all my sons a level essays

‘All My Sons’ by Arthur Miller Essay

‘All My Sons’ was an Arthur Miller play written in 1947, based on a factual account which the writer’s at the time of mother-in-law outlined in an Ohio newspaper. This play is considered as the Arthur’s first marketable victorious play, which was released at the Coronet theatre in New York. Based on this, the play outlined how a woman informed on her father who had vended defective parts to the American armed forces during the World War II (Miller 6-56).

From this play, moral choices are portrayed by Dr. Jim Bayliss who was a neighborhood doctor. In this case, Jim portrays characters of a good person who usually believes in the responsibility of one man assisting another; but at the same time admitting to the accountability one has towards his family. From his character it can be seen that he is interested in helping people in terms of treatments but not because of money; which can be indicated by his lack of enthusiasm in worrying with a hypochondriac. Additionally, his liability can be seen from the instance where he left his wife for to attend medical research.

However, he ultimately went home since he put his duty to his family to the front of his responsibility to the society. In this case, Dr. Jim portrays his moral choice of responsibility both to his family and the society without the aim of material gain. Additionally, Dr. Jim showed his responsibilities by paying bills for the sick despite the fact that he shares Chris ideals (Miller 6-56).

On the other hand, Chris Keller is portrayed as a family man who is devoted to his parents. In this case it can be argued that he is painful with the achievement of his father’s commerce found during the war, when too many of his companions passed away senselessly. Further, he forwards his distress into romanticism and an approach of social consciousness that is strange to his family settings.

As a result of this, other characters supposed his idealism as cruel, requesting the sacrifices of others that he himself does not make as he thrives contentedly on his father’s dime. From this it can be argued that, Chris Keller’s moral choice is that he does not use others for his own gain and thus he is not happy with his father’s business success, while his friends had died senselessly. In this case, Chris is angry with the way men have been betraying their friends in the battle field and hence portrays the molar choice of not being selfish. Based on this it can be argued that, his hatred for egotism is depicted by his guiltiness in the act of making money out of a deal which is not significant to the men on whose labor it relies (Miller 6-56).

It can be argued that, Dr. Jim’s characters are appealing to the ethics of care theory and principle. In this case, the ethics of care is a moral theory developed by feminists where it highlights the significance of relationships. In this case it can be argued that, Dr. Jim was responsible both to his family and the society. From his characters it is well indicated that, he loved the Joe’s family despite the fact that he knew that Joe was guilty.

Based on this, because of his affiliation with the Keller’s family he attempted to save Joe from a conflict with George Deever. On the other hand, Dr. Jim appeals to the theory of ethics of care from his believe in the responsibility of one person to help another. Additionally, the principle of ethics of care is portrayed with his acknowledgements of ones responsibilities to his family. From this it can be argued that, Jim cares a lot about other people and takes the responsibility of helping them (Miller 6-56).

Additionally, Chris Keller’s characters are appealing to the theory of virtue ethics which stresses the character of the ethical agent, rather than the policies and outcomes. It can also be argued that, Chris is more devoted to his parents and feels guilty whenever he uses others for his own benefits. From this, Chris is not comfortable with his father’s business success; while his friends died senselessly during the war. On the other hand, Chris feels guilty for surviving the war while the others died during the war. Further, Chris believes that one should be directed by the noble principles and hence encourages Dr. Jim to further his research in medicine. It can be argued that, he hates selfishness and hence could not be pleased with the people who sell others out in the battle field (Miller 6-56).

It is of importance to note that, the theory of rational egotism is directly opposite to what Chris believed in. in this case, the theory of rational egotism states that an action is rational in the case that it maximizes one’s interests. Contrary to this, Chris does not believe in selfishness at the expense of others. This can be evident from the way he considers himself guilty for surviving the war while the others died. In another instance, when his father’s guiltiness was revealed; Chris had had him to prison because he did not believe in egotism. It is because Chris believed in moral agent and not selfishness; which made him encourages Dr. Jim to further his medical research studies (Miller 6-56).

On the other hand, Dr. Jim’s characters were against the principles of the theory of utilitarianism. In this case, this theory states that the ethical worth of an action is settled on exclusively by its usefulness in providing contentment and enjoyment as assumed among all conscious beings. In this case, Jim was responsible to his family and also to the whole society in terms of medicines but not for material gain. It can be argued that, Jim could pay hospital bills for the patients unable to pay them and at the same time he protected Joe because of his friendship with the Keller’s family. Based on this it can be seen that, whatever he did was not for material gain but because of his responsible nature (Miller 6-56).

From a personal perspective, Dr. Jim and Chris’s moral choices were right because they were not intending to benefit themselves at the cost of others. It can be argued that, Chris’ hatred for egotism was justifiable during the World War II since he cared for the others who did not survive the bullets. On the other hand, Jim’s acts of responsibility for his family and also the rest of the society showed senses of care and love.

For example in a real life situation, one should not be selfish to the extent that he uses other to get benefits; but should care for every one who they have a common goal with. Still on the same point, Jim portrayed the qualities of a good parent and neighbor in real life situation. When one has a problem he requires some one to help in solving the problem like Joe’s Problems and Jim’s help (Miller 6-56).

Miller, Arthur. “All My Sons”. New York: Dramatists Play Service Inc. (1999): P. 6-56.

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Bibliography

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All My Sons

Arthur miller, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Arthur Miller's All My Sons . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

All My Sons: Introduction

All my sons: plot summary, all my sons: detailed summary & analysis, all my sons: themes, all my sons: quotes, all my sons: characters, all my sons: symbols, all my sons: theme wheel, brief biography of arthur miller.

Historical Context of All My Sons

Other books related to all my sons.

• Full Title: All My Sons
• When Written: 1946
• Where Written: New York City
• When Published: 1947
• Literary Period: Realism in American drama
• Genre: American realist drama
• Setting: Suburban United States (intentionally kept non-specific)
• Climax: Joe goes upstairs to shoot himself, while the rest of the family waits in the backyard below.
• Antagonist: George Deever

Extra Credit for All My Sons

Elia Kazan. All My Sons was first directed on the stage by Elia Kazan, a longtime friend of and collaborator with Arthur Miller. Kazan went on to “collaborate” with the House Un-American Activities committee, led by Senator Joe McCarthy, in order to identify those in Hollywood he felt to be tainted by Communist ideology—Kazan never fully regained his stature among some of his compatriots in the film and stage industries, but he and Miller eventually reconciled their views and worked together later in life.

Two film adaptations. The first film version of All My Sons , in 1948, was not strictly faithful to the play and received fair to positive reviews; the latter, in 1987, was a TV version which adhered more closely to the plot of the original play; the original film starred Edward G. Robinson and Burt Lancaster in the roles of Joe and Chris Keller, respectively.

All My Sons

by Arthur Miller

All my sons study guide.

When the young playwright Arthur Miller began writing All My Sons , he was embarking on a project that would be either the beginning or the end of his career. His first and only play to be produced on Broadway, The Man Who Had All the Luck , was an unmitigated failure, lasting only four performances. A practical man who had lived through the depression, Miller decided to give himself one more chance. If he did not have success with his next play, then he would quit the business and find "another line of work."

In the meantime, Tennessee Williams had met great success with The Glass Menagerie in 1945, a very personal and psychological play with poetic overtones. Miller's plays, on the other hand, are public works, with straightforward (though not unpoetic) language, and which address issues of the individual's public persona and how people act. But he learned from Williams's success and set out to write a more commercial play, a drama that would "land" with audiences, in the language of the Broadway business. He also chose to write a play in a realistic style, a problem play in the manner of Henrik Ibsen, evoking a style he had not used in many years. The work of Ibsen influenced All My Sons structurally as well, for Ibsen had liberally applied the principle of Greek theater that stresses the influence of the past on the present.

When the play was finished after five years of work, Miller asked his agent to send it to the director Elia Kazan. A former member of the Communist Party, Kazan had directed Williams's The Glass Menagerie , and he would later direct the genre-redefining A Streetcar Named Desire and Death of a Salesman (and would win Academy Awards for Gentleman's Agreement and On the Waterfront ). Kazan's career was tarnished in memory, however, and his relationship with Miller was permanently severed when he chose to name names for the House Un-American Activities Commission during the Red Scare. But at the time, as a successful director with a talent for eliciting monumental performances from his actors, and as someone who shared Miller's leftist politics, Kazan was the perfect choice for All My Sons. The cast included such rising stars as Ed Begley (as Keller, later of Inherit the Wind ), Arthur Kennedy (as Chris, later creator of the roles of Biff Loman and John Proctor), and Karl Malden (as George, later of Streetcar , Tea and Sympathy , and On The Waterfront ).

Luckily for Miller and for the American stage, All My Sons was a success. Opening at the Coronet Theatre on January 29, 1947, the first night's notices were mixed--with the crucial exception of the New York Times , whose Brooks Atkinson admired Miller as a genuine new talent. As usual, the Times review swayed all the others, and All My Sons ran for 328 performances (quite respectable at that time) and won the New York Drama Critics' Circle award for best play of 1947, beating out Eugene O'Neill's The Iceman Cometh (which at the time had been coolly received and would only become a landmark of American drama in retrospect).

Miller's success gave him financial stability, confidence, and the confirmation of Miller's identity as a playwright. This success was necessary for him to take a risk with his next work, Death of a Salesman.

All My Sons Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for All My Sons is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Why is Kate upset by her dream? All my sons

Kate won't accept her son died in the war. Kate recalls a dream she had about Larry, when she heard the wind, she imagined it was Larry flying by in his fighter plane. Kate turns to Joe and admonishes him for planting her son's memorial tree so...

Both Joe and Chris treat Kate with kid gloves, as she continues to grieve for her son, Larry, and continues to wait for his return.

When confessing his love for Ann, Chris tells his father that if he cannot accept their love and desire to marry,...

What was Larry's favourable drink?

I see no evidence of Larry's favorite drink being mentioned in the text. Act and scene?

Study Guide for All My Sons

All My Sons study guide contains a biography of Arthur Miller, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About All My Sons
• All My Sons Summary
• Character List

Essays for All My Sons

All My Sons literature essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of All My Sons.

• Mother Knows Worst: Kate's Role in All My Sons
• The Ethical Breach of the Business Man
• Off-Stage but Ever-Present: Larry in All My Sons
• Ordinary People Create Drama: A Comparison of All My Sons and The Importance of Being Earnest
• Society, Family, Catharsis: Male Protagonists in ‘All My Sons’ and ‘The Cement Garden’

Lesson Plan for All My Sons

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Introduction to All My Sons
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• All My Sons Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for All My Sons

• Introduction
• Arthur Miller quotation on All My Sons

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Books — All My Sons

Essays on All My Sons

Choosing all my sons essay topics.

When it comes to selecting an essay topic for a literary work like Arthur Miller's All My Sons, it's important to choose a topic that not only interests you but also allows for in-depth analysis and discussion. The right topic can make your essay stand out, showcasing your understanding of the text and your critical thinking skills. In this guide, we'll discuss the importance of choosing the right topic, offer advice on how to select a topic, and provide a list of recommended essay topics across different categories.

The Importance of the Topic

The topic you choose for your essay on All My Sons can significantly impact the quality of your work. A well-selected topic will allow you to explore the themes, characters, and literary devices in the play, enabling you to make insightful observations and draw compelling s. Additionally, a strong topic can captivate your readers and demonstrate your ability to engage with the text on a deeper level. Therefore, it's essential to put thought and consideration into selecting a topic that will enable you to showcase your analytical skills and understanding of the play.

Choosing a Topic

When choosing a topic for your essay on All My Sons, consider the aspects of the play that intrigue you the most. This could be a particular character, theme, or literary device. Additionally, think about the significance of the topic within the context of the play and its relevance to broader social or historical issues. It's also important to select a topic that allows for critical analysis and interpretation, rather than simply summarizing the plot or events of the play. By choosing a topic that aligns with your interests and offers ample opportunities for exploration, you'll be able to produce a more engaging and insightful essay.

Recommended Essay Topics

Here are some recommended essay topics for All My Sons, divided into different categories to cater to a wide range of interests and analytical approaches:

Character Analysis

• Joe Keller as a Tragic Hero: Analyze Joe Keller's character and determine whether he fits the criteria of a tragic hero.
• Kate Keller's Guilt: Explore the theme of guilt in Kate Keller's character and how it shapes her actions and decisions throughout the play.
• Chris Keller's Transformation: Examine Chris Keller's character arc and the factors that contribute to his transformation over the course of the play.

Themes and Motifs

• The American Dream: Discuss how the theme of the American Dream is portrayed in All My Sons and its impact on the characters.
• The Weight of the Past: Analyze the motif of the past in the play and its influence on the characters' present actions and decisions.
• Family and Morality: Explore the theme of family and its intersection with morality in All My Sons.

Social and Historical Context

• Post-War America: Discuss the play's portrayal of post-war America and its implications for the characters and their actions.
• Business Ethics: Examine the ethical dilemmas surrounding Joe Keller's business practices and their broader societal implications.
• The Cost of War: Analyze how the play addresses the human cost of war and its effects on individuals and families.

Choosing the right essay topic for All My Sons is crucial to producing a thoughtful and compelling piece of writing. By considering your interests, the significance of the topic, and its potential for critical analysis, you can select a topic that will enable you to engage deeply with the play and demonstrate your understanding and insight. The recommended essay topics provided cover a wide range of themes and characters, offering ample opportunities for exploration and analysis to suit different interests and analytical approaches.

A Close Analysis of The Theme of Family, Society and Emotional Release in All My Sons

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Analysis of Joe Keller's Character in All My Sons

How larry is able to remain offstage but always present in all my sons, arthur miller’s depiction of the effect of deceit as illustrated in his play, all my sons, how kate represent the bad thing mothers go through in all my sons, let us write you an essay from scratch.

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How All My Sons Shows The Drama Created by Ordinary People and Why It is Important to Be Earnest

January 29, 1947

Arthur Miller

The Kellers' yard in late August 1946

Joe Keller, Kate Keller, Chris Keller, Ann Deever, George Deever, Dr. Jim Bayliss, Sue Bayliss, Frank Lubey, Bert, Larry Keller, Steve Deever, Lydia Lubey

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A Level English Lit - COMPLETE ALL MY SONS REVISION NOTES

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22 January 2021

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Skirrid Hill/All My Sons A Level - A* EXEMPLAR ESSAY

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Quotes from All My Sons

“I saw your factory on the way from the stations. It looks like general motors”p150

Allusion-Savy businessman        

“Well that’s only your business, Chris”p100

Inability to stand up to Kate

“in hopeless fury, looks at her, turns around, goes up the porch, and into the house slamming screen door violently behind him” p126

Shows he can be neurotic

“Chris… Chris, I did it for you…For you! A business for you.”p158

Keller deals with guilt by blaming others and unfortunately taints his love for his son

“A man can’t be a Jesus in this world”p169

Allusion He is realistic but slightly jaded you can try to fulfil your moral and social responsibility

“I’m his father and he’s my son and if there’s something bigger than that I’ll put a bullet in my head!”p163

Dramatic irony and prolepsis- family is the most important thing for him commendable but leads to his downfall as he convinces himself that he shipped the cylinder heads for his family rather than himself

“(Chris with admiration) Joe McGuts”p116

He is very brave

“But I think to him they were all my sons. And I guess they were” p170

Recognition that he has social responsibility can’t live with the realisation

“I can’t sleep here; I’ll feel better if I go”p170

He shows determination there is a metaphorical recognition that he needs to die he is admirable even in death

“The…man who knows how many minutes a day his workers spend in the toilet” p59

He has worked hard to be successful he has tried to follow the American dream

“I’m surprised you remember his birthday, Frank. That’s nice.”p91

Exudes self-confidence and likeability

“I want a clean start for you, Chris” p124

Does love his son

“Joe wants to bring you into the business when you get out”p135

Emphaises his benign nature by referring to himself in the third person-When he gets scared he tries to buy people off

Kate Keller

“If I tell this to Mother and she has a fit about it” p100

Shows Kate is mentally unstable, has not accepted that Larry is dead and is protected by Joe and Chris. Adds to the tension of the play as we realise she might not be able to hold it together

“Your brother’s alive, darling, because if he’s dead, your father killed him…God does not let a son be killed by his father” p156

Dramatic irony Kate reveals her supposition and her desperation to keep Larry alive in her mind as her argument is not a good one

“(Mother smashes him across the face)”p155

Onomatopoeia-Shows she is capable of violence

“It takes a certain talent-for lying. You have it and I do. But not him” p160

Shows that Kate has known about Keller’s deceit all along. Highlights the theme of deceit

“(She finds herself reaching out for the glass of water and aspirin)” p109

From a Freudian view point her emotional turmoil is manifesting itself as physical illness

“ Be smart now, Joe. The boy is coming. Be smart” p126

Repetion-Shows that she wants to manipulate George

“(frightened at the thought you can’t say that to her)” p99

Shows she is a difficult character to understand and is neurotic as even her husband and son don’t know how she’s going to react

“He hasn’t been laid up in fifteen years” p152

Colloquial-Shows her careless side and shows she is a little bit stupid

“The minute there’s trouble you have no strength”p162

Uses illness to manipulate characters to act benignly towards her

“Forget now. Live”p171

Clearly loves Chris

“I ‘m smarter than any of you”p148

Shows she knows she can manipulate them

“I’ll find you a girl and put a smile on your face.. You remember Mr Macy’s daughter” p149

Clichéd-Shows her manipulation can be a benign force

Chris Keller

“Because sometimes I think you’re… ashamed of the money”p124

Hesitation dosen’t want to talk about crime Reveals Keller’s suspicion that Chris is aware of his crime. It shows that Chris is an idealist

“Oh, Chris, you’re a liar to yourself”p143

Shows Chris is self-deceiving

“Everytime I reach out for something I have to pull back because other people will suffer”p100

Shows he is selfless

“Oh Annie, I’m going to make a fortune for you!”p122

Hypocritical of Chris shows an idealism commercialism clash

“It’s time she realised that nobody believes Larry is alive anymore”

Only acts on his idealism when it suits him has let Kate pretend that Larry is alive for the last three years until he wants to marry his wife shows his hypocrisy

 “But I’m just like everyone else now”p166

Shows Chris’ arrogance in thinking that he was special

“I’m practical now. You made me practical”p166

Repetition of practical highlights it’s significanceSignals Chris’s conversion from Idealism to pragmatism

“A man can be a Jesus in this world”p169

Idea of Chris as Christ figure if you take his name metaphorically  just add t to his name this is reinforced by this quotation

“I’d like you to tell him that Larry is dead and you know it” p165

Stands up for what she thinks is right

“It’s wrong to pity a man like that. Father or no Father”p117

Ashamed of her Father’s role in the shop incident and deludes herself that Keller is right based on very little evidence

“I want you to set him free and then I promise you everything will end”p164

Ann tires of moral responsibility like Chris she loses her idealism and becomes more realistic she abandons her father for a chance to be happy

“The female version” of Chrisp132

Gives up her idealism for pragmatism (starting a new life with Chris) is responsible for tragedy

“This is filthy, didn’t you bring another shirt?”p138

Ann acts as a maternal force for George

“You understand me? I’m not going out of here alone. There’s no life for me that way. P164

Determined to get what she wants won’t listen to others

George Dever

“say, you’ve gotten a little nervous, haven’t you”p139

Uncomfortable in the role of justice

“Because you believed it” p143

Trusts Chris

“I’ll find you a girl and put a smile on your face”p149

Clichéd-He is swayed by the promise of a happy and easy life

“You look terrible, George”p150

Standing up for his father has taken a toll

“I told you to marry that girl”

Lost out by being in the war

Jim and Sue Bayliss

“It takes a certain talent for lying. You have it and I do. But not him”p160

Jim wants to be idealistic but has sold out to become a good father

“I... studied a certain disease. It was beautiful. And then she came, and she cried. And I went back home with her. And now I live in the usual darkness” p160

Repetition of she and her Jim sacrifices his dream of being a researcher and his idealism

This is a preview of the whole essay

“I told her to take up the guitar. It’d be a common intrest for them” p110

Kate believes the Bayliss’ have too little in common

“Everybody knows Joe pulled a fast one to get out of Jail” p131

Colloquial-Show that the neighbourhood think Joe’s guilty foreshadows revelation that he is adds tension

“They give him credit for being smart” p132

Colloquial-Show that Keller is well liked and respected

Frank and Lydia Lubey

“I’ve studied the stars of his life! Somewhere in this world your brother is alive!”p154

Satirical and dramatic irony Discredits fate as a force in this play as Larry is dead

“Does dad expect a parole soon?” p114

Both have a habit of making tactless comments which makes them disagreeable despite their amicable nature

“You’re still making your own clothes? Ain’t she classy” p147

Demonstrative of a couple living the American dream

“The structure of a play is always the story of how the birds come home to roost” Miller

There is always the discovery of the past and a confession this is what makes a good tragedy

“Forget Now. Live”p171

Short scentances-The confession is for the better

“[Desperately. Lost]”p164

The confession evokes pity/fear

“The star of one’s honesty… he (Chris) probably just wanted to be alone to watch his star go out”p160

This is the effect a confession has on others

“[hopless fury]”p126

Simile Causes anger

“I was afraid”p158

Difficult to confess emphasised by short sentences

“I’m not trying to hurt you Kate” “My God”p165-166

Confession usually causes pain

Guilt and Shame

Colloquial-Ashamed of her Father’s role in the shop incident

Keller deals with guilt by blaming others

“What am I, a stranger? I thought I had a family here, what happened to my family?”p161

Repetition of family Guilt and shame plays a role in the development of Keller’s relationship with his father

“I can’t look at you this way, I can’t look at myself”p168

Keller’s confession leads to shame for Chris

“(She finds herself reaching out for the glass of water and aspirin)”p109

Kate is so ashamed of her deception she has a mental and physical breakdown from a Freudian viewpoint

“(a shot is heard in the house)”p171

Shame and guilt over the cylinder heads could arguably lead to this but I think If this had been the case Keller would have killed himself a long time ago instead I think larry and Chris’s disownal of him and his realisation that he has a social responsibility cause him to kill himself he tries to make amends by killing himself and thus exonerating steeve and his family

“I can’t live with myself anymore”p169

Larry kills himself because of guilt that he has helped build a business that has killed American pilots and shame that his father and father-in-law have made a decision that kills his compatriots.  

“They killed themselves for each other”p121

Chris has survivors guilt he feels responsible for everyone

“I suspected my father and did nothing about it”p166

Chris is self-deceiving

“But there’s God so certain thing s can never happen…Ann, you know I’m right!” p113

Dramatic irony-Kate is self deceiving she gives a flimsy argument and clearly doesn’t truly believe that Larry will come back as she’s horrible to Ann so if he ever does come back Ann will not want Kate to be part of their life

“It takes a certain talent for lying. You have it and I do. But he (Chris) doesn’t”p160

This is Chris’ tragic flaw

“Poplars cut off view” p89

Delusion that Keller can cut himself off from the world

“I’m practical now. You made me Practical”p166

Repetition of practical Chris sacrifices his idealism for his family

Repetition of she and her Jim sacrifices his dream of being a researcher

“Chris, I did it for you” p158

Keller sacrifices his morality for his family

“I thought I had a family here. What happened to my family? P161

Loss of relationship between Keller and Chris and Kate

“I told you to marry that girl” p148

Loss of future between George and Lydia

“It’s wrong to pity a man like that. Father or no father”p117

Colloquial Loss of relationship between Ann and Steve

“I was going to tell them… it was too late” p157

Clichéd Loss of opportunity to warn about the faulty parts

“four-foot high stump” p89

Symbolises the loss of Larry

“Because if he’s not coming back, then I’ll kill myself” p107

Bathos How Kate deals with loss of Larry = loss of mental stability

“We’re like at a railway station waiting for a train that never comes in” p106

Simile Chris deals with loss of Larry by trying to move on

“[Increasing demand]”p113

Conflict over different ways of dealing with the past and the loss of Larry each character tries to get their point across

“Those dear dead days beyond recall”p110

alliterationLoss of the benign past

Idiom Deals with loss of past by breaking from it

“Let’s… raise some hell around here, like we used to before Larry went!” p110

idiomAnn deals with past by resurrecting it

“I can’t bear to live any more”… “I read about dad being convicted”p169

Larry commits suicide because of guilt does this make him a coward or a tragic hero?

“If he’s not coming back I’ll kill myself ”p107

Bathos Irony as Larry has killed himself foreshadows this discovery

Bathos Dramatic irony

“You stop that!” p163

Short scentance emphaises shockMother’s reaction to suicide

“[A shot is heard in the house]” p171

Keller’s reaction to Larry’s suicide

Chris has a different attitude to suicide than his parents

War profiteering

“What you have is loot and it has blood on it”p121

Metaphor Chris is ashamed of it

“Did they ship a gun or a truck out of Detroit before they got their price?”p168

Allusion-Realism argument it is too idealistic to expect people to work for nothing

Keller’s attitude is that war profiteering is fine if it is done for the family

Shows Keller’s change of mind he can no longer justify war profiteering through his family he now believes he has  social and moral responsibility

Moral Responsibility

Repetition of she and her Jim neglected being true to himself

“The star of one’s honesty… he probably just wanted to be alone to watch his star go out”p160

Simile Lack of honesty from all characters even eventually Chris

Colloquial Lack of forgiveness from Ann and initially George

“I said he’s dead.I know!”p165

Ann shows moral responsibility when she bravely tries to convince broken pscyotic women that her son is dead as she has found out

“I can’t bear to live anymore”p169

Larry can’t forgive

“I want you to set him free and then I promise you everything will be at an end”p164

Metaphor Ann tires of moral responsibility

“I can’t look at you this way. I can’t look at myself”p169

Can’t emphasised Chris finds it hard to forgive and stay true to himself

Allusion Keller lies about Steve and his involvement with the faulty parts

Social responsibility

“I’m his father and he’s my son and if there’s something bigger than that then I’ll put a bullet through my head”p163

Irony and bathos Keller’s initial delusion about social responsibility his journey through the play is the discovery that there is more than this

“To him the world had a forty-foot front; it ended at the building line”p163

Shows Larry initially ignored his social responsibility

“I can’t bear to live any more”p169

Realises he has social responsibility and that he has been indirectly forced by his father to neglect this but does he neglect his social responsibility by killing himself taking a pilot away from benefiting his country?

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself” Joseph Campbell (American folklorist)

A tragic hero is “A man not pre-eminently virtuous and just, whose misfortune however, is brought upon him not by vice or depravity but by some error of judgement” Aristotle

Miller was aware of this definition

Bathos and irony Joe is a hero according to Campbell’s definition

Short scentances show shock Through death he is able to save his family from long term suffering

He shows determination there is a metaphorical recognition that he needs to die

 “Well that’s only your business Chris”p100

He doesn’t want to confront his wife so he becomes alienated from his son

Chris knows Keller is “no worse than no men. I thought you were better. I never saw you as a man. I saw you as my father”p168

Cylinder heads cause break with Chris and tragedy

Chris is self-deceiving although it could be argued that fate takes a part as Keller’s deception could have remained hidden from the outside world through the court paper. Keller’s mistake has already destroyed his family the real tragedy as everything he’s worked for has been for them “for you, a business for you”

“She finds herself reaching out for the glass of water and asprin”p109

Causes a mental and physical deterioration for Kate

“Oh my God”p166

Refuses to believe her son is dead despite all the evidence

“I’d hoped that if I waited, mother would forget Larry and then we’d have a regular wedding and everything happy, but if that can’t happen then I’ll have to get out of here”p101

Ironically Mother drives Chris away by refusing to agree with the evidence

 “It’s wrong to pity a man like that. Father or no father”p117

Abandons her father and believes Joe only to find out she was wrong to do so

“ Oh Chris, I’ve been ready for a long, long time” p120

Repetition of long Although she is not responsible for Larry’s death a great tragedy in her life she does kill his memory by getting engaged with Chris

“He won the war, Frank”p148

George lost the love of his life to Frank

“I told you when you went away, don’t try for medals”p145

Aphorism He was initially eager to get away from the neighbourhood and become a soldier

 “I... studied a certain disease. It was beautiful. And then she came, and she cried. And I went back home with her. And now I live in the usual darkness” p160

Repetition of she and her Jim is responsible for his own tragedy but is a hero as he remains a good husband and conformed to the prosaic

“The world had a forty-foot front it ended at the building line”p163

Larry recognises that this is not the case and tries to make amends for it by suicidially fighting for his country

Return of the Past

“The past is always present and cannot be ignored, forgotten or denied” Centola

Idealism vs. Commercialism        

Chris, Jim, George and Ann vs. Joe and Sue

“When you marry never count your husband’s money p110

Aphorism The majority of the characters advocate idealism over commercialism

Hesitation shows conflict Keller thinks Commercialism can act as a benign force

Hypocritical of Chris

“For you, a business for you”p158

Keller and Chris have the same attitude when they have a family they both ultimately want to work for them

“The business! The business doesn’t inspire me”p102

More interested in idealism but has still sold out for money but in denial that he’s done so

“And he’s got money. That’s important, you know”p130

Suggests that Chris can afford to be idealistic sue values materialism

“As soon as a woman supports a man, he owes her something. You can never owe somebody something without resenting them”p130

Money affects relationships

Repetition of she and her Jim has made a compromise between the two

“Joe wants to bring you into the business when you get out” p135

Uses the third person Compromise between commercialism and idealism he knows Steve will not want to work for the better of the business

Family Relationships

Keller Family

Keller and Larry

“If Larry were alive he wouldn’t act like this. That was a boy we lost. Larry.”p163

Irony Larry is his favourite son he understands him

“I think to him they were all my sons. And I guess they were”p170

Keller is prepared to change his views for Larry

Keller and Chris

“I’ve been a good son too long, a good sucker”p102

Colloquial They don’t understand each other but are ultimately prepared to make compromises for each other

“Chris…Chris, I did it for you”p154

Keller taints there relationship by trying to put the blame for the cylinder heads on Chris

Irony and bathos Shows that he does love Chris

Chris and Larry

“(Chris is discovered sawing the broken-off tree, leaving stump standing alone)”p127

Tries to clear away Larry’s memory

Mother and Chris

“She’s Larry’s girl”p155

Colloquial Seems to care about Larry more

Short scentances Her maternal side comes out to Chris once Larry is dead

Mother and Larry

Irony and bathos “Because if he’s not coming back then I’ll kill myself”p107

Can’t let go of Larry

“I knew I could stop him”p105

Irony Believes she can save Larry

Keller and Kate

“I wear the pants and she beats me with the belt”p150

Kate emotionally blackmails Keller        

Deever Family

“Ann, George and their absent father might be viewed as the opposite of the Keller’s”

Ann and Steve

Colloquial Abandons her father and believes Joe with little evidence

“I’ll do nothing about Joe” p164

Sacrifices Steve being exonerated for her future happiness

Ann and George

“You’re coming with me”p144

He is prepared to sacrifice her happiness for his idealism they don’t have a very strong relationship

Steve and George

“I didn’t see him once when I got home from the war!”p141

George initially chooses idealism over his father

Wears “(your fathers)” hat139

Eventually compromises and wears his hat as he loves him

Lubey Family

“I don’t know why you can’t learn to turn on a simple thing like a toaster!” p94

Demonstrative of the perfect family without idealism living the American dream

American Dream

“The American dream is a subjective term usually implying a successful and satisfying life. Perceptions of the American dream are usually framed in terms of American capitalism, and the freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Bill of rights”

“I’ll get out. I’ll get married and live some place else”p101

“I want a family, I want some kids, I want to build something I can give myself to”p102

Tricolon of want Belief that you can achieve what ever you want if you work hard for it

Repetition of she and her Jim sacrifices his dream of being a researcher he is not living the American dream

“I was the beast… Except I wasn’t… Fourteen months later I had of the best shops in the state again, a respected man again; bigger than ever.” P116

Metaphor Failure of American dream should be in prison as has broken the law

“She’s dreaming about him again”p99

Kate hopes that Larry will return

Tricolon-Ann and Chris want to marry and be successful-live the American dream

“Chris…Chris, I did it for you”p158

Keller wants to provide a significant amount for his family

“I would love to help humanity on a Warner Brothers salary”p93

Foils provide comic relief in act 1 contrast to later tragedy

“My love, My light”p93

Sarcasm from Jim

“I like to keep abreast of my ignorance”p96

Major character is introduced through humour contrast to his serious and idealistic nature

“Don’t talk dirty (They laugh)”p134

Keller provides comic relief in act two and makes him more likeable

Justice is a main theme within the play ‘All My Sons’, and an example of justice being symbolised is the idea of Joe telling the children that he has a jail in the basement of his house.Although simple, this metaphor is quite powerful, as it suggests to the audience that he could be hiding more than just a basement to the people of the street. It could also suggest that he is keeping justice locked away within the Keller house, and as the children keep asking about the jail, there is an underlying idea that the truth about Joe could surface sometime within the play. ‘I spoiled the both of you’

Something that is apparent throughout the book is the amount of money that Joe has earned through his business. Some may assume that Keller bribed his way out of prison, due his frequent reference to, as well as his constant reliance on money. He uses this later in the play as a way to try and justify to his family that if he had gone to jail then he wouldn’t have been able to make all this money for them. “Everybody knows Joe pulled a fast one to get out of jail”.  

Whilst this may first seem as a cheap dig at the Kellers, this is confirmed when Jim says (to Kate) “I’ve always known”. This would be negatively viewed, as because of these actions an innocent man (Steve) is in jail instead of Joe. Therefore, the characters are just as guilty as Joe for letting an innocent man rot in jail. “if [George and Anne] wanted to open up the case again”. Joe’s prediction is actually correct though, and it is the arrival of George which helps to uncover the truth about the cylinder heads. George therefore does a very good job or prosecuting Joe. A clever inclusion into the play is that George is actually involved with the law, as opposed to it just being a metaphor, like the other parts of the courtroom analogy. We get this idea through Chris’ question to him “How’s the law”. “You’re not even an animal, no animal kills his own, what are you?” “I’m not going to do anything about it” Throughout almost all of the play Chris, Anne and Kate represent Joe’s defence.Chris suddenly becomes a prosecutor, voicing his fury and shame to his father Perhaps here we see a highly uncaring side of Anne, as she will gladly let her father rot in prison even though she now knows that he is innocent. Religion

“Every Sunday ought to be like this”p90

The play starts on a sunday morning which is a religious time of the week

“chris”

Chris' name could be interpreted as 'Christ' which would suggest a kind of moral superiority that he at least tries to achieve

“downstage, stands the four-foot high stump of a slender apple-tree whose upper branches lie toppled beside it, fruit still clinging to its branches”p89

The apple tree is incredibly important in terms of religious symbolism. It obviously has connotations of the tree of knowledge - the tree which was in the story of Adam and Eve. It's significant that it's there as it is an indication of the 'fall' that's about to happen (in the same way that eve fell from god's grace by eating the apple). It represents in this sense the knowledge of Larry's death and the real causes.

"living next door to the holy family" p131 The tree is a holy symbol however it is broken.the broken tree signifies that in reality, the Keller's aren't as 'holy' as they seem. "the trouble with you is that you don't believe in anything” "now I live in the usual darkness"

 My personal opinion is that Jim represents non belief in terms of religion. The idea that he lives in darkness suggests that there is no light from religion in his life. And perhaps his unhappiness is a result of this non belief. Although, as an alternative interpretation, you could say that the way he admires Chris ("he meets a man and makes a statue out of him" p131) and the fact that Chris could be interpreted as 'Christ' means that he isn't a total non believer.

"Nobody in this house dast take her faith away, Joe" p 107

 Although this is a references to Ann's faith in Larry, it potentially has further reaching meaning. The use of "dast" is not in keeping with the general colloquial tone of the dialogue in the play, so it stands out. It almost sounds as if it could have been quoted from the bible. It is keeping with the idea that Mother is hijacking religion as reasoning behind her argument that Larry is alive

"I never believed in crucifying people" p117

Keller says this, and although it's clearly a view that he has gained because he is guilty, it's also representative of a forgiving figure. However, it's also incredibly ironical since he's put Steve through jail for something he didn't do which is worse than crucifiction . "He was falsely accussed once and it put him through hell" p133  

Chris says this to Ann and the irony is that Keller lied and put Steve in prison actions that Christians believe would put him through hell the next time he is accused he will commit suicide an action Christians also believe will result in the perpetrater going to hell

 "George, you don't want to be the voice of God, do you?" p140

"And truer love hath no man!" p 148

 it has biblical echoes.  "Is it junk to feel that that there's a greater power than ourselves?" p 154 "That's all, nothing more til Christ comes". P155

There's great irony in this statement from Chris. By "til Christ comes" he's refering to Judgement day (and therefore implying that they should never talk about the problem again). But in reality, judgement day is approaching (the day when the truth emerges and the day of Keller's death). "God does not let a son be killed by his father" p 156

 This is the whole concept that has led to Kate's adamant belief that Larry is still alive.

The Keller's home is describe as a 'secluded atmosphere' and something about 'poplar trees'. This creates he effect of the Kellers home in having something to hide perhaps, which is reinforced by anne's comment that 'the poplars have gotten thick'. Also Their house is described as 'on the outskirts of an american town'. Well 'an' could suggest that this does not only apply to the Keller's, but the whole of american society including the audience who are viewing the play. Also look at Frank entrance. He 'saunters in' creating a sense of mystery and slowness about the place. Also look at the introduction to the materialistic goods such as the 'malt mixer', something which would have been fairly new, considering the context. Also there is a lot in Chris war speech, you could basically write a page on that single section and it is also good for linking in with the section ou have been asked. Remeber, always link this section to the rest of the play, without this you won't get an A.

Document Details

• Word Count 5688
• Page Count 13
• Level AS and A Level
• Subject English

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