2009. A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
Unfaithful men are often stereotyped to spend lavishly on their mistresses, buying items such as expensive jewelry and lingerie. In Death of a Salesman, however, the stockings Willy Loman purchases represent more than just a mere gesture of kindness. Arthur Miler uses the symbol of stockings to represent Willy's financial instability as well as unfaithfulness, significantly contributing to Arthur Miller's general critique of the American Dream.
Arthur Miller first brings the symbol into the play when Linda is patching up her old battered stockings. Upon seeing this, Willy is completely outraged and insulted by her actions. He insists that he can buy her new stockings, implying that he has the capability to buy her new stockings also. From the beginning though, we know that Willy hasn't had as many sales as years prior and that there definitely is financial insecurity. Therefore, we as an audience can easily draw some connections: their financial standing is patchy just like the stockings. Willy obviously has not been getting good sales, and consequently cannot purchase new stockings for his wife like he once did. Thus, Willy's incapability to produce stockings and income expose how faulty the American Dream truly is.
Furthermore, these stockings are an emblem of his failure as a family man with the young mistress in Boston. Instead of buying new stockings for his wife, we see in a dramatic encounter that he hands his mistress two boxes of stockings as his son awkwardly watches. He then accuses Willy not of cheating on Linda, but simply that Willy gave Linda's stockings to the mistress. Miller uses the stockings to convey that Willy is not focusing his love and sexual attention towards his wife, the rightful recipient of the stockings. Using the stockings to illustrate sexual desire, we see the failure of the stereotyped family in the American Dream especially since Biff was there to watch as Willy's affair unfolded.
In conclusion, Death of a Salesman is powerful in it's criticisms of the American Dream as it utilizes the symbol of stockings to do so. We see that the symbolism of the stockings are two fold, representing both Willy's incapability to provide income and also his adulterous activities with a young woman. Overall, the stockings help the audience really pinpoint specific details of the play to add to the belief of how false the American Dream is.
Furthermore, these stockings are an emblem of his failure as a family man with the young mistress in Boston. Instead of buying new stockings for his wife, we see in a dramatic encounter that he hands his mistress two boxes of stockings as his son awkwardly watches. He then accuses Willy not of cheating on Linda, but simply that Willy gave Linda's stockings to the mistress. Miller uses the stockings to convey that Willy is not focusing his love and sexual attention towards his wife, the rightful recipient of the stockings. Using the stockings to illustrate sexual desire, we see the failure of the stereotyped family in the American Dream especially since Biff was there to watch as Willy's affair unfolded.
In conclusion, Death of a Salesman is powerful in it's criticisms of the American Dream as it utilizes the symbol of stockings to do so. We see that the symbolism of the stockings are two fold, representing both Willy's incapability to provide income and also his adulterous activities with a young woman. Overall, the stockings help the audience really pinpoint specific details of the play to add to the belief of how false the American Dream is.
I’m very impressed with this particular entry. I am glad to see that you are able to apply what we are discussing in class so well in such a strong form. I knew that there was a connection with symbolism pertaining to stockings in DOS but your insights proved to clarify my own doubtful ones. Keep up the good work, oh, and thank you for including the prompt!
ReplyDeleteNice introductory sentence. In general your introduction is good, but I think it could use a sentence giving some general information about the play. Right now, a lot of the things in the essay seem all of a sudden.
ReplyDeleteAlso, your thesis doesn’t address the meaning. Even though it is not asked for in the prompt, meaning always needs to be addressed somehow, or at least that’s what I remember learning. I thought that “Arthur Miller’s general critique of the American Dream” was a little bit vague, and a more specific thesis would be better.
Although you don’t hit on the meaning or message in the intro or body paragraphs, you do touch on it in the conclusion, so I would take some of this same idea to the rest of the essay.
I really like your organization, and everything flows together well. It’s logical, and I expected the paragraph topics that you chose. I also think you did great job with the conclusion. It’s really hard to get one down in the time constraints, but you do, and it’s good.
Great introduction! I do think however, that you could have explained further the critique that Albee makes on the play. It was a little too general I think. Overall good eassay, great details! There were a few minor gramatical errors but nice work!
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