Willy’s world has been update, we’ve seen. But Willy still seeks the American dream. The milk, like his dream, has intangible nature. His desire to escape from his low
social stature. Is not solid like cheese, but is still what is sought expressed through the symbol of milk he has bought.
The milk, unlike cheese contains no solid base like how Willy aspires to transcend the rat race. Now life offers will change but still he won’t tread through the strange new
unknown, staying passive instead. So the cheese symbolizes a world full of change which Willy avoids cause he finds it too strange, and if you thought cheese symbols were
beyond belief, their repeated occurrence makes cheese a motif. And when Linda says
Linda :”cheese is on the middle shelf “
Death of a Salesman. p 1308 .
It could be cheese import centralizing itself.
3.6 Symbols of lighting
Lighting in Death of a Salesman often illustrates atmosphere and mood. In most of Willys memories, leaves cover the stage, creating a pastoral and seemingly happy
atmosphere. In stark contrast, the scenes in the restaurant and the hotel room are characterized by a red glow. If one wished to pun, one might suggest this is reminiscent
of the red light district, red symbolizing passion and anger. Throughout the play, lighting is used in this way, defining the atmosphere in which the characters exist, in the
absence of settings and props to do so.
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Lighting is also used to indicate the location on the stage in which relevant action is occurring. When Willy moves into his memories, a different type of light or location of
light indicates the difference between his location on the space-time continuum as different from that of those around him. For example, light is used to express Willys
memories about the woman while Linda remains sitting in the kitchen of the house. We are not confused about Lindas involvement or lack thereof in the scene, because light
indicates that the action occurs where she is not.
Characterization is also brought about to a certain extent through lighting, though in a subtle manner that serves more to accentuate certain character traits that are
expressed elsewhere. In the film version, the character Happy is nearly always half-lit, implying that his life revolves about the half of his life that is splendour of his past
success, instead of the stagnation and discontent that is his present.
3.7 Symbols of Stockings
These represent Willys adultery as well as the phoniness of Willys existence. Though Willy says hes doing all he can for his family, he actually gives Lindas
stockings to his prostitute.
Willys strange obsession with the condition of Lindas stockings foreshadows his later flashback to Biffs discovery of him and The Woman in their Boston hotel room.
Act 1 page 1318, The woman :“ You just kill me, Willy. He suddenly
grabs her and kisses her roughly. You kill me. And thanks or the stockings. I love a lot of stockings.
Well, good night.
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Willy : Good night. And keep your pores open The woman : Oh, Willy
The woman bursts out laughing, and Linda’s laughter blends in. The woman disappears into
the dark. Now the area at the kitchen table brightens. Linda is sitting where she was at the
kitchen table, but now is mending a pair of her silk stockings.
Linda : You are Willy. The handsomest man. You’ve got no reason to feel that –
Willy, coming out of the woman’s dimming area and going over to Linda : I’ll make it all up to
you Linda, I’ll – Linda : There’s nothing to make up dear. You’re
doing fine , better than- Willy, noticing her mending : What’s that?
Linda : Just mending my stockings. They’re so expensive
Willy, angrily, taking them from her: “I won’t have you mending stockings in this house Now
throw them out” Linda pus the stockings in her pocket.
Willy : Will you stop mending stockings? At least
while I’m in the house. It gets me nervous. I can’t tell you. Please. Death of a Salesman .p. 1334
Biff : You – you gave her mama’s stocking His tears break through and be rises to go.
Willy, grabbing for Biff. Willy : “I gave you an order ”
Biff:” Don’t touch me, you liar.”
The teenage Biff accuses Willy of giving away Lindas stockings to The Woman.
Stockings assume a metaphorical weight as the symbol of betrayal and sexual infidelity. New stockings are important for both Willys pride in being financially successful and
thus able to provide for his family and for Willys ability to ease his guilt about, and suppress the memory of, his betrayal of Linda and Biff. . Willy assumes that Biffs
betrayal stems from Biffs discovery of Willys affair with The Woman a betrayal of Lindas love. Whereas Willy feels that Biff has betrayed him, Biff feels that Willy, a
“phony little fake,” has betrayed him with his unending stream of ego-stroking lies.
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3.8 Symbol of Mythic Figures
