'All My Sons' by Arthur Miller

'All my Sons' written by Arthur Miller, who is known for his dramatic plays that take a pragmatic look at the American dream in the middle of the industrial era. All My Sons is exemplary of Miller’s work in revealing the life of Joe Keller, a hard working family man gone bad in search of the American dream of financial security for his family.

Arthur Miller provides a certain message to the society that man is responsible for his own actions. The plot is strong enough to stand on its own without the social commentary that Arthur Miller aptly implies.  Joe Miller, a manufacturer of airplane parts, knowing sells defective parts the United States Government.  The parts were used in P40 planes during the recently completed second world war. The crime that Joe Miller engaged in was deeper than the obvious federal offense.  It is a crime against society and man’s responsibility to his fellow man.  

Joe and Kate Keller had two sons, Chris and Larry. Keller owned a manufacturing plant with Steve Deever, and their families were close. Steve's daughter Ann was Larry's lover, and George was their friend. When the war came, both Keller boys and George were drafted. 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.

Even when George (Steve’s son) goes to meet him to tell him about the marriage of Ann and Chris, after so many years Steve is still of the belief that he is innocent. This sparks feelings of uneasiness and suspicion in the mind of George, who is now a lawyer. As the story unfolds, everything changes, and it seems that the Deever family’s arrival in the Keller household has a purpose.

The story is a reflection of society and how people driven by a lust for money can stoop to any extent to acquire wealth even if it comes at the cost of relationships and betrays the nation. It is a must read, as it portrays society and how human beings tend to ignore the bigger picture and have become so materialistic and selfish.