Lecture Notes: All My Sons

Playwright: Arthur Miller
Play Type: A play in three acts

Characters:

• Joe Keller (Keller): A businessman nearing sixty, with roots as a machine shop worker.
• Kate Keller (Mother): Joe's wife, in her early fifties, a woman of deep emotions.
• Chris Keller: Their son, 32, loyal and affectionate.
• Ann Deever: Chris's intended, former neighbor.
• George Deever: Ann's brother, a lawyer.
• Dr. Jim Bayliss (Jim): A doctor in his forties.
• Sue Bayliss: Jim's wife.
• Frank Lubey: A neighbor, interested in astrology.
• Lydia Lubey: Frank's wife.
• Bert: A young boy from the neighborhood.

Setting:

• The back yard of the Keller home, outskirts of an American town, in August of an unspecified year.

Act One Summary:

Scene Setting:

• A comfortable home setting with a yard, poplars, and a broken apple tree, symbolizing loss or disruption.

Key Conversations:

1. Joe Keller and Dr. Jim Bayliss: Discuss the weather and small talk.
2. Frank Lubey: Discusses astrology, the broken tree, and Larry's birthday.
3. Chris Keller and Joe Keller: Talk about the broken tree, and Chris's intention to marry Ann, which is complicated by the memory of Larry, Chris's brother who went missing during the war.
4. Mother and Chris: Discuss their differing beliefs about Larry's potential return.
5. Ann Deever's Arrival: Sparks tension in the family, particularly with Mother who clings to the belief that Larry will return.
6. Chris and Ann: Express their love and desire to marry, despite Mother's belief that Larry might still be alive.
7. Conflict: Chris feels guilty for moving on with Ann while his mother still holds onto the hope that Larry is alive.

Themes:

• Guilt and Denial: Mother’s reluctance to accept Larry’s death.
• Love and Loyalty: Chris’s struggle between his love for Ann and loyalty to his family’s unresolved grief.

Act Two Summary:

Key Developments:

1. George Deever's Visit: Raises questions about Joe Keller's past actions during the war.
2. Jim Bayliss's Advice: Suggests to handle George delicately due to his intentions.
3. Past Revelations: George accuses Joe of being responsible for his father’s imprisonment and hints at a deeper betrayal.
4. Conflict Intensifies: Chris confronts his father about the accusations.
5. Family Tensions: Mother's insistence on Larry's return exacerbates the familial conflict.

Themes:

• Truth and Responsibility: The struggle between personal gain and moral responsibility.
• Family and Betrayal: The impact of past actions on family dynamics.

Act Three Summary:

Key Developments:

1. Tensions Peak: Chris learns the truth about his father's actions during the war.
2. Mother's Confession: Acknowledges the possibility of Larry being dead and the implications for the family.
3. Joe's Realization: Faces the moral weight of his actions and their consequences.
4. Tragic Resolution: Joe, overwhelmed by guilt, takes his own life.

Themes:

• Moral Reckoning: Characters face the consequences of their actions.
• Impact of War: The lingering effects of war on personal and family life.
• Loss and Acceptance: Coming to terms with loss and the need for closure.

Overall Analysis:

• All My Sons deals with the complex web of morality, family loyalty, and the long shadow cast by past decisions, particularly in the context of war and business ethics.
• The play explores the conflict between personal integrity and familial obligations, highlighting the tragic consequences of placing self-interest above communal responsibility.