*Death of a Salesman--Day 6.

In the final reading of Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller concludes the play with a somber, yet promising tone for a new beginning. Before Willy ultimately ends his life, the reader views Willy in his garden “planting seeds.” The seeds symbolize a new beginning, and a nurturing side that Willy wasn’t able to exemplify for his children and wife. Because Willy wasn’t able to “produce” a wealthy business as a salesman, the garden that Willy plants portrays another chance for Willy to provide money for his family.

In the garden, Willy speaks to Ben about the “massive funeral” that people would come to from “Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey” just to honor Willy at his funeral. The death of himself, Willy believes, will prove to Biff how many people “liked” Willy and how “well-known” Willy is. If Willy commits suicide like he has planned to, then Biff and the rest of the family will receive the “proposition” which is “twenty thousand dollars on the barrelhead” of Willy’s premium. The suicide of Willy enables a new future for the Loman family, as they are able to make “the last payment on the house” and are “free”—free from the burden of house payments and also from the unhappiness of Willy. The death of Willy proposed a new beginning for his family as a way to move on and live each one’s own life.

In the end as Willy speaks to Ben, Ben again comments about how “the jungle is dark but full of diamonds.” Not only do the “diamonds” that Ben speaks of portray wealth, but also equate to Willy. A diamond has a shiny appearance, one like Willy wishes to have, but a diamond is also “rough and hard to the touch”-equating to the personality of Willy ultimately conveying the message that although something may appear to glisten on the outside, the inside is “rough.” Along with a diamond’s appearance, the diamond in the “dark place” symbolizes that Willy believes that he must die in order for his family to prosper.

An occurring motif throughout the play is false portrayal of oneself. All three of the Loman men portrayed a life that was a facade from reality. Willy was not the successful “well liked” business man that he claimed to be, Happy was not the “assistant buyer” but was an “assistant to the assistant” and Happy and Willy attempted to make Biff believe that he was a high-end business man when in reality he was just a “shipping clerk.” Biff finally speaks up and lets the family know that they haven’t told the truth for “ten-minutes”- but that their lives have all been “phony.” Each character made-up the ideal life so as not to disappoint the other. However, in the end, the only way each could move on in life and truly live the “American Dream,” was to seize reality, which Biff helped each character do.