'All My Sons' reading journal, act three

The initial stage directions for this act indicate that 'A light shows from upstairs bedroom, lower floor windows being dark' which I think has been put in place to further represent isolation in the Keller land. the house itself is in a secluded, claustrophobic location, as noted in the opening of the play, and I think Miller has added this stage direction in to remind us of these feelings. A conversation the occurs between Jim and Kate, with a sentence from Jim drenched in irony when compared to Joe - "...money-money-money. You say it long enough it doesn't mean anything". I think this because of Joe's arguments about continuing the business despite selling faulty pane parts. He wanted to keep the business alive for his son above anything else. He probably didn't even take account of the money earned from selling the faulty parts. Again, however, Jim offers us a piece of moral comment for us to ponder "every man does have a star. The star of one's honesty...He probably wanted to be alone to watch his star go out." - This creates the impression that all men, regardless of age or morals, are all the same. Everyone man has ambition or something to look up to, but in the end, it shatters. In Chris' case, it was the respect and love he had for his farther. As delusion is also a keep theme in the play, maybe the starts that Jim talks of are a symbol of these lies, that clatter the sky and provide a roof for the Kellers. As the lies are realized, one by one, the truth of the sky can be revealed again. However, focusing on my first interpretation of this, we get a small insight as to what Jim's ambitions were, and how domestic life has shattered them - "...studied a certain disease. It was beautiful...And now I live in the usual darkness", Suggesting that becoming domesticated is a form of giving up, as if it is 'the back-up plan'.

When Joe enters the scene, the stage directions note that 'his voice is husky' as if, after being exposed to the tragic reality of the situation caused by selling the faulty plane parts, he has become, like a machine, rusty on the inside. His reputation has been damaged. Kate urges him that he "better be smart now" but again, I can't help but question - is this possible for him? Once again I will refer back to the opening stage directions of the play, where he is described as being 'uneducated', creating the impression that he cannot catch-up with his family's expectations of him. However, I feel that all of these expectations are thrown at him because of what he is; a father and a businessman. H earns for his family, so therefore responsibility is automatically placed on him, which is another example of tragedy being caused by domestication - it places responsibility on those who don't know what to do with it. "whenever there's trouble you yell at me and you think that settles it" says Kate, as a means of protecting herself, but in doing so, creates a fine example of hypocrisy. This because of the conflict caused by her throughout the play, where she would often shout or speak loudly in order to control the emotions on display in front of her. Next, we see what is at first a tragic theory which soon becomes a tragic reality "I mean if you told him you were willing to play for what you did" says Kate to Joe, in the hope that Chris will realize that Chris will then think that his father is once again a decent man, However, Chris is prepared to take the theory into practice and go against his family, creating moral conflict between farther and son: Joe, thinking of what is best for the family, and Chris, thinking of what implications that actions will have on those around them.

Raising a family and earning a steady income is everything to Joe, it is his idea of an ideal life. Because of this, he is also hedonistic, and the thought of there being something more important that family life is something he cannot relate to. "I'll put a bullet in my head!" he says in anger of this idea, which, as we soon learn, is a tragically ironic statement, and an instant foreshadowing effect. Kate states that Chris was "such a killer" during the war, but at home, "he was always afraid of mice"which creates a questionable contrast in his character, as if being involved in war has taught him to how to deal with his own form of justice against the enemy. Was the enemy more recognisable at war? Or has domestic life altogether shadowed Chris in disillusionment, so that the enemy cannot be recognised? Ann the reveals to have a letter from Larry, written to her by Larry on the day he died and how this happened comes as a genuine, tragic surprise. In dong this, she sets up a dirty compromise with Kate "I want you to set him free" referring to the truth about Larry and how this will ease Chris' mind "And then I promise you, everything will end" - In order for Chris and Ann to lave together peacefully, Kate will have to learn of the horrifying truth about Larry's death. There is no winning option for her. "I didn't bring this to hurt you" she pleads - her intentions were good, an attempt to relax Kate, but the outcome of this has been tragic, and since the content of the letter was tragic anyway, there really was no room for happiness. It would have tragic for the Kellers to continue living a lie, but just as tragic to accept the truth of the situation.

As Joe's tragic fate rapidly approaches, he continues to cloak himself in foreshadowed irony, "I'm a dead man, I'm an old dead man, nothings mine" but also, I think he is referring to the Keller business when he says this. It is as if feels that the business is no longer his and that it now belong to Chris. Everything he earned from it does not belong to him ("It's your money, that's not my money") and by doing so has infuriated Chris, but has forced hypocrisy upon himself by trying to shift the blame, something he criticized Steve for earlier in the play. He tells Chris that "Half the goddam country is gotta go if I go!" and what I interpret this as is his explanation of being part of the wider world. He is no different than any other man out there, and this is what shatters Chris, who saw him as his farther, rather than an ordinary man. It hurts so much more because it is personal. In Larry's letter, it is revealed that Larry felt just as devastated by what Joe had done by selling the faulty parts - "if I had had him there now I could kill him" and tragically, the truth is what drew him to suicide, creating the impression that tragedy surround the world, be it a truthful one, or a false one. After hearing this, the stage directions note that Joe is speaking 'almost inaudibly'. On stage, I can vision this as taking place after a long, suspending silence, and the action itself, as noted, is essential silent anyway, a representation of what the truth can do. Joe recognises the tragic impact that his actions have placed on the wider world, and takes matters of justice into his own hands - 'A shot is heard in the house'. I think that Miller has placed this action off-stage so that the audience can create their own vision of the shooting and also, as a means of taking audience attention away from what is happening on-stage. It is this death, however, that sends Chris into a state of upsetting shock, begging for forgiveness ("Mother, I didn't mean to-"). He thought he would be doing a nice thing for society by putting a guilty man behind bars, but because Joe took justice into his own hands, tragedy has been caused once more, just like Joe caused by selling the parts, which he had intended to be a good thing, but the results, however, were tragic. Like father, like son.