ALL MY SONS
Define the theme
How is it expressed in the play
What message does the author want to
convey
Do you agree with it
The real story behind all my sons-
Mor Gluska, Mor Bar-Av, Amalia Miller
Many people know the well renowned play “All My Sons” but few know that the
play is based on real events that occurred during World War Two. Officials in
Wright company, a subsidiary in Curtiss Aeronautical plant in Lockland, Ohio,
conspired with civilian technical advisers and Army inspection officers in order
to sell defective engines to the army Air Force. This was done due to officials in
Lockland insisting on a faster production scales thus leading to lower quality
engines that did not meet the desired standards of the army.
The defective engines caused the deaths of many US soldiers.
The real story behind all my sons-
Arthur miller came across the story thanks to his mother, who saw it in the Ohio news. The
story was about a young girl who turned her father in to the FBI for selling defective
engines to the U.S army Air forces, causing the deaths of 21 pilots.
Miller wanted to reflect the complicated reality of morality during war time and the tensions
that existed between war profiteering and patriotic idealism. “Everybody knew that a lot of
hanky panky was going on… a lot of illicit fortunes were being made, a lot of junk was being
sold to the armed services, we all knew that. The average person was violating rationing. All
the rules were being violated everyday but you wanted not to mention it.”
The American Dream- Eden ,Michal,Itay,Tomer
The concept of the American Dream was often used by Progressive-era
reformers of the 1900s like James Truslow Adams in 1931, who thought "life
should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each
according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or
circumstances of birth. The American Dream is the belief that hard work and
dedication can lead to success and an improved life, regardless of one's
background. The American dream is believed to be achieved through sacrifice,
risk-taking, and hard work, rather than by chance.
The American Dream
In all my sons the American dream (according to keller) is all about making
his family wealthy and protecting them at any cost. Joe was willing to take
the chance of selling faulty airplane parts to the us army just to save his
failing family business.
The play shows us that picking wealth over morals have serious
consequences . The author is conveying us that being successful doesn't
mean compromising on what is morally right.
The American Dream
We agree with Arthur Miller because we believe money is not everything in life
and there are more important things than making your family rich.
War Profiteering
War Profiteering is making money by selling weapons to parties
at war. In the play Joe Keller was considered to be a war profiteer
because he made his money by selling defective plane parts to
the U.S. military thus making profit off of war using unreasonable
means. We think Arthur Miller wanted to demonstrate what
chasing of money and the American Dream can lead people with
morals and values of family and hard work to do.
War Profiteering-
We agree with Miller’s message that chasing money can
make us do things that contradict our personal values and
even hurt other people thinking we’re following our morals.
Another example of war profiteering from world war II is
An example of this from these days is people donating
money to gaza without understanding that it ends up in the
pockets of wealthy hamas leaders. Who can be considered
war profiteers.
Family- Sahar Bar Ilan & Noa
Rubinstein
When Miller chose "All My Sons" as the title for his play, he aimed to
highlight a significant theme: parent-child relationships in a family.
The war shattered families, leaving many with no sons or fathers. Soldiers
like Chris and Larry forged new bonds with fellow comrades, disrupting
the traditional family structure. Post-war, many began to redefine what
family was and what were the acceptable domestic roles of each family
member.
Chris prioritizes morals over family loyalty. This symbolises the post-war
family dynamic which doesn't put money and family over everything else
and might even prioritize chosen family over a biological one.
Keller clings to traditional family values, prioritizing family bonds and that it's his job as the “father” to
provide and protect at all cost. In the play he states that if there is something more important than family he
will “put a bullet” through his head. Larry, with a modern perspective similar to Chris, considered his
soldiers as family and ironically just like his father stated when he found out Keller put money and profit
over his chosen family he could not live with himself.
Through the play though, we can see how Keller’s definition of family changed when he acknowledges the
deaths of the pilots, stating, "Sure he was my son. But I think to him they were all my sons. And I guess they
were, I guess they were." This twist underscores the evolution of family relationships in the aftermath of war,
challenging traditions and reshaping the characters' understanding of their roles.
The Deever family experiences a similar rupture as Ann and
George reject their father, Steve. In both cases, the younger
generation chooses morals over family loyalty, fathers cease to be
the protectors and providers, transforming into sources of shame
and confusion.
Even the classic nurturing mother figure, shown through Kate
Keller, witnesses her role crumble slowly throughout the play as
her sons choose alternative forms of family, Larry by choosing his
soldiers and Chris by choosing Ann.
Guilt and Blame-
Idealism - Yoav Peltinov, Jonathan Shaked, Bar Madar, Yonatan Harari
Idealism is a philosophical ideology which asserts that high principles and purpose are more important
than material objects. It is the contrary of practicality which asserts that materials are more important than
ideals. The confrontation between these two ideologies is a major theme in the play that advances the plot
forward.
Chris - We believe that Chris is an idealist in the play. He has an idealistic view on the world, an example
of this is that although Chris wasn’t obligated to join the army, he volunteered to do. He did it because he
believes there is something more than money, he believed in higher principle and responsibility to the
world at large. He also has a different view of the business than Joe does. He’s willing to leave it behind in
order to gain some beauty in his life, he doesn’t want his life to be all about the money. In the end of the
story he discovered his father has lied and killed pilots for profit. Therefore at the end of the story this made
him more practical and it was very difficult for him to learn that the money he used was stained with blood.
Larry - Larry turns out to be the most idealistic of all the characters. He is the most affected by Joe’s
actions that lead to his arrest and the fact that Joe puts his business above the soldiers who die. Larry
couldn’t bear how his father behaves so he decided to commits sucide by crashing his plane.
Joe - Joe has the most practical mindset in the entire play. On the surface Joe’s practicality is more
matter of fact, more black and white. He cheerfully describes himself as a dumb guy who speaks
plainly and took one year of night school. He works hard and feels pride that he is compensated for
it. It also seems his need for money is based in providing goodness for his family.
Kate is practical. She knows the truth will break her family apart. She knows that by portraying the
loving mother she may convince George not to pursue his father’s innocence. She knows if Larry is
dead, then Joe had a hand in killing him. Kate has weighed the advantages and disadvantages of
the truth and therefore, Larry remains alive.
In the story the characters in All My Sons live in two worlds: Idealists and Practical Thinkers. In the
play, to be practical or to make practical choices is another form of sacrifice. Those who are practical
sacrifice a level of ‘goodness’ as a human being. Arthur Miller's All My Sons warns against the
dangers of idealism and practicality, as both worlds are dangerous. Also revealing how prioritizing
personal gain over responsibilities can lead to tragic outcomes for both individuals and society.
Committing Suicide
Definition of the theme - "Committing suicide" refers to causing one's own
death. It is a Horrible and tragic act often associated with mental health
challenges, those challenges can be abuse, family and relationship issues,
and general mental distress in addition to various contributing factors.
sad fact: 75 percent of those who commit
suicide are men. Men's mental health is If you or someone you know is struggling, seek professional help
important and we should care more. and support. Many countries have helplines and mental health
resources available. call 1201 for support :)
How is it expressed in the play
Joe Keller was the owner of a factory that produced airplane parts during the war.
In order to finish an important contract with the military, Joe ignored defective
airplane parts that the factory produced, leading to the deaths of 21 pilots. Larry's
suicide is due to the guilt and moral conflict he experienced when learning the truth
about his father's actions. The play hints that Larry could not handle the mental
issues of the consequences tied to his father's decision to prioritize profit over the
lives of the pilots who flew the planes with the faulty parts. Like Larry, his father
Joe, also kills himself, due to the mental realization that there is a bigger world out
there, more than his family, and that his actions made people die, and due to him so
many people suffer, he takes his own life, taking a gun to his head and shot himself.
If you or someone you know is struggling, seek
professional help and support. Many countries have
helplines and mental health resources available. call
sad fact: every minute someone commits suicide 1201 for support :)
somewhere in the world
The message - In "All My Sons," Arthur Miller conveys a message about the
consequences of prioritizing personal gain over ethical considerations. The play
explores the impact of Joe Keller's decision to ship faulty airplane parts during
World War II, resulting in the deaths of people, and due to that his own son. Miller's
message emphasizes the far-reaching effects of unethical actions, the importance of
responsibility, and the profound toll of guilt on people and their families. The play
serves as a cautionary tale about the human cost of pursuing success at the expense
of others.
we agree with the message of the story and agree people should think less about
their own gain and more about others and what’s right, prioritizing good ethics and a
strong moral compass instead of greed and lust for money.
If you or someone you know is struggling, seek
professional help and support. Many countries have
helplines and mental health resources available. call
sad fact: over 700,000 people commit suicide in the world yearly
1201 for support :)
Symbolism- Ofek, Shani and Gali
“Symbolism is the use of a symbol to communicate a distinct idea.”
Symbolism in literature works the same way. It’s a language writers use to communicate messages visually, even
when their work isn’t illustrated. Within a text, symbolism works visually as pieces of imagery that create a picture in
the reader’s mind. Sometimes, it’s literally visual.” - Grammarly
Some examples of symbolism in the play All My Sons are:
The fallen apple tree- located on the left side of the stage, dedicated to Larry. Just as fruit continues to cling to its
branches, so too does the family‘s remembrance of Larry. Throughout the play, a number of characters make remarks
about the tree's destiny and find it noteworthy. Kate expresses her dissatisfaction about planting the tree prematurely.
In act 2, Chris sees the broken-off part of said tree, with only a stump left visible throughout the rest of the play.
George notices that the trees have grown thicker, signifying the tangled illusions that almost conceal the deadly
pretenses of these houses, when he finally shows up.
Symbolism
Jail- Bert plays an ongoing game with Joe Keller, in which Keller pretends to have a jail in his basement. This
make-believe jail represents what lies beneath the Keller house and what weighs down the Keller family: a
terrible secret. Joe and Bert’s game maddens Kate, who yells at them to stop. In their game, Joe also has an
arresting gun, a playful antic that foreshadows the suicidal gunshot at the play’s conclusion. There are real jails in
the play, too, in reference to Steve Deever being in prison. Joe also spent time in prison until he was exonerated.
Joe describes being in the cell next to Steve when they heard the news of Larry’s disappearance. When Joe finally
admits his guilt, both Kate and Chris tell him that he belongs in jail, a reality he seems to accept but then denies
by killing himself. Furthermore, all jail-related scenes occurred off-stage, symbolizing Jail as the confrontation
with lies the characters seem to be constantly escaping.
Symbolism
Airplanes- The damaged airplanes flown by twenty-one Air Force pilots are prominent yet disregarded
with respect to the symbolism in All My Sons, having said that, other airplanes also contribute to the
play’s meaning. Larry flew over the Keller house when he was in training, which Kate recalled in Act One.
In a vision, Kate heard the roar of his engine right before the apple tree snapped. As the play reaches its
climax, Chris demands to know how his father could allow faulty engines to be sent to war. Keller claims
that he assumed the engines would not actually be installed in the planes. To that Chris responds, “Kids
were hanging in the air by those heads. You knew that!” A symbol of the technical progress during World
War II, airplanes were the means to winning the war. However, in All My Sons, airplanes symbolize the
concealed truth of the deadly military-industrial complex, and even more so, the danger of the American
Dream.
Denial and Self-Deception: Michal Y and Yahel
The topic of denial and self-deception comes into effect many times in the play. Denial and self-
deception are the acts of knowingly and intentionally preventing oneself from accepting a truth
and instead convincing oneself of a whole other truth. This is a coping mechanism that is common
when something is too much to bare. Its expressed in the play a couple of times.
The main occasions its displayed were Kate’s denial towards Larry’s death and Chris’s attitude
towards his father’s alleged crime. Kate convinces herself that he is alive and sends Frank on a
wild goose chase to find his “favorable day” in order to prove he is alive. Furthermore, Chris
convinces himself that his father isn’t capable of such horror and it really was his partner that was
responsible. We think that the message that Arthur Miller wants to convey was that at the end of
day, all truth comes out to light no matter what delusions were created to obscure that truth.
Personally, we agree with it because it has been proven time and time again that the truth really
does come out.
Courage - Noa Szwarc, Roni Granoth, Rotem Francis
Courage is about being brave and having the ability to do things that others may be frightened of.
For each of the characters the courage is expressed in different ways:
Mother - she had enough courage to send both of her sons to fight in the war, knowing that there is a possibility that they
will not come back. Also, she hid the truth behind her husbands offences in order to keep her family's life on track and
their good name and reputation.
Chris- he was ready to sacrifice his whole life - his family, the job he has and it’s legacy, his home and to confront and
maybe abandon his parents in order to marry Ann, start a family of his own and follow his passion. The courage he had to
follow his passion made him able to do it.
Joe- he lied about the acts that he has done and denied the actions he had taken (which had horrible consequences) in
order to keep his family whole and stable and to continue the job’s legacy for his sons.
The author’s message to the readers is that in order to live life to its fullest you must have courage.
We agree with the author’s message because we can’t live in constant fear, if we wouldn't have any courage we would
have just stayed home, spending our life being lonely and depressed and missing out all the great things this world has to
offer us. If you have enough courage and desire we believe you can do anything you put your mind to:)
Why future classes should learn the play “All My Sons”
Ella Taitelman
“All my sons” by Arthur Miller should be taught in the future because it teaches us about various values, moreover it teaches
important things in a way that’s easy to understand.
First, the play talks about how bad choices can affect us and others. In the play the storyline focuses on Joe Keller’s decision to
knowingly supply faulty airplane parts to the military during the second world war, a choice that leads to the deaths of American
pilots.
Second, a big aspect of the story is family dynamics. The play looks at challenges within families, how families can have
problems, these challenges and emotions can be relatable to some people. By seeing the struggles in the Keller family, it can
help the students understand their own families better.
In conclusion, All My Sons is a play with important lessons that a easy to connect with. teaching it in the future will help students
understand honesty, family dynamics, the American dream and the importance of doing the right thing.
