You should write a response to this key question:
‘Does Willy demand that Linda throw away the stockings because he is unable to live with the guilt associated with them, or because he does not want to see his wife wearing mended stockings which make her look poor and, by implication, make Willy look unsuccessful?’
From the way I see it, Willy demands that Linda gets rid of the stockings because they symbolize his own failure within his marriage, and in life. This is purely an impulse for him, having nothing to do with a sense of guilt for the affair. The stockings are a reminder that Willy has not achieved his dreams yet, and probably never will, which is delivered as a backhand slap across his pride. Seeing his own wife mending them is shameful and maddening for him, since the material value in them has deteriorated, signifying in a consumerism-based way that his value in society is petty and insignificant.
ReplyDeleteIn my perspective, Willy's guilty that he is unsuccessful and couldn't provide the best for his family. Also, he is also guilty about the fact that he had an affair and the stockings reminded of his guilt towards Linda but most of all the reason why Willy got so mad is because he knows that he havent had the best life and his unfaithfulness reflects to himself as a failure
ReplyDeleteWilly demands the stockings to be thrown away, because of the guilt from the affair he had with 'the woman'. This is proof that he regrets this affair, and he wants to forget it, hence he wants to push away objects that remind him of the affair (i.e. the stockings). He believes in the American Dream, where hard work = success and success includes a happy marriage. The affair is proof of an unhappy marriage, which goes against the terms of accomplishing the American Dream. All in all, it is enough evidence to him that he hasn't succeeded in life.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I think it's a little bit of both. Willy is obviously guitly about having an affair behind Linda's back. When Linda was mending the stockings, the stockings triggered the memory which made Willy suddenly angry. Symbolically, the stockings represent the guilt of the affair so as Linda was mending it, it almost seems as though Linda is slowly uncovering the truth, filling in the missing informaation. Because of this Willy demanded to throw the stickings away to stop her from finding out.
ReplyDeleteWilly demands that Linda throw away the stockings because of both reasons. The stockings symbolize Willy’s failure as a husband. Seeing Linda mending the stockings is a reminder to Willy about an affair he had with another woman, to whom he had given a pair of stockings. He is evidently guilty for what he did to Linda hence he demands her throw away the object that associated with the affair. The stockings also symbolize Willy’s failure as a businessman. If Willy is successful enough, Linda wouldn’t be mending the stockings, but instead buy a new pair or have the stockings mended for her. The stockings, in a way, are also a reminder of the reality which implies that Willy is shameful about his lack of success in life.
ReplyDeleteFrom my point of view, Willy's attitude towards Linda while she mens her stockings suggests he does have hidden feelings of guilt about his behaviour with The Woman. One of the possible reason for this is that Willy's reason for the affair, which he claims that he is 'lonely', is shown to be false as the support he has from his wife is substantial. Also, maybe he has also found out that he has been unfaithful to the one person that is completely faithful to him. This concludes the fact that Willy's guilt stems from his betrayal. However, when Willy demands Linda to throw away the stockings, it may also be that he senses his failure. In conclusion, I think that the stockings is a symbol of both Willy's guilt and failure as a salesman.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, both reasons are appropriate in this situation. The stockings are symbolic for Willy's affair with the woman and they remind him about her. Therefore, as Willy demands that Linda throw away the stockings, he feels extremely guilty to Linda and somehow wants to forget about the affair and the idea of betrayal. This also implies the complete failure of Willy in a role as being a husband. Moreover, urging Linda throwing away the stockings, Willy desperately wants to refuse an another failure in which the role of a salesman. Let's consider, if he could gain success and wealth in life, there should be a better solution for Linda instead of sitting and mending the stockings. Overall, Willy doesn't want the existence of that cheap-looking in his house symbolising his complete failure for not succeeding in both roles: being a husband and a salesman.
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ReplyDeletei think that he gets rid of them mainly because of his guilt for having an affair and he wants to get rid of them because it is a reminder of the fact he is starting to fail at his own life plan and family, But the way i interpreted the line was that he wants to get rid of it because he doesn't want his wife doing that making them seem less succseful and they should be leading a better life style but i believe this too just be his way of covering himself up in front of his wife and trying to act natural about it for the guilt for having a affiar associated with the stockings.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I can see here ,both of these reasons are the motivation of Willy’s act. The stockings represent for his affair with another woman , have been holding a secret of his , which ring a bell of his guilt since his wife’s been mending them. Not only have they revealed Willy’s failure as a man of a family , but as well as a failure in his career. His obsession for defining successful shames him ever since he realizes he is not wealthy as he’s been lying to himself .But in another angle , we might glimpse that he is just trying to mask his guilt by giving care to Linda.
ReplyDeleteIn my point of view, I think that Willy demand that Linda throw away the stockings because of both reasons. First, when Willy takes away Linda's stockings,this show that their relationship between them is not good. You can say that the stockings symbolises the failure and unsuccessfulness towards Willy. Also, the stockings made Willy angry, which shows a guilt of an affair with the woman and he wants to get this out of his mind. In addition, the stockings tells the reader that willy didn't achieve his dream. At that time, when people did not or could not achieve their own dream they were a failure towards the American dream. Willy is in the same situation, this shows that Willy did not achieve his dream, which is not a successful life
ReplyDeleteI personally think that Willy coerced Linda into throwing the stockings away because he felt that they were a symbol of his fiscal failure. While I'm sure they also served as an uncomfortable reminder of his philandering ways, I believe that it was primary about his inability to stand the thought of someone seeing Linda wearing hand-mended articles of clothing and passing judgement on her (which in his mind would mean they were also passing judgement on him).
ReplyDeleteI think this because he only got angry at her when he saw her actually physically mending the stockings, whereas if it were about his feelings of guilt he probably would have tried to remove the stockings from Linda's possession some time ago. Additionally, if Willy felt overcome with guilt then he would have tried to get her to throw them away in a more gentle or apologetic manner, instead of shouting at her to get rid of them.
Willy probably couldn't bear imagining that his peers would hold him in lower regard as a result of his wife's wardrobe, and so he forced her to throw away what he deemed as a tangible sign of his lack of financial success.