Meg Larsen
Professor U
English 1202
March 23, 2015

Journalists research factual information, collect first-hand responses and deliver this information either orally or in writing. They are limited to only the details of one event they are given and do not have the liberty of putting their own emotional/political views on the topic. Journalists need to be very straight forward and do not have room for any “fluff”. But, is this always the best method to deliver information to an audience? Although journalists can be very effective, this is where playwrights have a high advantage over journalists. 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 defend his father’s name. At the end of Act II, Chris and Keller are left alone. Chris is demanding answers from his father about what truly happened. Keller admits he allowed the parts to be shipped out while fully knowing the consequences. Chris cannot forgive his father after this and takes off for a couple hours. During Act III, everyone’s knowledge about Keller’s involvement is known. Keller justifies his actions by stating they were all for the family but Mother believes he should do whatever Chris wants him to do, even it involves going to jail. Soon, Ann comes out of her current room and can no longer take the antagonizing and guilt from Mother so she brings out a letter she has been hiding for three years- a suicide letter from Larry. Mother reads it and is forced to come to reality. Chris comes back and gets a hold of the letter. Chris is enraged and has Keller read the letter as well. After realizing he was responsible for his son’s death, Keller claims he is going to turn himself into jail but instead goes in the house and kills himself. One of the main ways Miller has the advantage of getting his views across is using characters/actors. He makes them act a certain way in which will draw some type of emotion from the audience. In the middle of Act I, Mother is suspicious of the relationship between Chris and Ann. But, Mother is desperate to have someone on her side about the idea that Larry is alive. She starts to drill Ann for answers as to why she is not married. Mother is convinced she also believes Larry is alive, waiting for him to return, and these lines are exchanged:
Mother: {waving him off} Don't be so damned smart! Now stop it! {slight pause} There are a few things you don't know. All of you. And I'll tell you one of them, Annie. Deep, deep in your heart you've always been waiting for him. Ann: {resolutely} No, Kate. Mother: {with increasing demand} But deep in your heart, Annie! Chris: She ought to know, shouldn't she? Mother: Don't let them tell you what to think. Listen to your heart. Only your heart. (Miller 11). In this scene, Miller brings several emotions to the play. There’s a sense of desperation and pleading. It makes the whole scenario seem realistic by Miller bringing real reactions to the characters. I got annoyed at Mother during this scene because she would not take no for an answer no matter how many times Ann told her she did not believe Larry was coming back. Her pleading seemed almost pathetic to me. I think Miller wants reader’s to feel this way about Kate. Miller portrayed Mother as extremely selfish; she did not want to admit to anything detrimental going on in her life like Larry’s death or her husband’s involvement with the engines. Mother only cared about sparing her own feelings. In another scene Miller targets the reputation of Keller. At the end of Act II, Keller admits to Chris his knowledge of the defective engines and that he sent them out regardless of the consequences. Chris could not believe what he was hearing and blamed his father for the lives that were taken in plane crashes. Keller tries to justify his actions for the reasons that they were for the family and to ensure Chris a successful future. Miller writes: Chris: Then you thought they'd crash. Keller: I was afraid maybe... Chris: You were afraid maybe! God in heaven, what kind of a man are you? Kids were hanging in the air by those heads. You knew that! Keller: For you, a business for you! (Arthur 30). This scene is where Keller’s true colors are shown. Leading up to this point Keller seemed very shady and would get defensive towards things that could potentially make him look bad. Now, with him trying to rationalize his decision making, Miller is exposing Keller’s business-oriented qualities. Miller depicts Keller as the typical workaholic who only has their eyes on money and will do whatever they can to be prosperous. Keller claims his actions were to help his son in the long run, but really, they were for his own self-satisfaction. I believe that Miller wants the reader to be against both parent figures in this story for a reason. When he was a child, his dad provided for the family through his own business. The Great Depression hit and Miller’s father lost everything, leaving the family in turmoil (http://www.famousauthors.org/arthur-miller). I can assume Miller had issues with his parents during these hard times growing up and blames their economic instability on his dad. Miller’s feelings towards his real parents are seen through the characters Kate and Keller. This is a massive advantage that playwrights have over journalists. Playwrights can bring emotion and their own views on society by using figurative language, characters and dialogue. In this case, Miller uses characters and tone to draw emotion and get his point across throughout the entire play. Another mechanism Miller uses throughout the play to draw more emotion is the pace at which he reveals information. For instance, it was not until more than half way through the first act that Miller stated what happened to Steve. Also, the incident with Jim and Steve was referred to as “it” (Arthur 12). Miller carefully chooses what to tell the audience at one time and this leaves the reader in suspense, wanting to know more. The audience is then drawn to the play until the very end. Journalists do not have this luxury and have to deliver information within a certain timeframe or certain amount of words. Although they are getting delivery information efficiently, it does not have the same effect as what Miller did. On July 11th 1943 in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, an article was written on the real event of defective engines being sent passed inspection during World War II by Curtiss-Wright Corporation. The producer was found “guilty of gross negligence” and stopped manufacturing those specific engines for the army. The journalist states that Curtiss Wright will continue to make other products due to the fact that the defective engines were minute compared to all the success they have brought to the military. Comparing this article to “All My Sons”, it does not have the emotional attachment that the play has. Journalists are limited to what they can provide and do not use metaphors nor symbols to express information because their job is to get right to the point. The article is very cut and dry, leaving out specific names of those who are guilty, where as “All my Sons” brings the scenario to life using actors. Another disadvantage that journalists have is only small excerpts of interviews are used, possibly leaving out useful information. Miller gives some characters like Chris and Keller, multiple lines at a time which adds another dramatic effect. Although journalists fall short to a playwright, they have many of their own advantages. Journalists use credible sources, giving the public factual information that may deem more important than a generalized play. Also, those credible sources are typically from first-hand accounts whom can depict an image of the real event for the reader. Overall, playwrights have certain advantages over journalists that allow them to draw more emotion from the audience by expressing their own views subliminally through actors and figurative langue. This is portrayed through “All my Sons” and the nonfictional newspaper article. Miller created characters that represented his ideas from his own experiences and strategically pacing the story. While, the article left out a lot of specific information and was limited to short quotes. Therefore, playwrights deem more successful in overall effectiveness than journalists what accomplish.

Works Cited
" Arthur Miller." 2012. FamousAuthors.org 23 March, http://www.famousauthors.org/arthur-miller
Miller, Arthur. ""All My Sons." N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015.
"Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Google News Archive Search." Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Google News Archive Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2015.