current images, words, objects, phrases and action; they serve to establish a tone, and enable us to see the main points that Miller is trying to express. One of the motifs is people’s clothing such as women’s stockings, Biff’s elements of clothes and Dave Singleman’s slippers; clothing helps us deeply understand the characters in the play. The first example of this motif is Linda’s stockings, which are mentioned three times in the play: twice in the first act when Willy’s memories about the past visit him; and once in the second act when Willy and Linda have conversation about the future. Those clothes symbolise three ideas. The fact that Linda is always darning her stockings shows how poor they have been all their lives. She cannot afford to buy a new pair because “they’re so expensive” (Miller 39). She also mends other clothes at home, such as “the lining of Willy’s jacket” (Miller 53). The second idea expressed by the mention of Linda’s stockings is her personality. She is Willy’s loyal wife who has made many sacrifices in order to sustain him; she never complains about their financial status and leads Willy to think that she obeys all his wishes. When he commands her to throw her stockings away – “I won’t have you mending stockings in the house! Now throw them out!” (Miller 39) – she pretends to do just that, but instead “puts the stockings in the pocket” (Miller 39), implying that she will continue later to mend and use them. Linda has little personal initiative, and she is afraid to argue with Willy, so she does what she can to help Willy maintain the facade of their success. The next idea of Linda’s stockings is a reminder for Willy. Every time he sees her mending, it reminds him that he buys expensive stockings for his mistress when his wife cannot afford new ones. In addition, this feeling of guilt makes him angry: “Will you stop mending stockings? It gets me nervous” (Miller 75). Willy believes that he is successful and this fact of her mending conflicts with his idea of how the wife of a successful man should look.The next example of this motif is Willy’s mistress’s stockings, which are brought up at least twice in the play when Willy recalls his past and mistress. Those stockings symbolise his obsession with being well-liked, and Biff’s broken heart. Every time Willy has a business trip to Boston, he meets his mistress who works as a secretary at the company where Willy sells his goods. He always brings her a present: two boxes of sheer stockings. This present makes him feel financially successful and well-liked, because she always tells him, “You’ve got such a sense of humour… you’re a wonderful man… you’re so sweet. And such a kidder” (Miller 38). These stockings are also mentioned when Biff finds Willy with this woman at the Boston hotel. Willy tries to present her to Biff as one of the buyers who lives next door; he says she has just had her room painted, so he let her take a shower in his room. When she appears half-naked and starts to demand her stockings – “Where’s my stockings? You promised me stockings, Willy! … and I want them!” (Miller 119) – Willy attempts to get rid of her. At this moment all Biff’s illusions about his father are broken apart and he concentrates on the stockings that in his opinion should be for his mother: “You – you gave her Mama’s stockings! … Don’t touch me, you – liar!” (Miller 121). For Willy, having a mistress and giving her presents is one of the aspects of being successful; that is why he does not expect such a strong negative reaction from Biff, and cannot give a proper explanation to make peace between them.
A third example of this motif is Biff’s sneakers, which the play refers to twice: in the first act when Willy’s happiest memories about his sons visit him, and in the second act when Bernard, Biff’s friend, and Willy have a conversation about the past. Biff prints “University of Virginia” on his sneakers to demonstrate his ambitions and superiority over the other high school graduates. He receives an offer from the university and believes nothing in the world can prevent him from being a student there. He is full of dreams of success and plans for the future. When he does not pass math he runs to Willy for help, but he finds his father with another woman and it breaks his heart. After that, he gives up everything that he believes in. Many years later Bernard recalls this moment: “…remember those sneakers… he was so proud of those, wore them every day. And he took them down in the cellar, and burned them up in the furnace… he’d given up his life” (Miller 94). Those sneakers symbolise the moment when Biff reaches the highest level of his belief in himself and then his complete downfall.
A fourth example of the clothing motif is Biff’s appearance when he is planning the meeting with Bill Oliver, his previous employer. This motif is mentioned twice in the play: when Willy advises Biff about appearance, and when Linda describes him. Willy gives Biff full instructions on how to approach Oliver about money: “…don’t wear sport jacket [sic] and slacks when you see Oliver… a business suit, and talk, as little as possible… It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it – because personality always wins the day” (Miller 64). This is Willy’s strong belief, that contacts, personality, and popularity can lead him and his sons to success. Biff follows his advice and wears “his blue suit. He’s so handsome in that suit. He could be a – anything in that suit” (Miller 72). However, this “blue suit” cannot help him to get the money he wants. When Oliver does not even recognise him, Biff realises that all his life has been full of lies: “How the hell did I even get the idea I was a salesman there? I even believed myself that I’d been a salesman for him! And then he gave me one look and – I realised what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been! We’ve been talking in a dream for fifteen years. I was a shipping clerk” (Miller 104). At that point, Biff’s belief that appearance is the most important thing in his life has been changed and he starts to look deeply at who is he under that “blue suit”.
A final example of this motif is Dave Singleman’s “green velvet slippers” that Miller brings up at least three times in the play. Twice Willy mentions them, saying that when he was young, he saw them as a proof that being a salesman has big prospects. He mentions them again when he talks with Howard, his boss. For Willy those “green velvet slippers” represent everything he has based his life on. He met Dave Singleman when he was a young man, and this meeting changed his whole life. He saw a man who was “eighty-four years old, and he’d drummed merchandise in thirty-one states” (Miller 81). Willy recalls that Dave could sell goods without even leaving his room by just calling the buyers: he would “go up to his room, put his green velvet slippers – I’ll never forget – and … made his living” (Miller 81). Dave was “remembered and loved and helped by so many people” (Miller 81), and this is exactly that Willy has wanted all his life. When Dave died, “he died the death of a salesman, in his green velvet slippers in the smoker” (Miller 81). His funeral was attended by hundreds of buyers and salesmen. Therefore, when Willy is thinking about his own death he imagines the same funeral, and thinks that such a funeral would prove to his sons that he has not wasted his life. Those “green velvet slippers” symbolise for Willy that being a salesman is being successful, popular, and loved by everyone, and able to earn good money at any age.
The motif of people's clothing underscores the misconception that success should be based on physical appearance and on being liked. Willy keeps a picture in his mind of how a successful person looks, and all his life he is trying to match this image. This leads him away from understanding that “looking successful” does not always equal “being successful.” Using this motif, Arthur Miller urges the reader to think about how dramatic the consequences can be if cause and effect are confused; that in fact it is being successful that makes a person look successful.
A third example of this motif is Biff’s sneakers, which the play refers to twice: in the first act when Willy’s happiest memories about his sons visit him, and in the second act when Bernard, Biff’s friend, and Willy have a conversation about the past. Biff prints “University of Virginia” on his sneakers to demonstrate his ambitions and superiority over the other high school graduates. He receives an offer from the university and believes nothing in the world can prevent him from being a student there. He is full of dreams of success and plans for the future. When he does not pass math he runs to Willy for help, but he finds his father with another woman and it breaks his heart. After that, he gives up everything that he believes in. Many years later Bernard recalls this moment: “…remember those sneakers… he was so proud of those, wore them every day. And he took them down in the cellar, and burned them up in the furnace… he’d given up his life” (Miller 94). Those sneakers symbolise the moment when Biff reaches the highest level of his belief in himself and then his complete downfall.
A fourth example of the clothing motif is Biff’s appearance when he is planning the meeting with Bill Oliver, his previous employer. This motif is mentioned twice in the play: when Willy advises Biff about appearance, and when Linda describes him. Willy gives Biff full instructions on how to approach Oliver about money: “…don’t wear sport jacket [sic] and slacks when you see Oliver… a business suit, and talk, as little as possible… It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it – because personality always wins the day” (Miller 64). This is Willy’s strong belief, that contacts, personality, and popularity can lead him and his sons to success. Biff follows his advice and wears “his blue suit. He’s so handsome in that suit. He could be a – anything in that suit” (Miller 72). However, this “blue suit” cannot help him to get the money he wants. When Oliver does not even recognise him, Biff realises that all his life has been full of lies: “How the hell did I even get the idea I was a salesman there? I even believed myself that I’d been a salesman for him! And then he gave me one look and – I realised what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been! We’ve been talking in a dream for fifteen years. I was a shipping clerk” (Miller 104). At that point, Biff’s belief that appearance is the most important thing in his life has been changed and he starts to look deeply at who is he under that “blue suit”.
A final example of this motif is Dave Singleman’s “green velvet slippers” that Miller brings up at least three times in the play. Twice Willy mentions them, saying that when he was young, he saw them as a proof that being a salesman has big prospects. He mentions them again when he talks with Howard, his boss. For Willy those “green velvet slippers” represent everything he has based his life on. He met Dave Singleman when he was a young man, and this meeting changed his whole life. He saw a man who was “eighty-four years old, and he’d drummed merchandise in thirty-one states” (Miller 81). Willy recalls that Dave could sell goods without even leaving his room by just calling the buyers: he would “go up to his room, put his green velvet slippers – I’ll never forget – and … made his living” (Miller 81). Dave was “remembered and loved and helped by so many people” (Miller 81), and this is exactly that Willy has wanted all his life. When Dave died, “he died the death of a salesman, in his green velvet slippers in the smoker” (Miller 81). His funeral was attended by hundreds of buyers and salesmen. Therefore, when Willy is thinking about his own death he imagines the same funeral, and thinks that such a funeral would prove to his sons that he has not wasted his life. Those “green velvet slippers” symbolise for Willy that being a salesman is being successful, popular, and loved by everyone, and able to earn good money at any age.
The motif of people's clothing underscores the misconception that success should be based on physical appearance and on being liked. Willy keeps a picture in his mind of how a successful person looks, and all his life he is trying to match this image. This leads him away from understanding that “looking successful” does not always equal “being successful.” Using this motif, Arthur Miller urges the reader to think about how dramatic the consequences can be if cause and effect are confused; that in fact it is being successful that makes a person look successful.
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