Important Topics in All My Sons Pirchy Dayan

Family Loyalty vs. Social Responsibility Family loyaltySocial responsibility Keller – decided to sell the cracked cylinder heads despite their defects in order to make money for his family Chris – when he discovers that his father committed the crime, he is shocked and furious. He can't understand how his father could do such a thing. When he came back from the war he felt guilty to be alive after he lost all his soldiers in the war. Mother – kept Keller's alibi and she lied for him just to keep the family together Larry – wrote in his letter that he could kill his father for doing such a terrible thing. Also, he said he couldn't live with the knowledge of his father guilt, so he decided to kill himself.

Family Loyalty vs. Social Responsibility Steve – didn't resist Keller when he asked him to cover the cracks. He also though about making money rather than the safety of the pilots Ann and George – disowned their father when they realized what he had done, when the news came about Larry. They never visited him in jail.

Materialism, Idealism and Compromise MaterialismIdealismCompromise Keller – sold the cracked cylinder heads not to lose money or his business while sacrificing the pilots' life. Larry – couldn't live with the thought that his father was responsible for killing pilots like his, so he crashed his own plane in order not to face this shame. Jim Bayliss – gave up his dream to do medical research (which doesn't pay much) in order to support his family. Yet he still resents his wife for making him work as a doctor.

Materialism, Idealism and Compromise Sue – wants her husband to make money even if it means that he has to give up on his dream. Chris – says that we must remember the dead soldiers who sacrificed themselves in the war in order to create a better society. Steve – agreed to Keller's request to ship the cracked cylinder heads. Ann and George – cut all connections with their father after he was found guilty of selling the cracked cylinder heads. Mother – Keller says that she wanted money so he made money for her.

The Effects of War The older generationThe younger generation Keller – sold the cracked cylinder heads to the army air force. He sat in jail but was exonerated in the appeal. He lost his son in the war. Larry – decided to crash his plane because he couldn't live with the fact that his father was responsible for the death of pilots like him. Mother – saw he husband trialed and put in prison while her two sons were fighting in the war. She lost her son Larry. Chris – lost all his soldiers and he was wounded in the war. He lost his brother. His life is on hold; he is still single. He feels guilty with Ann because he feels she is loot. He is disillusioned by the society which cares about money and pays no respect to the dead soldiers.

The Effects of War Steve – is still in jail because of the case. As a result, his two children have no connection with him. Ann – lost her fiancé. Her father is in prison. George – was wounded in the war. He lost his love, Lydia who didn't wait for him and married Frank instead. He is still single. Frank – never went to war, so he has a family and his house is paid off. He didn't pay a personal price like Chris, George and Larry who went to war.

War Profiteering – a Moral Issue  Making money in the war while soldiers are killed in the battle field. Keller and Steve are guilty of war profiteering.

Symbolism in the Play The broken tree The broken tree – at the beginning we know that it was planted in Larry's memorial (Larry is MIA and his body was never found. However, in the end it symbolizes the breaking of the Keller family. George's hat George's hat – when he comes to the Keller's house wearing his father's hat, it shows that he came to present his father's point of view. It’s obvious that his appearance creates tension in the Keller’s house. The storm The storm – the play begins with a storm that created a mess in the Keller's back yard and broke Larry's tree. This storm foreshadows the turmoil inside the characters. The same way the tree broke and its core is revealed, so the family breaks in the end and all the dark secrets are exposed. The peaceful atmosphere of a Sunday morning is just a façade.

The Meaning of Keller's Suicide After reading Larry's letter, he finally realizes that he was responsible for the death of his own son. Keller escapes from reality by killing himself instead of facing the consequences of his actions – going to prison. In the end Keller finally realizes that there is something bigger than the family which is social responsibility. Therefore, he keeps his promise and puts a bullet in his head. The punishment fits the crime. Keller took the pilots' lives, so he pays for it with his own.

The role of Mother  Mother is the character who wants to protect her family at all costs. But she is the one who causes it to fall apart with her slip of the tongue. This makes her the tragic figure in the play. Her slip of the tongue which reveals that Keller wasn't sick in the war makes George realize that his father's version is true. That is, Keller knew about the cracked cylinder heads, but put the blame on Steve by denying the phone call. Mother's slip of the tongue is the turning point in the play.

The Meaning of the End – Mother's Last Word "Live"  There are some tragic events in the end of the play, such as the realization that Larry killed himself and Keller's suicide as a result. However, the play ends on an optimistic note. Now Chris is free to marry Ann and finally start a family with his mother's blessing. He is also free from the burden of his father's crime. That is, he doesn't have to deal with the consequences of his father's actions.

The Meaning of the Title – All My Sons  In the beginning we understand that the sons are Larry and Chris. But in the end, Keller understands that ALL the pilots who were killed because of him were like his sons.

The Meaning of the Names  Keller = Killer (because of his crime) Chris = Christ (he is an idealist and honest person, but no one can be Jesus in this world) Mother = she is a mother to everyone. He motherly instinct makes her a tragic figure

The Role of the Minor Characters The BaylisesThe Lubeys Jim – is the symbol of compromise. He had to give up his dream to do medical research because his wife, Sue, wants him to make money for the family Frank – is the one who prepares the horoscope for Larry according to Kate's request. He finds out that November 25 th was Larry's favorable day, so he must be alive somewhere. Yet in the end the letter reveals that he died. Frank is the one who never went to war, so he didn't pay a personal price like those who did. Sue – is the symbol of materialism. She cares only about one thing – money. Lydia – is a reminder for George of what he missed because he went to war. She didn't wait for him and married Frank instead. She is practical.

Reality vs. Appearance  In this play things are NOT what they appear to be. The quiet and peaceful atmosphere hides dark secrets and emotional turmoil. Also the characters are not what they seem to be at the beginning. The storm foreshadows the violent emotional outburst in the end of the play.