All My Sons – Summary information – Flashcards

Ordinary individuals, slow revelation of events, unity of action. Tragic hero with a fatal flaw (hamartia) in Joe Keller.

The Keller family embody the American Dream and Miller uses them, and other characters, as a tool to critique it. He does this by demonstrating the characters willingness to sacrifice things such as morality or happiness in order to achieve 'success'.

Intertwined with the plot: Kate cannot accept Larry's death and this creates conflicts between the characters and underpins the climax. Play closes with death upon Keller's suicide while Larry killed himself because he couldn't live with the guilt of his father's actions. Death is thus presented as a means of a escape from a corrupt society, which concurrently critiques the economic motivations of society in general.

Chris is presented as an idealist, who looks to improve the lives of others. However, by the end of the play his idealism is crushed - 'I'm practical now' - and he chooses to put practicalities before idealistic beliefs by not sending his father to jail. Additionally, despite his idealism he financially benefits from an immoral business. The destruction of his idealism thus demonstrates the corruption of society.

Intertwined with the American Dream, acts as a counter-weight to it. Characters such as Joe Bayliss are prohibited from chasing their dreams due to the financial losses that would ensue. Meanwhile, from the opening stage directions money is shown to be central to the Keller family, and used an excuse for Keller's corruption. Miller demonstrates societies tendency to compromise morality for money, and points out the flaws of this.

The play explores the concept of responsibility: its inescapable nature and the importance of accepting it. Keller refuses to accept responsibility for his behaviour, blaming others and later his need to keep the business going and support his family. Miller shows that there is something bigger than the individual and that people's morality should extend beyond their own family and self-interest, implies that if this were true then society would be better as a whole.

The play is predicated upon past events and thus demonstrates the inescapability of preceding actions. The ramifications of past events are explored throughout the play, and extend beyond the ending at which Chris is left guilt-ridden over his fathers death: implied that he too will now suffer for events that happened years before.

Self made man, considers family and success to be central to his life and actions.

Described as mother to demonstrate her domestic role and increase the poignancy of Larry's death. Presented to the audience as troubled and unstable however in reality has bore the secret of her husbands corruption for years and is the one left to comfort Chris after Keller's death.

Surviving son who has returned from war. idealistic ideals. In love with Annie and thus wants the family to move on from the past.

Despite never appearing onstage, he motivates much of the plot being the source of conflict between the character and the topic of the climax. His death conveys the tragic irony of the play: Keller believed hiding his actions was in the interest of the family and yet they ostensibly caused the death of his son.

One of the most important symbols of the play: represents Larry having been planted in memorial for him. Promotes underlying tension and intrigue by its fall and the characters preoccupation with it. 'Toppled branches' could foreshadow Keller's fall from grace.

Conflict between Kate and Chris/Annie over Larry's death and their impending marriage. Builds to the climax in which the truth about Larry's death is revealed. Play employs parallel plots thus the second rising action is that of the increasing tension between Keller and Mother over his guilt and the arrival George and Annie which brings more attention to the past. This builds until Keller's suicide

Reveal of Larry's suicide, it is the peripeteia of the play as it forces Keller to accept his guilt and Mother her self-deception.

Keller's suicide, portrayed by the noise of the gunshot in the house.