- 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?
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