The Cherry Orchard

In the play The Cherry Orchard, there are several ways that the cherry orchard itself is linked to symbolism. However, the orchard symbolizes something different for every character. It is a different symbol to characters based on their position in life as well as what objectives they have.

To Liubov Ranyevskaya, the orchard symbolizes the past. It was where she grew up and she views it in a nostalgic way. In her mind, the orchard represents a time in her life when she was young and life was better. She views the orchard as a way to escape the tragedies of her life. By being in the orchard, she can forget about her son drowning, her lover taking her money, and that she is about to lose all of her assets. She seems to maintain the idea that if she is near the orchard, then she can focus on the good times of the past and forget the troubles of her life.

To Leonid Gayev and Firs, the orchard also represents a better past. Leonid sees the orchard and remembers when his life was better. When he did not have to worry about his sister getting into trouble or the money problems that their family faces. Firs sees the orchard as a link to his ideals as a butler. In the past when the orchard was a thriving business and made a profit, servants knew hoe to properly serve their masters and masters knew how to treat loyal servants. Firs himself seems to represent the cherry orchard. Throughout the play, he looks after his masters, all the while becoming more frail and less helpful until he finally dies at the end of the play.

To others, such as Yermolai Lopakhin and Petya Trofimov, the orchard symbolizes the future. Lopakhin sees the orchard as a path to wealth. If he tears down the orchard. he can use the land to build real estate and make a lot of money. Petya views the tearing down of the orchard as the end of an era, where slavery and class structures ruled, and the beginning of a more enlightened age where people have more knowledge.

The cherry orchard really symbolizes two ideas: past and future. Some characters saw it as a way to return to their good lives in the past. Others saw it as a way to bring them closer to the future.