rough language of the farmers brings truth to the play O Neill s simple broken sentences match the hard life and deep feelings of the Cabot family Symbolism and Imagery O Neill employs numerous symbols to convey hidden meanings The elm trees are the strongest symbol The stage direction says They appear to protect and at the same time subdue The trees represent motherhood desire and oppression The farm stands for greed and control Even the stones show human struggle Through these natural symbols O Neill connects the people s inner pain with the world around them His imagery makes the play rich dark and meaningful Biblical and Classical Touch O Neill s style often sounds biblical He uses simple but heavy words that remind readers of the Bible Cabot calls Abbie his Rose o Sharon which is a holy name This gives his speech a religious tone Like Greek tragedies O Neill shows sin punishment and fate The characters suffer because of their own actions The style makes the play both modern and ancient an American story written in the voice of timeless tragedy Psychological Depth O Neill s writing style explores the human mind and emotion He goes deep into love guilt and desire When Abbie says I killed him Eben the short line holds great emotion Her words are simple but full of pain O Neill shows how people s desires control their minds His short dialogues and silences reveal more than long speeches His language expresses confusion love anger and fear in a few words It shows the inner life of each character Stage Direction and Atmosphere O Neill s stage directions are poetic and detailed The opening line says Two enormous elms are on each side of the house The picture of the elms creates a sad heavy mood He uses color light and weather to reflect the characters feelings The house trees and stones speak silently about pain and fate O Neill s style combines visual beauty with emotional truth The setting becomes a part of the story not just a background In conclusion we can say that O Neill s style in Desire Under the Elms is powerful poetic and symbolic He joins real speech with deep emotion His use of symbols imagery and short dialogues gives the play tragic beauty The elm trees the farm and the natural setting all express human desire and guilt Through his unique style O Neill makes simple lives speak universal truths about love and suffering