Author: Anwesha Acharya & Dr. Rashmi Raikumar
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/PP/030400001
Abstract: Arthur Miller’s All My Sons (1947) is a powerful modern American drama that examines the complex relationship between individual identity, social expectations, family responsibility, and moral consciousness. Set in the aftermath of the Second World War, the play presents the Keller family as a microcosm of a society struggling to reconcile private interests with collective responsibility. Joe Keller constructs his identity around the ideals of economic success, family loyalty, and social respectability, yet his involvement in the production and shipment of defective aircraft engine parts exposes the moral contradictions underlying that identity. Chris Keller, in contrast, struggles to develop an identity based on idealism, responsibility, and the values of the war generation. The conflict between Joe and Chris therefore reflects a larger tension between individual self-interest and social morality. Kate Keller’s identity is similarly shaped by denial, grief, and her desperate attachment to the belief that Larry is still alive, while Ann Deever must confront the social consequences of her father’s actions and the stigma attached to her family. Through these characters, Miller demonstrates how identity is socially constructed and how individuals struggle when personal desires conflict with ethical responsibility. The present article critically examines society, identity, family relationships, moral responsibility, and individual struggle in All My Sons, arguing that Miller transforms a domestic tragedy into a broader critique of American social values and the consequences of placing private interests above collective human responsibility.
Keywords: Arthur Miller, All My Sons, Identity, Society, Individual Struggle, Moral Responsibility, American Drama.
Page No: 1-9