All my sons

Introduction of Writer:-

Arthur Asher Miller was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are All My Sons , Death of a Salesman, The Crucible, and A View from the Bridge. He wrote several screenplays and was most noted for his work on The Misfits. The drama Death of a Salesman is considered one of the best American plays of the 20th century.

All My Sons by Arthur Miller is a play set during the second world war, and is about a successful businessman, Joe Keller, who has failed to fulfil his social obligations and has failed to recognise the role of society after he is blinded by lust for money during the war. He lives peacefully with his wife Kate and his son Chris, but had another son Larry who died in a plane crash during the war.

The death of their eldest son, Larry, during the war has completely shaken Kate. Even after so many years, she believed that Larry would be alive somewhere. Joe Keller was a war profiteer during the war, and with his business partner, Steve Deever, had set up his own business to ship cylinders for fighter planes. However, Steve Deever, father of Ann Deever (now engaged to Joe’s daughter Chris) is in prison, after he was found guilty of shipping cracked cylinder heads for fighter jets. This resulted in the death of 21 fighter pilots, and the cylinders were shipped in the absence of Joe Keller, who was sick and on leave on that day. However, Steve never gave up the claim that he had shipped the cylinders on the orders of Joe over a telephone call.

The story is set in the aftermath of World War II and centers around the Keller family, who are struggling to come to terms with the loss of their son, Larry, who went missing during the war. The father, Joe Keller, is a successful businessman who owns a factory that produced airplane parts for the war effort. However, it is soon revealed that the parts were faulty and led to the deaths of 21 pilots.

The play examines the question of moral responsibility, as Joe struggles with guilt over his role in the deaths of the pilots, while also trying to protect his family and reputation. Meanwhile, his wife Kate refuses to accept that their son is dead and clings to the hope that he will return, even as the evidence suggests otherwise. The conflict between the two characters is central to the play, as they confront the truth about their actions and the consequences that follow.

The play is known for its powerful characters and emotionally charged scenes, as well as its commentary on the American Dream and the pursuit of success at any cost. It has been produced numerous times on stage, and has also been adapted for film and television. All My Sons is widely regarded as one of Miller's most important works and a classic of American theater.