Death of a Salesman

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Theme of walls in Death of a Salesman


The theme of walls and buildings in Death of a Salesman is important to the play. Going through walls represents going back to the past to re-enact the situations that are vital to the story telling of the main characters of the play. Walls play an important part in separating the past from the present, and in some cases, the real past from the imagined past. Willy Lohman created an alternate reality for himself because of his inability to achieve his goals and fulfill his dreams. Buildings represent Willy being closed in, as well as his loss of freedom.


To indicate that the play is taking place in the present, the actors follow the boundaries of the walls. “Whenever the action is in the present the actors observe the imaginary wall-lines, entering the house only through its door at the left” (Miller 185). When the scene is taking place in the past, the characters break the boundaries of the walls. “But in the scenes of the past these boundaries are broken, and characters enter or leave a room by stepping ‘through’ a wall onto the forestage” (185).


Walking through walls represents Willy’s lack of boundaries and lets him release himself of the physical world and forget his troubles. His lack of boundaries lets him remember things the way he wants to remember them, exemplified when he remembers Ben as being rich and someone to look up to. Willy’s description of Ben is that, “He is utterly certain of his destiny, and there is an aura of far places about him.” Willy is trapped by his need for acceptance and success. He goes back to the past to escape his own expectations.


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The theme of buildings is largely represented by Willy’s own house. Willy has a lot of himself invested in the house. Biff says, “You know something, Charley, there’s more of him in that front step than in all the sales he’s ever made” (1888). Biff unwittingly says more than he means in that phrase, because Willy built the front step using lumber that his boys stole. That shows Willy’s system of values, and his view on cheating.


Willy’s house most importantly represents Willy being boxed in. The houses in Willy’s neighborhood are made out to look formidable. “Before us is the Salesman’s house. We are aware of towering, angular shapes behind it, surrounding it on all sides” (184). Willy hates the idea of being closed in by other houses. Willy remarks, “The way they have boxed us in here. Bricks and windows, windows and bricks” (187). Willy also dislikes the apartments that are built around his house that box him in ever more. Willy’s feelings are that, “They should’ve had a law against apartment houses” (187).


The house helps the Loman family remember better times in their lives. Willy tells his wife, “Remember those two beautiful elm trees out there? When I and Biff hung the swing between them?” (187). The family uses the house to escape the reality that they are now dysfunctional, preferring instead to remember when the family was happy. If they ever were truly happy, one can only wonder.


For Linda, the house represents a challenge. Paying for the house is the challenge that she and her husband face. Willy and Linda view paying off the house after 5 years as something to be proud of. Willy says, “Well, that’s a great thing. To weather a twenty-five year mortgage” (1855). Linda tells Willy, “It’s an accomplishment” (1855). The Lomans are happy to finally pay off the house.


For Happy, his own apartment represents the fulfillment of an empty dream. Happy remarks to Biff, “Sometimes I sit in my apartment- all alone. And I think of all the rent I’m paying. And it’s crazy. But then, it’s what I always wanted. My own apartment, a car, and plenty of women” (181). Happy doesn’t feel content with what he has, but since his father has instilled in him the belief that money will make you happy, Happy believes he has accomplished what he always wanted to.


Walls and buildings are an important part of Death of a Salesman. Willy spends the entire play attempting to break free of the trappings of the outside world, which could be represented by the walls or the buildings around them. Only in death does Willy finally escape the confines of the walls and buildings.





WORKS CITED


Bedford Introduction to Literature. Death of a Salesman. New York Bedford/St. Martin’s, 00.





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