions Biff Loman about his father's identity, she also serves as a ghost of truthfulness throughout Miller's play.

The American Dream in Death of a Salesman

Willy has acted on the belief that charisma guarantees prosperity. He has been a true believer in the American Dream and the notion that success is available to every American. Success to Willy is more than the ability to provide for himself and his family.

What does Happy represent in Death of a Salesman? Happy in Death of a Salesman represents the worst aspect of Willy's American Dream. He has learned from his father's idea of self-image and how people think of you as a person. He wants to be well-liked and does not cultivate good character.

What does the refrigerator symbolize in Death of a Salesman? ›

The refrigerator reflects the idea of the American Dream. Willy's distorted views on being successful are reflected on his refrigerator. He states that if he had the more popular General Electric one like Charley then it would likely last longer, while comparing his Hastings refrigerator as being unknown.

For example, a storm brewing on the horizon must be a symbol of the emotional turmoil that the main character is going through; or, the black car that the main character drives is a foreshadowing of his death; and so on. It's important to remember that sometimes a storm on the horizon simply represents bad weather.

For example, the color white stands for purity, black represents evil, roses stand for romance, a butterfly symbolizes transformation and a dog can represent loyalty.

Examples from Collins dictionaries

The scene is so rich in symbolism that any explanation risks spoiling the effect. The symbolism of every gesture will be of vital importance during the short state visit.

So, the car that was once a positive aspect of Willy's life (freedom, popularity, income) has now become an obstacle. So much so, it ends up being the death of him. The car also symbolizes his view of himself and his surroundings.

The name Loman is boy's name of Irish origin meaning "small bare one or delicate".

Symbols, such as the setting, Louise's heart trouble, and the open window, play an integral role in the development of “The Story of an Hour”, as they are used to reinforce the overarching theme of the desire for independence.

Biff stole the football, so its a symbol of deceit and lies. It is a symbol of Biff's hopeful future, he burnt it after seeing his father's affair because he no longer believed in him, thus did not have a parent figure to assist him to his hopeful future.

Then he says, "The woods are burning! I cant drive a car!" Willy mentioning that the "woods are burning" is symbolic of how his life is falling apart: he can't achieve the American Dream, his two sons are not helping him, and the rest of the events unfold as the story develops.

gold is a color that represents success, prosperity, happiness, wealth, power etc.

What does the moon symbolize in Death of a Salesman? ›

Ardolino in Like father, like sons: Miller's negative use of sports imagery in Death of a Salesman associated the moon as a symbol of lunacy (33). Willy's contradictions as seen in some of the dialogues signalled his apparent mental instability.

The tennis racket Willy observes when he chats with Bernard in Charley's office is a symbol of Bernard's success and Biff's failure.

Biff reminds us that the American Dream is not every man's dream. Rather than seeking money and success, Biff wants a more basic life. He wants to be seen and loved for who he is. He wants his dad to stop being such a deluded twerp.

Nick believes the American Dream is no longer alive and the reason for it is that we can't overcome the past . Nick's past , not having an upper class family , is the reason why he is never going to be equal to East Egg people (Old money ) . ““I wouldn't ask too much of her,” I ventured. “You can't repeat the past.”

Daisy represents the American Dream in The Great Gatsby because for one, she is rich, which is the promise of the dream, or at least the promise of the potential people have. Both wealth and Daisy are sought after but not everyone can attain either. Daisy is also from a family of high standing.

Examples of the American Dream include owning your own house, starting a family, and having a stable job or owning your own business.

Denial, contradiction, and the quest for order versus disorder comprise the three major themes of Death of a Salesman. All three themes work together to create a dreamlike atmosphere in which the audience watches a man's identity and mental stability slip away.

In the play Death of a Salesman, the garden symbolizes growth and hope. Early in the story, Linda Loman criticizes Willy's desire to plant a garden because the apartments surrounding their house will not allow enough sunlight for a garden to grow.

In Europe, the skull and crossbones emerged as a symbol of death about 600 years ago.

For example, a storm brewing on the horizon must be a symbol of the emotional turmoil that the main character is going through; or, the black car that the main character drives is a foreshadowing of his death; and so on. It's important to remember that sometimes a storm on the horizon simply represents bad weather.

Which situation is an example of symbolism? ›

In other words, the term symbolism simply means that something is being used to convey meaning associated with something else. When a symbol (like a heart) is used to symbolize something (like love), that's a real-world example of what symbolism is.

The flute made and played by Willy's father evokes the phallus passed by him to Willy, and by Willy to Happy and Biff, through procreation. It is a constant reminder of Willy's lin- eage. No other instrument or (for the father) occupation was appropriate. Willy refers frequently to death.

The human skull is an obvious and frequent symbol of death, found in many cultures and religious traditions.

Symbolic representation is traditionally defined as the representation of a principal, a nation for example, through a symbol, such as a flag, that evokes particular meanings and emotions about the nation (Pitkin 1967).

A dagger, obelisk, or obelus † is a typographical mark that usually indicates a footnote if an asterisk has already been used. The symbol is also used to indicate death (of people) or extinction (of species).

Using symbols can create a powerful story that uncovers universal truths. Three key types of symbolism in literature are religious, romantic, and emotional symbolism.

O my luve's like a red, red rose, That's newly sprung in June; O my luve's like the melodie That's sweetly played in tune. In these lines from a poem by Robert Burns “love” is compared to “a red, red rose,” which suggests passion and intimacy.

The meaning of a literary symbol must be established and supported by the entire context of the story. The symbol has its meaning in the story, not outside it. To be called a symbol, an item must suggest a meaning different in kind from its literal meaning; a symbol is something more than its class or type.

Symbolism refers to the use of representational imagery: the writer employs an image with a deeper, non-literal meaning, for the purpose of conveying complex ideas. In literature, symbolism is the use of a concrete image to represent an abstract idea. For example, the heart is often employed as a symbol of love.

What is the symbolism of the jungle Death of a Salesman? ›

In Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman, the jungle symbolically represents the world of business. Willy has a conversation with his dead brother, Ben, and Ben tells Willy that he was in the jungle for four years before he came out a successful businessman. Ben was in Africa, mining for diamonds.