Death Of A Salesman: Symbols :: essays research papers

last of a Salesman SymbolsMany symbols are incorporated into the play "Death of a Sales man" and they inturn relate to twain character and theme. The hose, tape recorder and the seedsare some of these symbols.The hose in Millers drama directly relates to the theme of d eath. The hose isa patronage attached to the gas main in Willys house which allows him to snif f thegas. This action mechanism can be seen as Willys suicide wish, and escape from therealities of life. As seen in the loss of his job and his failure to succeed.The hose withal represents grief and deception. For when Linda, Willys wife,finds the hose, she is distraught over its in tended purpose. The deceptivenature of the hose is apparent when Willy is confronted well-nigh it by Biff his sonand Willy denies its existence. A similar denial is also evident when Willy isconfronted with the tape recorder in Howards office.The tape recorder signifies the permute in Willys life throug h the advancementof techno logy. It also represents the end of Willys career. This is brought almost when Howard, Willys boss and godson, shows the tape recorder to Willy andappe ars to be more interested in the sound and technology of the machineinstead of Willy, who i s fight for his job. Howard no longer need s Willysservices and without concern fires him. This , to Willy, was like, " ingest theorange and throwing away the peel". However, Willy is partly to blame, as hedoes not accept change and wants to remain in the pas t. This is foreshadowed inthe scene where Willy is remaining alone with the tape recorder and is unable to shutit off. Willy believes in victimisation his old techniques and style to succeed.Nevertheless, in his job, it is not what you know, but it is who you know. Willyis not up to date with the business nor technology. Yet, Willy still has hope,and wishes to leave some fo rm of brave behind for his family as illustratedin his planting of the seeds.Willy feels that he must l eave something behind something for Biff. In Willysimaginary world he wants Biff to be magnificent and he symbolically plants seedsin his garden. In spite of such(prenominal) an action he is doomed to fail. Willy sta rtsplanting the seeds at night, but at night there is no sun shining and this seems