The American Dream and Tragedy in Arthur Miller's All My Sons

The passage which I have randomly chosen belongs to Arthur Miller’s play All My Sons, published in 1947. It is a realistic drama about ordinary people struggling with the universal issues of grief, war, and the loss of idealism, apart from having the theme of the American Dream.

The American Dream is the idea that in the United States anyone, regardless of their background, can become rich and successful through hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit. The protagonist of All My Sons, Joe, is an uneducated man from a low social background who has become wealthy and successful, but at a great price. His determination to make money and keep his factory producing has led to the deaths of twenty-one men. Joe did what he did for the sake of his sons, so that he could pass on a prosperous business to them. However, his actions paradoxically make him lose both sons.

Keller sacrifices other parts of the American Dream for simple economic success. Here, Miller shows how the American Dream, when used solely for economic purposes, can destroy lives and even tear apart a family. As this play is a tragedy, Joe Keller could be said to be a tragic hero, ending as most tragic heroes do, in death.