- Joe is a classic tragic hero, begins the play with a loving family and succesful business, possesses a tragic flaw (his belief that his family is more important than anything else, leading to his confused morals and corruption that led him to send out cracked engine heads, knowing full well the engines may fail in a plane) During the play he falls from grace, due to his tragic flaw, as he loses the love of his son Chris when Chris finds out it was infact Joe who agreed to send out the engine heads. At the end of the play he recieves his justice, as his suicide repays the suicide of his son Larry, as well as the deaths of the 21 pilots. The universe is at the end just, adhering to the rules of tragedy, in which the tragic hero must die at the end. Joe also realises his tragic flaw in the play, though after his doom is decided, as after reading Larry's letter he realises the enormoity of what he has done, and his responsibilty for the deaths of 21 innocent sons, though at this point it is too late to save Larry or earn the forgiveness of Chris, and his coming death is the only possible resolution.
- There is conflict, the major conflict being between Chris and Joe over Joe's decision to choose his family's wealth over the possible lives of American pilots. This conflict is also encompassing of the general battle in morals, idealism/realism, with Chris being the idealist and Joe the realist. This major conflict cannot be resolved, as Joe has already acted on his beliefs and Chris has damned him for this.
- Conflict between Kate against Anne/Chris, as Kate refuses to accept the couple as she believes Larry is returning. Chris believes he is long dead and Anne, unbeknowst to everyone else, knows for a fact he is.
- Innocent characters suffer in the play due to the tragic hero's fatal flaw, notably Chris, Kate, Anne and George.
- Conflict between George and Joe/Chris as George accuses Joe of stiching his father Steve up, also between brother and sister, as Anne still believes Joe is innocent at this point.
- I do not see much hope at the end, which is usual for a tragedy, it is difficult to see how Kate, Chris and Anne can move on from the suicides of both joe and larry, perhaps Chris and Anne will now get married, but the twin suicides are surely too much for Kate to survive, and will forever haunt Chris and Anne at the very least.
- Doomed romance between Chris and Anne, as Larry's brother their relationship is not accepted by Kate.
- Unrequited love from George towards Lydia, another man to have suffered unfairly from circumstances in the war.
Monday, February 14, 2011
How far can All My sons be considered a tragedy?
All My Sons Act 3
This act, though short, is the most dramatic in the play. Jim Bayliss reveals to Kate that he once ran away to follow his dreams in doing research in New Orleans, however he returned to his wife Sue because he is "a good husband." Jim has been trapped by his possesive wife Sue, and is tied down to his family. He wishes for Chris to run away and start his life over, but knows Chris will come back to his family, as this will be what Chris feels is right. Jim is perhaps a glimpse into the future of Chris, where his ambition, vitality and dreams die in order to be loyal to his family, falling into the same trap of Joe of family over everything else.
Anne reveals her lonliness, and thus refuses to leave the house without Chris, raising a question of whether it is Chris she loves, or whether she is now desperate for any kind of company, having spent three years alone without Larry. Kate refuses to accept Larry is dead, and Anne is forced to give her Larry's last letter, revealing that after hearing about Joe's arrest and that the cracked engine heads came from Joe's own factory, Larry was so distraught and ashamed that he killed himself. There is a question of why did Anne give Kate the letter now? And not at the time of Larry's death? It is likely that after Joe was proved innocent she did not wish to hurt the family, and did not ever wish to show Kate the letter, but has done so now so she will not be able to interfere with Chris and Anne's relationship.
In his last confrontation with Joe, Chris reveals that his innocence is gone, and he now accepts that the world is a selfish, dog eat dog world. Chris is completely dillusioned with it, having experience honour and comradeship during the war. He says he will not bring Joe to jail, as he understands that many people in the war, did do or would have done the same and most of the world is as selfish as he is, but this does nothing to lessen Chris's hurt, as he believed that his father was better than the rest of the world, but he has now been revealed to be as flawed as the next man, and a "man amongst men."
When Joe reads the letter he finally realises the enormity of what he did, not only has he killed his own son but the sons of 21 other familys, Joe describes them as "All my sons." When Joe shoots himself it satisfied a tragedy's need for the tragic hero to die, and acts as a punishment and payment for the lives Joe took.
Anne reveals her lonliness, and thus refuses to leave the house without Chris, raising a question of whether it is Chris she loves, or whether she is now desperate for any kind of company, having spent three years alone without Larry. Kate refuses to accept Larry is dead, and Anne is forced to give her Larry's last letter, revealing that after hearing about Joe's arrest and that the cracked engine heads came from Joe's own factory, Larry was so distraught and ashamed that he killed himself. There is a question of why did Anne give Kate the letter now? And not at the time of Larry's death? It is likely that after Joe was proved innocent she did not wish to hurt the family, and did not ever wish to show Kate the letter, but has done so now so she will not be able to interfere with Chris and Anne's relationship.
In his last confrontation with Joe, Chris reveals that his innocence is gone, and he now accepts that the world is a selfish, dog eat dog world. Chris is completely dillusioned with it, having experience honour and comradeship during the war. He says he will not bring Joe to jail, as he understands that many people in the war, did do or would have done the same and most of the world is as selfish as he is, but this does nothing to lessen Chris's hurt, as he believed that his father was better than the rest of the world, but he has now been revealed to be as flawed as the next man, and a "man amongst men."
When Joe reads the letter he finally realises the enormity of what he did, not only has he killed his own son but the sons of 21 other familys, Joe describes them as "All my sons." When Joe shoots himself it satisfied a tragedy's need for the tragic hero to die, and acts as a punishment and payment for the lives Joe took.
Monday, February 7, 2011
All My Sons Act 2
The main event in this act is the introduction of George Deever, who after visiting his father in prison, now believes that Joe is in fact guilty. This opinion is revealed to be shared by the neighbours, as Sue Bayliss reveals to Ann. The fact that the neighbours believe Joe is guilty yet are still friendly towards him shows his ameanable character and the power and influence he has in the neighbourhood, that no-one ever seems to have considered turning him in. There is a major conflict in this act between George and Chris, as George accuses Joe of condemning his father to prison while Chris still believes his father is innocent. Ann takes the side of Chris, also believing that Joe is innocent.
A mini-tragedy is introduced when it is revealed that George had been in love with Lydia, another neighbour the younger generation grew up with. When George went to war Frank Lubey seduced Lydia and married her in his absence, and George appears to be heartbroken by this and by his father's false imprisonment. Joe briefly manages to convince George that his father lied, by pointing to past examples when Steve failed to confess to his faults. However Kate accidentally reveals Joe was in fact partly responsible when she claims Joe was never been ill, when illness was the excuse Joe used when not going into work the day the engine making process went wrong. Joe's fatal flaw is now revealed when Chris realises his fathers guilt. Joe says he did not mean for the engines to go into real planes, he thought the faults in them would have been realised before they were put into planes and they would be discarded, but he was prepared to take the risk in order to save his business and livelihood and keep supporting his family. Joe fatal flaw is he puts his family, business and own personal wealth above everything else, even the lives of pilots. While supporting his family is a noble ambition his morals are confused, as though he feels guilt he still believes what he did was the lesser of two evils and supporting his family was more important than producing safe engines for pilots. Chris is the foil for Joe, Chris has unwavering high morals and is disgusted by what his father did, storming out of the house in the climax of Act 2.
A mini-tragedy is introduced when it is revealed that George had been in love with Lydia, another neighbour the younger generation grew up with. When George went to war Frank Lubey seduced Lydia and married her in his absence, and George appears to be heartbroken by this and by his father's false imprisonment. Joe briefly manages to convince George that his father lied, by pointing to past examples when Steve failed to confess to his faults. However Kate accidentally reveals Joe was in fact partly responsible when she claims Joe was never been ill, when illness was the excuse Joe used when not going into work the day the engine making process went wrong. Joe's fatal flaw is now revealed when Chris realises his fathers guilt. Joe says he did not mean for the engines to go into real planes, he thought the faults in them would have been realised before they were put into planes and they would be discarded, but he was prepared to take the risk in order to save his business and livelihood and keep supporting his family. Joe fatal flaw is he puts his family, business and own personal wealth above everything else, even the lives of pilots. While supporting his family is a noble ambition his morals are confused, as though he feels guilt he still believes what he did was the lesser of two evils and supporting his family was more important than producing safe engines for pilots. Chris is the foil for Joe, Chris has unwavering high morals and is disgusted by what his father did, storming out of the house in the climax of Act 2.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)