1. Prepared by – Vipul Dabhi
(Lecturer At Shamaldas Arts College, Bhavnagar.)
2. Table of Contents :
• Introduction
• About Author
• Setting of the play
• Relationship Among the Characters
• Main characters of the play
• Main themes of the play
• Symbolism in the play
• Conclusion
3. Introduction :
• All My Sons, is a play written by Arthur
Miller.
• The play was first published during 1947.
• It is divided into three acts.
• The story takes place after the World
War 2, this incident becomes the recourse
of the story.
• It is a household drama in the style of
the ancient Greek Tragedies.
• The play has small casts, but all seems
realistic in nature, portrays the
contemporary situations and conflicts.
• The story is about family, trust, lies, and
guilt. It is based around two families, the
Kellers : Father Joe, Mother Kate and their
two sons, Chris and Larry., and the
Deevers : Father Steve, daughter Ann and
son Goerge.
• The two families are business partners as
they produce aircrafts for the US army.
• Both were convicted of selling faulty
aircraft parts, which causes the death of 21
pilots.
• Keller puts blame on his business partner,
as a consequence of it Steve gets
imprisonment.
• Ultimately Protagonist finds himself
entangled in a miserable situation and
commits suicide.
• Here, Miller criticizes the idea of an
American Dream.
4. About Arthur Miller : ( 1915- 2005)
• An American Playwright, essayist.
• His father was financially ruined in the
great economic Depression.
• This incident affected Miller
tremendously. This knowledge of
economy remained the central theme of
his plays.
• During his youth he worked in various
fields, that experience made him aware
about the situation of lower middle
class people.
• He considered himself as an American
Liberals.
• Miller Frequently faced difficulties
with conservative and reactionary
circles in America.
His Main Works :
• The Crucible,
• Death of A Salesman,
• A View from the Bridge,
• The Price,
• After the Fall,
• Broken Glass,
• Focus. ( His only Novel )
5. • Setting of the play :
- The setting of the play is
Keller’s backyard after the
WW2.
- It suggests comfort and
isolation from the
community.
-Because the
townspeople
suspect the truth
about Joe.
- Destructive forces
threaten the
setting. : The fall of
an apple tree.
6.
7. Main Characters of the Play :
Joe Keller :
- Head of the Family, Sixty years old, A heavy man of
solid mind and build, A self-made businessman.
- “ When he reads, when he speaks, when he listens,
it is with the terrible concentration of the
uneducated man for whom there is still wonder in
many commonly known things, a man whose
judgements must be dredged out of experience
and a peasant - like common sense. ”
- Joe seems very genial, well – natured man. His
business means great deal to him, almost as much
as his family.
- Unfortunately, he orders Steve to cover cracks in
some airplane – engine parts.
- Joe puts the blame on Steve and escapes from the
imprisonment.
- It seems that he has entangled himself between
socialism and individualism.
- At the end of the play he commits suicide.
8. Kate Keller :
- She is in her early fifties, wife of Joe, mother of Larry
and Chris.
- “ A woman of uncontrolled inspirations and an
overwhelming capacity for love. ”
- A ‘typical’ superstitious woman.
- She hopes that Larry has survived and will return
home. Not only because she loves her son, but she
knows the truth about Joe : he ordered his partner to
cover the cracks in the cylinder head that eventually
resulted in the death of several American fighter
pilots. Although Larry never flew a P – 40 fighter.
- Kate is a sympathetic character. But the truth of her
husband’s guilt torture her.
9. Chris Keller :
- Chris is a younger son of Keller family, he is
thirty two years old.
- “ like his father, solidly built, a listener. A
man capable of immense affection and loyalty.
”
- He is in love with Ann Deever, the former
girlfriend of his deceased brother Larry.
- A veteran of WW-2 , works for his father, he
believes that his father is an innocent guy.
- An idealist, he has very strong sense of
Justice and responsibility.
- According to him one should be guided by
the noblest principles, encourages his friend
Jim to leave his medical practice to pursue
further study. That’s why Sue believes that
Chris is a Hypocrite.
-His over affection for his father blinds him to
the truth.
- At the end he wants to see his father
returned to prison.
10. Ann Deever :
-She is daughter of Steve, and younger
sister of George. Ann is twenty six years
old.
- “ gentle but despite herself capable of
holding fast to what she knows. ”
- An attractive lady. Quite practical as she
accepts the situation as it is.
- She visits the Keller house. ( she has
been invited by Chris. )
- According to her, Steve is guilty and she
refuses to visit him at Jail.
- She is perhaps blinded by her love for
Chris, whom she plans to marry.
11. George Deever :
-Steve’s son and elder brother of Ann, almost
Chris’s Age.
- “ a paler man, now on the edge of his self –
restraint. ”
- A lawyer by profession.
- A threat to Joe, who fears that he might re-
open the case.
- After visiting his father in Jail he confronts
Joe.
- George knows that Joe has destroyed his
family.
- He refuses Ann to Marry with Chris as his
father is in Jail because of Chris’s family.
12. Dr. Jim Bayliss :
-A good neighbour and friend of Chris,
almost forty years old.
- “ A wry self- controlled man, an easy
talker, but with a wisp of sadness that
clings even to his self- effacing humour. ”
- He wants to study further.
- Jim always talks with a scientific
temperament.
13. Sue Bayliss :
- Jim’s wife, forty years old. She
dislikes Chris.
- She used to do work as a nurse.
- Seems more materialistic.
- She knows that Joe is guilty, and
considers Chris as a hypocrite.
- As a friend Chris suggests Jim to go
for further study, because of this Sue
feels hatred towards Chris.
- She deems Chris as a phony.
14. Frank Lubey :
- He is also the neighbour of Keller family.
- Thirty two years old, but balding.
“ A pleasant, opinionated man, uncertain
of himself, with a tendency towards
peevishness when crossed, but always
waiting it pleasant and neighbourly. ”
-Genuine superstitious guy, works on
Larry’s horoscope. Which makes Kate’s
belief more stronger.
- Makes fun of Jim.
15. Lydia Lubey :
- A robust, laughing girl of
twenty seven.
- Wife of Frank, former lover of
George.
- Mother of three babies.
- She lacks the knowledge of
household machinery.
16. Bert :
- He is a neighbourhood boy. ( son
of Jim and Sue)
- Plays with Joe in the beginning
of the play : pretending to be a
policeman .
- Provides comic relief.
- He wishes to see ‘Jail’ at the
basement of Keller House.
- Joe shows him a gun, with it, at
the end he ( Joe) kills himself.
17. Larry Keller :
- An elder son of Joe.
- He fought as a pilot in the Second World
War and was reported missing.
- It is presumed by everybody that he is
dead, except his mother, Kate.
- He was engaged with Ann.
- Physically never appears onto the stage,
however, remains present throughout the
play.
- But at the end, it is revealed in his letter
that : he could not bear the truth about
his father’s guilt, and committed suicide.
18. Steve Deever :
- Business partner of Joe.
- Father of Ann and George.
- He is in Jail. ( accused for selling
defective aircrafts to the US army
during WW2. )
- When George visits him in the Jail,
he tells the truth about Joe, and
tries to convince George about his
innocence.
- He never appears onto the stage.
19. Main Themes of the Play :
• American Dream – The play is a critical investigation of the quest to achieve material
comfort and an improved social status through hard work and determination. Joe is that
kind of man, who looses his integrity to materialism.
- “ Keller : All right, but – but don’t think like that. Because what the hell did I work for ?
That’s only for you, Chris, the whole shootin’ match is for you ! ”
• Atonement and Forgiveness – Joe’s suicide at the end of the play is both atonement and
an escape from guilt. It stems from Joe’s realization that there can be no real forgiveness
for what he has done. The alternative is confession and imprisonment . Death offers him
alternative.
Forgiveness must come from Kate and Chris. It is a devastating irony that Joe’s initial
attempt to do good for family- leads to destruction of his world.
-“ Keller [desperately, lost] : For you, Kate, for both of you, that’s all I ever lived for …. ”
- “ Chris [ almost crying ] : Mother, I didn’t mean to – ”
- “ Mother Don’t dear. Don’t take it on yourself. Forget now. Live.
20. Continue…
• Choices and Consequences – The play follows the characteristics of a tragedy. Joe himself
makes the wrong choices, as a consequences of it he suffers from moral dilemma.
Ultimately, he is accountable for his own demise.
• Death – In the beginning of the play, Kate refuses to accept the news related to Larry’s
death. Which helps her to avoid the consequences of Joe’s deeds. Because she knows that
it will destroy her family.
“ Mother : Altogether ! [To Chris , but not facing them] Your brother’s alive, darling,
because if he’s dead, your father killed him. Do you understand me now ? As long as you
live, that boy is alive. God does not let a son be killed by his father. Now you see, don’t
you? Now you see. [Beyond control, she hurries up and into house.] ”
21. Continue…
• Duty and Responsibility – The Keller family seems well stable, it is because of Joe.
Who has work hard for his family. Meanwhile, he looses the value of human life.
Essentially, he forgets the ‘real duty’ which he has been doing.
• Ethics – Joe’s decision to send defective parts is a serious breach of ethics. Miller clearly
questions the implication of a value system that puts material success above moral
responsibilities to others.
• Guilt and Innocence - As play moves, Joe feels guilty for his deeds. He knows that Steve
is an innocent man. The situation is that worst, he can not do anything for the
betterment of soldiers, however, he tries to console with the Deever ‘s son.
22. Continue…
• Punishment - From the play’s beginning, Joe enjoys his roles as both husband and
father. When truth comes out, Joe has to face not only a return to prison but also the
alienation of his remaining son and the destruction of his family. Death offers the only
way of escape from that pain.
• Revenge - George comes to the Keller’s house seeking revenge and retribution. He is a
major catalyst and intensifies the emotional tension of the play. Kate inadvertently
confirms the probable truth of his father’s accusation. Joe is then forced to reveal his
deceitful actions.
23. Symbolism in the play :
• What is Symbolism - The word symbol
derives from the Greek symbolon, meaning
“token, watchword ” from “ I throw, put. ”
The meaning “something which stands for
something else.”
• A symbol is a mark, sign or word that
indicates, signifies, or is understood as
representing an idea, object, or
relationship.
• Symbol allow people to go beyond what
is known or seen by creating linkages
between otherwise very different concepts
and experiences.
•A single symbol can carry multiple
distinct meanings such that it
provides multiple types of symbolic
values.
( Wikipedia )
24. • Larry’s Tree :
-This is Larry’s tree, planted as a
memorial when he didn’t return
from WW2.
- It is a symbol of complex
attachment.
- Kate is relieved when lightning
strikes it down.
- Chris chops the remaining trunk
down, because now he wants to
marry with Ann, Larry’s former
fiancee.
25. •Jail
- It symbolises the restrictions in the
life.
-Your feeling gets locked or
narrowed.
- Steve is in Jail, now he can not
think of his family anymore.
- At other side, Joe tells Bert about a
basement Jail. So, he tries to hide
something from his family.
- “ Keller : Seeing the jail ain’t
allowed, Bert. You know that. ”
26. Conclusion :
- In nutshell, we can say that Miller has tried to show the reality of a
human life. Which we find in most of the modern plays. An
interesting thing about this play is characters representation. Almost
every character shows the characteristic of An American Dream.
Which forces a person to drop fraternity and integrity. When we look
back into the life of Miller, we get introduce about his connection
with ‘Marxism’. Moreover, he criticizes the capitalist society.
Altogether All My Sons demands of the reader an awareness of the
deviousness of human motivation, an understanding of the way in
which a man’s best qualities may be involved in his worst actions and
cheapest ideas.
27. Works Cited :
contributors, Wikipedia. "All My Sons". 29 July 2019. The Free Encyclopedia.
Wikipedia. 20 August 2019 <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_My_Sons>.
Miller, Arthur,. "All My Sons". New York: Reynal & Hitchcock Inc., 1947.
( The pictures are taken from Google Sources.)
