The impact of conflict and its portrayal in Arthur Miller's play, All My Sons, is discussed. It emphasizes that individuals experience victimization in various ways, with the characters in the play becoming victims of loss due to the pursuit of material wealth known as the American Dream. The specific conflict that places them in challenging circumstances is World War II. Within the Keller family, Kate, Chris, and Joe all endure losses and make sacrifices as a consequence. Kate is particularly affected by the war, having lost her son Larry. She refuses to accept his death and tirelessly searches for him everywhere. Her nightmares and depression worsen when Larry's memorial tree falls, reinforcing her denial. She also believes that acknowledging her son's death would mean recognizing her husband's guilt in "murdering him". Joe knowingly s
...ent faulty machinery to the army which resulted in 21 pilots' deaths - although Larry was not among them, he committed suicide after learning about his father's wrongdoing. Kate struggles to come to terms with this reality and attempts to create distance between Chris and Ann, Larry's fiancee. The emotional impact of Larry's death on Kate is evident through accounts from other characters in the play; Chris reveals that Kate was near the apple tree when she received news of his death and broke down crying in the kitchen. Though physically alive, Kate experiences a different type of death - one that leaves her emotionally shattered.
As a World War II veteran, Chris carried the weight of guilt for surviving while others perished, understanding the true nature of death. The war revealed to him the sacrifices people were willing to make for eac
other, transforming him into a good person. He saw that they didn't die; rather, they sacrificed themselves for one another. Later on, conflicting feelings developed between Chris and Larry's fiancee, Ann, leading them to become engaged despite disapproval from certain family members.
Chris not only became a victim of war but also suffered from the decisions made after his brother's death. Kate accidentally reveals that Joe may have been responsible for Larry's demise. This puts Chris in a difficult position: should he report his father or protect him? However, he realizes that sending his father to jail won't change what happened and says to him, "I know you're no worse than most men but I thought you were better." A heated argument ensues between them until Joe enters the house and a gunshot is heard – he has taken his own life.
World War II turned Chris into both a victim of war and someone consumed by intense self-remorse. It brought significant changes to Joe Seller's life as well. His choice to send counterfeit airplane parts resulted in the deaths of honorable men, and initially refusing to accept guilt shielded him temporarily from the truth. But over time it became clear that he was not innocent.In an effort to defend himself, he clarified, "For you, Kate, for both of you, that's all I ever lived for..(426)." As per Joe's explanation, he did not commit any wrongdoing; his primary focus was the prosperity of his family. He strongly believed that being involved in business meant persisting despite the consequences: "I'm in business, a man is in business;a hundred and twenty cracked, you're out of business" (419). Ultimately, Joe
refused to accept responsibility for his actions and sank into a deep depression by sleeping excessively. Unlike Chris, he prioritized business above everything else. When he eventually takes accountability for his actions, it is too late and he chooses to end his own life. His final words demonstrate his realization of the repercussions of his choices: "Sure, he was my son.But I think to him they were all my sons.And I guess they were, I guess they were.." (432). The war claimed Joey's younger son and left lasting scars on his older son and wife. Now it has taken Joe as well. In All My Sons play by Arthur Miller , Kate ,Chris ,and Joe Keller find themselves in dire circumstances due to the war which forces them to make decisions that significantly impact the development of the plot and its conclusion.All three characters illustrate how experiencing dreadful events like war can have enduring negative effects not only on those directly involved but also on everyone connected or associated with them.Arthur Miller effectively depicts all his characters in the play as victims, sharing similar emotions but experiencing slightly different situations. Although not all of them directly participated in the war, each member of the Keller family bears hidden yet impactful emotional wounds - like battle scars - that have been inflicted upon them (Source: Miller, Arthur. All My Sons. Six Great American Plays. New York: Dell Publishing, October 1967, 354-433. Print).
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