Basically sets the scene and foreshadows the tragedy.
At the beginning of Act One there is plenty of description to set the scene, We are then introduced to Joe Keller who's is mentioned to be nearly sixty, a heavy solid mind and build, who is a business man of many years, Arthur Miller also mentions that Joe is uneducated. He is also mentioned as 'a man among men' meaning that he isn't any different from any other ordinary Joe.
Chris then admits to his dad Joe that he wants to marry Ann, and Joe Keller doesn't think its a good idea because as soon as Chris marries Ann he is announcing his brother officially dead.
We are then told that the tree which was blown down the previous night due to heavy wind which Kate watched fall, represents the loss of Larry who went away to war and hasn't returned after years, however Kate who is the mother is convinced that Larry is coming back, however when she wakes up in the morning and See's the tree has actually fallen down and it wasn't a nightmare and then breaks down and goes running into the house.
Kate doesn't understand why Ann has all of a sudden turnt up at her house, and she doesn't understand why she is still single if she lives in New York. The night Ann comes to the Keller's house the tree breaks that night and the mother cannot believe why its broke, she says: ' the night she sleeps in his room and his memorial breaks into pieces'.
Ann and Kate end up having a 'gossip' and Ann tells Kate that she doesn't think of Larry anymore, and Kate tries to convince Ann that her son isn't dead and that he is coming home and they all just have to have faith.
It is then discussed between the family and exposed about the fact that Ann's father and Joe Keller where business partners however Ann's father is now paying for his dirty business and Joe Keller is not guilty. The reason why Ann's father is in prison is because he killed twenty one pilots.
Ann tries to tell Kate that Joe and her father could be responsible and the reason for Larry not returning.
Chris and Ann have a heart to heart, Ann informs Chris that she was going to get married however she was put off when Chris started to write to her, and that's when she turnt round and told Chris that she has felt something ever since that day he started to write to her. They then kiss, then Annie confesses that she has been waiting years for Chris. they then decide to get married and Chris informs Joe Keller and then Joe informs him that George (Annie's brother) is calling all the way from Columbus.
At the end of Act One it is announced that George is paying a visit to the Keller's house to see Annie, which then leaves Kate panicking and worrying about what George wants as he is now a Lawyer.
Monday, February 14, 2011
How far can we say that 'All My Sons' is a tragedy?
I think that All My Sons can be classed as a tragedy however it doesn't have the typical tragedy. However because I am not a fan of many tragedy plays and have only read this one and Hamlet.
I have thought about the ending of Hamlet and the ending of All My Sons, and they are completely different, in Hamlet the good person is made clear and then they sadly die due to bravery, however in all my sons it isn't clear to the reader who the actual tragic hero is, throughout the play it is sometimes clear that Joe is the tragic hero, as he has survived not going to jail for a crime that he done also because he is the main character and in most tragedy's the main character is usually the tragic hero.
However the way Arthur Miller has written this tragedy and the way he has represented the characters he personally made me confused on who to think who the main character actually is, because I would of said the main character is either, Ann or Kate because they have such a huge dram tic role on the way the play is told. In my opinion I think that Kate keeps the tragedy going, if it wasn't for Kate reminding her family that Larry isn't dead and he is alive and he is coming home then the play wouldn't be as interesting as it is, because if Kate wasn't still mourning over her loss of her son, then the Kellers would just go back to being an average family in that time.
Ann also has a major impact on the way this tragedy flows, because she waited a long time until proving to Kate and family that Larry actually did die, maybe Miller done this on purpose to make this play more tragic? However the reason why Ann didn't show them the letter sooner was because she didn't need to however if she wanted Kate to accept her and Chris to get married she had to prove to Kate that Larry actually is dead, which kind of is spiteful.
In my opinion I think that I cannot say much to back up the idea of whether or not All My Son's is a proper tragedy, because yes the main character suffered a lot of extreme sorrow over his son Larry due to the fact that he was to blame, however the ending was tragic yes but the way Joe Keller ended the play was a very coward way out, instead of facing what he done was wrong and paying the consequences he committed suicide which was a very selfish act.
According to dictionary the definition of tragedy is a drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffer extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavourable circumstances.
I have thought about the ending of Hamlet and the ending of All My Sons, and they are completely different, in Hamlet the good person is made clear and then they sadly die due to bravery, however in all my sons it isn't clear to the reader who the actual tragic hero is, throughout the play it is sometimes clear that Joe is the tragic hero, as he has survived not going to jail for a crime that he done also because he is the main character and in most tragedy's the main character is usually the tragic hero.
However the way Arthur Miller has written this tragedy and the way he has represented the characters he personally made me confused on who to think who the main character actually is, because I would of said the main character is either, Ann or Kate because they have such a huge dram tic role on the way the play is told. In my opinion I think that Kate keeps the tragedy going, if it wasn't for Kate reminding her family that Larry isn't dead and he is alive and he is coming home then the play wouldn't be as interesting as it is, because if Kate wasn't still mourning over her loss of her son, then the Kellers would just go back to being an average family in that time.
Ann also has a major impact on the way this tragedy flows, because she waited a long time until proving to Kate and family that Larry actually did die, maybe Miller done this on purpose to make this play more tragic? However the reason why Ann didn't show them the letter sooner was because she didn't need to however if she wanted Kate to accept her and Chris to get married she had to prove to Kate that Larry actually is dead, which kind of is spiteful.
In my opinion I think that I cannot say much to back up the idea of whether or not All My Son's is a proper tragedy, because yes the main character suffered a lot of extreme sorrow over his son Larry due to the fact that he was to blame, however the ending was tragic yes but the way Joe Keller ended the play was a very coward way out, instead of facing what he done was wrong and paying the consequences he committed suicide which was a very selfish act.
According to dictionary the definition of tragedy is a drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffer extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavourable circumstances.
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