Arthur Miller's 'All My Sons'

The play “All My Sons” written by Arthur Miller, is a play in which the male characters are prominent. The main aspects of that are the main war efforts, in which set the male domination higher, money and business, these are in which set the male characters in the play. However, in the play Arthur Miller represents the male domination quickly, but he also, at the beginning of the play introduces the idea that men have only got the same amount of power as women. Miller depicts something visually, that emotions of women, female characters and as of this, this leads to the suicide of Joe Keller.

Miller’s presentation of women in “All My Sons” is shown through the relationship between Kate and Ann. Kate’s, controlling, has power over Ann, manipulates Ann; “Don’t let them tell you what you think. Listen to your heart. Only, your heart.” Also a very opinionated women, however shows fragility, unlikely to withstand any strains. Moreover she wants to hold onto the past, because her fear of forgetting Larry. However, Ann the younger generation and the future. Page 93, “couple of years go by, she’s a regular woman.” She also a very opinionated women, but moreover wants to move forward and forget the past.

Aspects in which divides these two, Kate has a strong relationship with George whereas Ann sees him as an outsider. George’s behaviour once he arrives into “The Keller’s” household, Ann wants him to leave, because of her views on him as an outsider. Moreover, the past and the future divide’s both Kate and Ann. The past, Larry has died yet Kate believes and still lives like he’s alive. Then the future is that Ann needs to move on to marry Chris. However, Kate and Ann are the victims of the disastrous event, of the Keller family. Moreover, they’re seeking to survive in a world characterised by the battles between men, and their views on the perfect family and the American dream. Ann, like Kate, is presented as a very opinionated, however shows no outer feelings of devious, but also no inner feelings fragility. “You made Chris feel guilty with me. Whether you wanted to or not you’ve crippled him in front of me.” Ann here is suggested as an outsider, and is trying to help provide a cushion to move the family on as of the past was bad, and try making their future brighter by destroying it physically through the power of her character as a female in this play. Kate shows full control over Ann ever since the beginning of the play, this may prove she’s a stronger character with a greater personality; also Ann is the younger of the two and may be venerable, and feel like she has to follow the instructions, this may show that Kate’s using an as a scapegoat, and a utility to connect with Larry. Kate’s and Ann’s relationship begins to become tense as their personalities and emotions contrast, as the truth about Joe begins to come out. Moreover, there characters begin to show how strong they actually are, as they are very strong minded and extremely strong minded, in which brings tension and friction between their personalities. Miller is clever in an aspect, as he’s presenting to very strong, crossed minded individuals, at a time in which a women would be very unstable about as of the aspects of the war.

Many of things divide both Kate and Ann in which case causes many of disagreements. George arrives in scene…………………………..!!!!!! Kate shows that she is a strong person, with a strong personal bond between them towards him: “Mother (Cups his face in her hands.) They have made an old man out of you. (Touches his hair.) In this, it causes slight friction between Kate and Ann: “… I packed your bag. All you’ve to do is close it. Ann: I’m not closing anything. He asked me here and I’m staying till he tells me to go.” The behaviour of George comes as a surprise. In which case Kate begins to start seeing Ann as her rival, and gradually discovering how my collisions they have, and the way Miller makes the link between Ann as an outsider and George also, “she doesn’t belong here.” But although Miller introduces Ann as an outsider, she she’s been accepted into the Keller household.

Friction in personalities between Ann and Kate increase as the play goes on. Miller presents this as of Chris’s male domination, power and the control in which he has over them, especially Kate: “how dare you pack her bag? Mother: she doesn’t belong here.” This moreover shows even more tension within the Keller household. “Chris: then I don’t belong here.” This is powerful, as Kate is yet again the scapegoat, in which has to bring the Keller family back on track, from the past, to the present. Chris’ brutality towards his mother needs to destroy Kate’s faith in Larry in order to win Larry over”… I’m his brother and he’s dead, and I’m marrying his girl.” At this point in the play the tension is huge. The main question in which is asked: Why do Chris and Ann need Kate’s approval? However, if they got it alone then they’d cut themselves off from the Keller family, and the perfect American family, and the American dream.

The truth begins to be revealed about how Keller feels about Kate and that he should be forgetting Larry, as Chris loved his brother, yet he feels that if he has any chance of moving on a forgiving and forgetting, he needs to take onto consideration that Larry won’t be coming back with Ann.

The fight in characteristics between Ann and Kate are the basis in which Miller is creating within the play. This is all in which builds up to the main part of the play, in where Joe takes his life. So the way in which he presents this is by showing the dimensions in the family that are down falling, are by showing the disagreements in which the women have on this play. Although the play is about male powers and the way the perfect family also the American dream takes over. The wealth in which one family thinks about causes many distractions, in which case Miller directs the crisis onto many of the characters especially Ann and Kate, as they have the biggest disagreements.

Dear George, this is a very promising draft. Please do not feel in anyway dismayed by the number of comments I have made. This is only to ensure that you will achieve the best possible mark, suited to target grade. I’ve noted below a few comments to help ensure that your coursework meets all of the criteria…

You do not answer the question – how the relationship IS RELATED TO THE CENTRAL TRAGEDY OF THE PLAY?

Contexts – have you contextualised your study within social, historical, political, biographical and literary contexts? This is one of the key assessment criterias.

Genre – are you aware of the genre and refer to the devices and terminology associated with it, for example dramatic and staging devices for plays?

Interpretation – have you debate the title and considered how far you agree with it?

You could easily meet the word count if you

Paraphrase – without focus on close textual analysis and techniques.