“All my sons”, is a story written by Arthur Miller in 1947. This story represents the capitalism, exploitation, selfish minded people, greed for money, self destructive, nature of the American Dream, destructive of morality and some others manners.
This story is about a blue-collared selfish worker, Joe Keller. He is self-made businessman, greedy and can do anything for money. Once, the military demanded cylinder heads to the Air force. Joe’s business partner was Steve Deever. He was afraid to come short on the military order. So, Steve Deever called Joe Keller for the matter. Joe Keller told Steve Deever to cover up the cracked cylinders’ heads and send to the Air Force. Joe Keller also informed that he would take responsible for any problems on the matter.
Joe Keller told Deever to send the cracked airheads for avoiding closure of their business. He intended to notify the base later that the airheads needed repairs. But, the army authorities did not examine or inspect these and installed immediately or fit these into the airplanes.
Later, the cracked cylinder heads burst and died twenty-one (21) pilots of Air Force. For the case, Steve Deever was arrested and sent to prison for selling cracked cylinder. But, Joe Keller was not arrested and he was exonerated in the trial while Steeve Deever was imprisoned.
In this story, Joe Keller is also responsible for the deaths of the twenty-one (21) pilots. But, he was not arrested or punished for his guilty.
The case was come to known clearly when Steeve Deever informed the whole matter to his son, George Deever in the jail/prison of City of Columbus. Also, Joe Keller revealed the truth at last. He mentioned that he was a good husband and a good father but failed to be good man or the good citizen that his son demanded.
His son, Larry could not bear his father’s guilt which caused the death of so many of his fellow soldiers and he planned to commit suicide. This was found in the letter which was written by Larry to his girl friend Annie or Ann Deever. She was the daughter of Steeve Deever and sister of George Deever. She was the girl friend of Larry who was missing or might dead before three years. But, later she loved Chris, brother of Lerry and wanted to marry with him. For the marry between Chris and Ann, Chris mother Kate (also wife of Joe Keller and mother of Larry) did not support because she thought that Larry (her son) was alive and would be back also Ann was Larry’s girl friend. Besides, Ann’s brother did not wish to marry Chris because he was the son of that man who destroyed their family.
After the known of Larry’s dead through the letter, Joe finally agreed his guilt and said, “Sure, he (Larry) was my son. But I think to him they were all my sons (the dead soldiers). And I guess they were, I guess they were”.
Finally, Joe went inside to get his coat and killed himself with a gunshot off stage.