...When the young playwright Arthur Miller began writing All My Sons, he was embarking on a project that would be either the beginning or the end of his career. His first and only play to be produced on Broadway, The Man Who Had All the Luck, was an unmitigated failure, lasting only four performances. A practical man who had lived through the depression, Miller decided to give himself one more chance. If he did not have success with his next play, then he would quit the business and find "another line of work." In the meantime, Tennessee Williams had met great success with The Glass Menagerie in 1945, a very personal and psychological play with poetic overtones. Miller's plays, on the other hand, are public works, with straightforward (though not unpoetic) language, and which address issues of the individual's public persona and how people act. But he learned from Williams's success and set out to write a more commercial play, a drama that would "land" with audiences, in the language of the Broadway business. He also chose to write a play in a realistic style, a problem play in the manner of Henrik Ibsen, evoking a style he had not used in many years. The work of Ibsen influenced All My Sons structurally as well, for Ibsen had liberally applied the principle of Greek theater that stresses the influence of the past on the present. When the play was finished after five years of work, Miller asked his agent to send it to the director Elia Kazan. A former member of the Communist...
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...Through his character, Chris Keller, in the play All My Sons, the playwright Arthur Miller he explores the theme of accountability and responsibility of man which is as universal and relevant today as it was in the post WWII era. Chris Keller calls for corporate responsibility and the human universality of man looking out for man. As humans we have a highly developed brain, capable of abstract reasoning, language, and problem solving, with this in mind if we are smart enough to start of businesses then we should be responsible for the effects they cause. What does it mean to say that "business" has responsibilities? Only people can have responsibilities. A corporation is an artificial person and in this sense may have artificial responsibilities, but "business" as a whole cannot be said to have responsibilities, even in this vague sense(Friedman, Milton). Joe Keller owned a small factory that manufactured many spare parts and Steve was working for him. During the war the factory manufactured cylinder heads for the Air Force planes. One day they shipped some bad parts to the Army which resulted in the crash of twenty-one planes and the death of their pilots. That was a great scandal. Both Joe and Steve were arrested and brought up to trial for that terrible crime. Joe was clever enough to get off with it. He proved to the court that he had nothing to do with the shipped those bad cylinders. Life is full of many hard decisions that people have to take, often on the...
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...mind, to have a family’s respect and love is the biggest success one can have. The entire play Willy just looks to get affection from his sons, but most importantly his son, Biff. He pushes so hard and is focused so much on that, that it's getting in his way of succeeding in his job. The more he pushes for affection the further he ends up pushing his sons away from him. It’s clear that the boys don’t see that their father loves them but it becomes quite evident when Linda yells at Biff “What happened to the love you had for him? You were such pals!” (Miller 57). Linda sees that Willy just wants to love from his sons but they just don’t see it. Linda is that truly loves and respects Willy. The Loman family struggles with financial stability, which is another key to success in Arthur Miller’s eyes. Willy’s solution to most problems is to use money. Willy is partially successful in this because he knows what wants to do with his money. He wants to retire to the countryside with Linda. Although he couldn’t do that as a salesman he still did everything he could to keep his family somewhat stable. He would even ask for money if he didn’t haven any. He asked Charly for money, “ Charly, look… With difficulty: I got my insurance to pay. If you can manage it-I need a hundred and ten dollars” (Miller 96). Willy may not be able to help his family all on his own but he finds a way to do it without worrying them. To me that is success and a great one at that. The best example of...
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...pursuit of money is one of America’s most ingrained sources of conflict and its consequences can be seen in Arthur Miller’s play All My Sons. Set in an idyllic neighborhood of a post-WWII America, it follows the turmoil that Joe Keller and his family must face after his decision to send out faulty aircraft parts that caused the deaths of 21 pilots, allowing him to grow his business. Despite his definite role, his involvement in the disaster did not stem solely from personal avarice. Underlying Joe Keller’s obvious financial greed is his desire and struggle to maintain his American Dream, the deeper cause behind the disaster. Money and the pursuit of it, is the driving force behind Joe Keller’s rise and fall. From the very first set of stage directions, it seems as if his life is the epitome of ideal suburban life. The source of his wealth lies with his successful manufacturing company which he shared with his former business partner, Steve Deever. After knowingly selling faulty parts to the...
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...Playwrights have the freedom to create a scenario, while incorporating their own opinions, use figurative language and use actors to make their story come to life. These ideas can be seen by comparing a work of a real event and how the concept was turned into a play. In Arthur Miller’s play, “All My Sons”, a conspiracy dealing with passed-defective engines that would go onto supporting planes belonging to the Air Force during World War II slowly unravels to what really happened and who was truly responsible. It is made apparent that Larry Keller, Joe’s son, went missing during a mission in World War II. Then Annie, Larry’s old girlfriend, was asked by Chris Keller, the other son, to come visit in hopes of asking her to marry him. While Ann is catching up with the Kellers, her father and Keller’s business partner, Steve Deever, is mentioned for the first time along with Keller’s question of whether her father is getting parole. It is eventually learned that Steve went to jail for being responsible of the shipment of defective engines, killing 21 Air Force pilots. Mother has a hard time dealing with her emotions, often feels ill and lashes out on people’s realistic views of Larry’s death. Steve’s son, George, arrives infuriated with the Keller family and looks to...
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...In All my Sons by Arthur Miller, the characters act in part of self-deceptive ways to repress the harsh realities/truths as Kate and Joe Keller use self-deception to cope with death and avoid self reflection that may make one realize their greed/selfishness. While Joe Keller speaks to his son Chris after admitting to selling faulty airplane parts, he states this faulty profit was to ensure his son’s future : “For you, a business for you!” (70). Keller must tell himself his sale of defective airplane parts was for Chris’s future as this prevents a realization of his faulty act being worthless. Keller knows of the grief and pain his act for profit has put individuals under, his wife just being one, but tells himself this act was to ensure an easy-flowing future for his son Chris to further blind...
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...Jennifer Mills Professor Usha Wahwani English 102 1, April 2013 A Detailed Look at Death of a Salesman Death of a Salesman has been accepted worldwide as one of the greatest American dramas to premier in theatre. The story behind the play is based on Miller’s interactions with his Uncle, a salesman whose efforts to obtain the “American Dream” and pass his success on to his two sons becomes his main focus. Miller’s life during the preparation of Death of a Salesman provides the spark and inspiration needed to pen a literary classic. Almost five decades later, Death of a Salesman’s themes is still relevant in today’s society. Arthur Asher Miller was born October 17, 1915 in Harlem, New York City. Miller was the son of Isadora and Augustus Miller, Polish Jewish immigrants who settled in Harlem in the early 1900’s. Arthur’s father owned a successful women’s clothing manufacturing company that employed hundreds of people. Although he was a figure of wealth and prominence in the community the Wall Street Crash of 1929 left the successful family in a financial struggle. They relocated to a section in Brooklyn known as Gravesend. There Miller delivered bread to help the family maintain. In 1932 he graduated Abraham Lincoln High School. After high school miller enrolled at the University of Michigan. He worked several small jobs to pay for his college tuition. He first majored in journalism, taking up freelance writing for the Michigan Daily. While he served as a reporter and night...
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...human being thinks, feels, and worries about, but often has trouble expressing. The lead character is Willy Loman, a failing door-to-door salesman coming to the end of his life but doggedly holding on to lost dreams. In the beginning of the play, we see Willy returning home to his wife Linda after almost crashing his car. Linda begins to worry about her husband and fears what may happen in the future. We soon learn why Willy is unable to continue his career as a salesman, which he has followed for many years. He starts to explain to his wife why he has returned so early and empty handed: I was driving along, you understand? And I was fine. I was even observing the scenery. You can imagine, me looking at scenery, on the road every week of my life. But it’s so beautiful up there, Linda, the trees are so thick, and the...
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...John Warren Mrs. Thomas English III - 6 20 October 2012 Miller’s Unfortunate Influences Many negative actions during the history of America such as the Salem witch-hunts and World War II brought upon a common psychology of desperation and deep meanings of struggle to many of Arthur Miller’s poems. “The Crucible” deals with extraordinary tragedy in lives of normal people due to the witch-hunts. “All My Sons” probes with the idea of dissatisfaction and unrest within the greater American population, influenced from the desperation and paternal responsibility put on people. Lastly, “Death of a Salesman” a work based on the American dream and national values, was influenced greatly by his hatred relationship with his uncle. The historical and personal events that occurred during Arthur Miller’s early life greatly influenced his writings of “The Crucible”, “Death of a Salesman”, and “All My Sons”. “The Crucible” was historically influenced by those trying to cleanse American culture of anyone who persisted in seeing the Soviet Union as a source of good in the world. This disgusted Miller so much that he based “The Crucible” on the anti-communist hysteria that pervaded the 1950s America, and the witch-hunts of the late 17th century He hated the idea of tragedy in ordinary lives and had much concern for the physical wellbeing of the working class. The outburst of these ideas caused him to be called before the House Committee...
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...three of his plays, Miller demonstrates tragedy wrapped within denial. The three families portrayed in Millers plays, All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, and A View From The Bridge are families that are consumed with denial to cover up and protect against their own guilt and selfish needs. Each of these families have characters who display such strong denial believing they are doing what is best for their family. However, when taking a closer look, what is reviled is failure and justifications to protect what is best for them selves. In All My Sons by Arthur Miller, the characters forming the Keller family are living in the 1940’s, a time where financial stability seemed out of reach. Joe Keller who is a father, husband, and business owner, is one of the main characters in this play. Joe is able to provide his family with the financial stability he has wanted but at a high cost. With one bad decision, Joe committed a crime that he never thought would affect his family directly. Joe allowed the defective airplane parts to be sent, causing the death of twenty-one men including his own son Larry. The guilt of his decision was too much to bare so Joe went into denial to cover up his guilt and protect himself. He knew admitting he made a wrong decision would mean going to jail, financially ruining his family and most of all confirming he had killed his own son. Joe knew what he did was wrong, but he justifies...
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...“Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller Jeff Silmser English 200 Z1 Anne Devlin December 14, 2012 Willy Loman In the play “Death of a Salesman” written by Arthur Miller, the character Willy Loman has a very complicated relationship with his family; this makes me feel a sense of admiration for the character, as well as a sense of sorrow, and loss. Willy seems to live part of his life in reality, and the other in fantasy of what could have been. Willy often fantasizes about his dreams. Willy particularly has dreams about his son Biff, Willy feels like Biff has never lived up to his potential. Biff has trouble holding down a decent job. Biff returns home often between jobs, and this reminds Willy of his sons lost potential, which seems to infuriate Willy which may bring on more hallucinations, quite the vicious circle. The relationship that Willy has with Linda his wife is one of patience and understanding, and a whole lot of co-dependence going on. Willy would be lost without Linda. The part of the dysfunction in the relationship is Linda enables Willy to live part of his life in a world of fantasy, constantly defending Willy’s actions, trying to explain away, or blame away the fact that during many of Willy’s hallucinations he is an active participant, often speaking out loud to somebody we can’t see. Willy also has an unusual relationship with his neighbor Charley. Willy envies Charley because he has been successful in business, and has become a constant reminder...
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...is superior to the average person in some way, but at the same time, must evoke pity in the eyes of the audience. Arthur Miller, however, opposes Aristotle’s views saying that the common man can indeed be a tragic hero. The character must be willing to lay down his life to secure his sense of personal dignity. Furthermore, in act 2 of the play, the author reveals to the audience the reason behind Willy’s failure and guilt. It is also this section of the play that Willy is fired from his job, after this incident it is shown that Willy’s flaw as a tragic hero is his excessive pride because after being fired his longtime friend, Charley, who runs his own sales company, extended to him a job offer. But Willy refuses to take it saying that his sons are working on a big business deal and that he didn’t need the job offer. “I offered you a job. You can make fifty dollars a week…” but Willy replies “what’s the matter with you? I’ve got a job.” This shows that even under the direst of circumstances that Willy is too stubborn to take a job offer from one of the only friends he has got in life. At the end of the play, as a way to reassure himself that he wants to commit suicide he manifests his older brother Ben to act as conscience for what is to be done. Ben repeats over and over again that “the world is a jungle” and “you have to fetch a diamond out” in regards to the twenty thousand dollar life insurance policy that Willy has set up for his family. The end result is that he decides to...
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...The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Reaction Paper- Fiction: Drama Sherryl Cascella September 1, 2014 ENG/125 Judy Williams The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Reaction Paper- Fiction: Drama The Death of a Salesman tells the story of Willy Loman’s last day. The entire story addresses Willy’s inability to change or accept responsibility for the mistakes he made. He is unable to acknowledge that he is an average man in America living an average life. Even with the love and support from friends and loved ones, he still feels an immense amount of regret about decisions he made in the past and spends a large amount of time retreating into the past and reliving moments where he felt successful. The three themes within the play are denial, contradiction, and the desire to live the “American Dream” by being liked and successful. Denial is portrayed in many of the characters. Willy is in denial about the amount of success he has achieved as a salesman. He is unable to accept the fact that he is nothing but a mediocre salesman and even has to take out a loan from his friend in order to pay his bills. Later in the story Happy begins to display some of the very same characteristics that Willy does. He is seen to exaggerate his job position in order to appear more successful than he is, leading to a fight with Biff. Willy makes several statements about how “easy” it is to live the American Dream and even makes the statement “Certain men just don’t get started till later...
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...and gave Miller credit for being the first in understanding the deep fundamentals that make up the United States. The play by Arthur Miller is based on the difficulty of achieving economic and individual success in a World War II society. In the play Miller presents differences between successful visions of the "American Dream" and "unsuccessful" ones. As the play goes on it continues to describe how the failure of William Loman’s and son’s Biff and Happy’s dream dies out. William Loman is portrayed as an insecure self-deluded traveling salesman. In a flashback, Willy tells his sons what it takes to be successful in America. He states, "Because the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want. You take me, for instance. I never have to wait in line to see a buyer. Willy Loman is here!" That’s all they have to know, and I go right through" (Miller). In reality this is only Willy’s fantasy. It appears that Willy is actually taken as a joke to other salesmen. Willy’s instability doesn’t allow him to fit into the society he pictures. As Willy is taking a shot at success his personal relationships begins to fail him. Willy is than found to be in a world where material things have taken over. Willy himself acknowledges the success of his next-door neighbor Charley. Charley is "a man of few words, and they respect him" (Miller). Furthermore as Willy is trying to make his dream...
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...Dead of a Salesman Questions 1, How was the character of Willy developed? Please reference chapter 28 (page 839) when crafting your answer. One cannot live in the past. Arthur Miller’s play, “Death of a Salesman” tells the story of Willy Loman, a salesman who lives in the past because he cannot handle his downward-spiraling reality. When he realizes he is not a great salesman and his sons will not follow in his footsteps, he becomes angry and reverts to his better memories to cope. This proves to be fatal. 2, Is Miller using the story of Willy to send a message? If so, what do you think that message is? Willy’s story gives us the message to move forward in life. If people only look back instead of moving forward, they are not really going anywhere. They cannot change what has been, but are able to change where they are going. Change in inevitable and Willy Loman cannot accept that things need to be different if the method usually used is no longer effective. When one becomes obsessed with their memories and wishes for what could have been, sometimes actual memories are mixed with fantasies, creating a new memory that did not actually happen. One can forget their truth and therefore, not be able to move on. 3, Are there any themes that surfaced in the play? A theme from the play is the telling of truth. Dishonesty only causes troubles and more dishonestly because one lie always leads to another. As stated above, if lies are mixed with personal truth, the realness...
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