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Foreshadowing In Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman

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Arthur Miller constructed Death of a Salesman in a very methodical way. His numerous uses of foreshadowing helped keep the story cohesive and continue the sense of tragedy. Flashback were used to give the final tie to the foreshadowing and in the end created a very clear connection with props. One prop in particular were Linda’s stockings. This prop was used as a symbol of the play and affected the audience by foreshadowing Will’s affair and illuminating characteristics of both Willy and his son. The early mention of the stockings in the story introduced Willy’s view on them as very adverse. He had a hostile view on them and this was evident through his ridicule oh his wife’s action of mending. Willy stated. “I won’t have you mending stockings …show more content…
The woman Willy had an affair with said, “Where’s my stockings? You promised me stockings Willy […] you had two boxes of size nine sheers for me, and I want them” (Miller 121). Willy’s promise to provide The Woman with stockings illuminated his lack of a good personality. Being loyal to your spouse is a very pleasant trait and Willy’s affair discredits his attempt to be socially accepted. Willy goes against his motto by committing an act of infidelity. Willy himself is not well-liked by society and this is proven by the countless evidence of failures in his life. The stockings were also used in an additional way to further advance the story by connecting to Willy’s son Biff. “You have her Mama’s stockings” (Miller 121). Throughout the play Biff’s resentment for his father is displayed countlessly. The reasoning is never revealed until the Boston flashback scene. The audience learns of the affair through the flashback and the scene reveal where Biff’s resentment for his father originated. The advancement of the plot by the stockings and the greater understanding by the audience was proven by the use of foreshadowing and flashbacks and justifies the use of the

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