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 gesture of kindness. Arthur Miler uses the symbol of stockings to represent Willy's financial failings 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, forcefully implying that he is completely able to buy her new stockings. From the beginning though, we know that Willy hasn't been losing sales and that there is financial insecurity. Therefore, we as an audience can easily draw some connections, that their financial standing is battered just like the stockings. Willy has not been a prosperous salesman, and consequently cannot purchase new stockings for his wife like he once could. Thus, Willy's incapability to produce stockings and income expose how faulty the American Dream truly is.
Furthermore, these stockings show his failure as a family man. Instead of buying new stockings for his wife, we see in a dramatic encounter where he hands his mistress two boxes of stockings as Biff awkwardly watches. Biff 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 undermine the dream. The symbolism of the stockings has two meanings, representing both Willy's incapability to provide income and also his adulterous activities. Overall, the stockings help the audience really grasp specific details of the play that expose how false the American Dream is.
Ok you have some really good ideas but I think there are places were you could state what you mean better. You kind of run on when you say , "He insists that he can buy her new stockings, forcefully implying that he is completely able to buy her new stockings." and it might have flowed better if you said 'he says he can buy them but from the beginning we know that is not true' or something like that. Also, I understand what you are saying but I think it doesn't always sound right to say what and audience 'can' do and you also say that there are connectionS that can be made but you only state one thing. I think overall it is a very good idea but some parts could use a bit more evidence to back them up. Also watch out for an over use of words like powerful, dramatic and forcefully.
ReplyDeleteI think that the stockings are an interesting symbol. I never thought about them that way. I maybe would have choose the car or something. That being said it was an interesting essay. You could perhaps go into a bit more detail and maybe can explain it alittle better. This is a pretty good essay.
ReplyDeleteCarina has given you some good advice--a revision using her input would have been a good idea. The biggest problem is that you really don't make the connection between then stockings and the American dream--you just keep saying it's there. (In the case of the first support paragraph, you do offer a bit of evidence, but Willy could just be a bad salesman--you need to clarify with stronger warrants. In the case of the second paragraph, you offer no evidence at all connecting the stockings to the American Dream.)
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