All My Sons by Arthur Miller: Summary and Theme: Class 12 Optional English
Characters:
Joe Keller: Successful Businessman
Kate: Wife of Joe Keller
Chris: Son of Joe and Kate
Larry: Another son of Joe and Keller
Steve Deever: Business Partner of Joe
George: Steve’s son, lawyer
Ann: Daughter of Steve
Setting: Second World War time
All My Sons by Arthur Miller: Summary and Theme:
The play ‘All My Sons’ written by Arthur Miller is about the contemporary society’ lust for money. The playwright wants to show the extreme lust of people for wealth. People wanted to earn money by hook or crook.
This play presents the setting of the second world war time. The play’s story moves around the central character, Joe Keller and his lust for wealth. He is a successful businessman. He is with his wife, Kate and son, Chris. They live peacefully. His eldest son, Larry, died in a plane crash at the time of the second world war.
Kate is moved by the death of her eldest son,Larry. She hopes that the news is false. Her son will return one day. He may be missing somewhere.
Joe Keller takes advantage during the war. He earns a lot with his business partner Steve Deever. They ship fighter planes’ cylinders. Police arrest Steve Deever for shipping cracked cylinder heads. He was found guilty for the case. As a result, 21 fighter pilots lost their life. It was the result of cracked cylinder of fighter jets.
When Joe Keller was on sick leave, Steve Deever shipped the cylinders. But Steve Deever claimed that he followed the order of Joe Keller. He shipped those cylinders after getting a telephone call from Joe Keller. Steve Deever wasn’t ready to accept the acquisition. Steve Deever is in prison for the case. He was found guilty.
George (Steve’s son) meets his father to inform him about Ann and Chris marriage. Steve claims that he is innocent. Now, he is a lawyer. His father’s statement hits his mind. He suspects Joe Keller.
Theme of All My Sons by Arthur Miller: Class 12 Optional English Note
This play presents the theme of lust for wealth. People are becoming materialistic forgetting all responsibilities towards society and nation. The central character, Joe Keller, is driven by materialistic greed. He becomes so selfish that he forgets his relationship with Steve Deever.
He is economically successful but he fails to fulfill his responsibility as a citizen of the same society. He doesn’t fulfill his social responsibility. He forgets his duty and ventures on the journey of greed and lust for money during the war time.
