Social Conflict: The Lomans vs the Neighborhood

The conflict between the Loman family and the encroaching urban environment, symbolizing the loss of the pastoral dream and the pressure of modern society.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The House Surrounded

A Home in the Shadows The Apartment Buildings The Loman house is now hemmed in by towering apartment houses. The trees that once shaded it are dead or dying. The stage set reflects the loss of open space and the pressure of the city. Willy's Lament Willy complains about the lack of light, the stink from the apartment house, the street lined with cars. He remembers when the neighborhood was open country. The change is a source of his despair. The Symbol of Entrapment The surrounding buildings are a visual metaphor for the forces closing in on Willy. He feels boxed in, unable to breathe. The social conflict is between the individual and the urban environment.

The Dead Garden

The Loss of Nature The Impossible Garden Willy dreams of planting a garden, but the soil is barren, the sun blocked. The seeds he buys at the end are a futile gesture. Nature has been defeated by concrete. The Pastoral Memory Willy's memories of the past are filled with trees, flowers, and open air. He recalls the lilac and wisteria, the elm trees where he hung a swing. The past is a lost paradise. The Critique of Progress The play critiques the unchecked growth of cities and the loss of connection to the land. Willy's desire for a garden is a longing for a simpler, more natural life that no longer exists.

The present

Throughout the play