Preview

All My Sons

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1584 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
All My Sons
All My Sons The play All My Sons, by Arthur Miller, is complex to say the least. Each character has a dilemma that they have a tough time getting through. At first, the story seems to basically be about a wealthy family that has lost a son in World War II, and the inability to move on from it. Kate, the mother, has the most trouble accepting it, but it also greatly affects the one of the characters, Chris. Chris is the son of Kate and Joe Keller, heir to Joe's business . Kate, Joe, Anne, and chris have different dreams for what they want their lives to be like. Kate wants her missing son to come home so she can have her family whole once again; while Chris and Anne want their new love and marriage to be accepted. Joe seems to be content as long as he can support his family with the money he's making from his successful business. Everyone in this story has their own version of the American Dream, which makes the Kellers, as a whole, the protagonists. This American dream is what is responsible for what has happened to the Keller's. Everyone wanting their own ideal life pushes them to act against one another, creating their own web problems. All this pressure has each individual fighting for their own personal American Dream. With everyone focusing on themselves and the drive for their own specific dreams; they don't realize that the force of the dream itself eventually tears them apart. One factor that largely contributes to the situation would be society, where, and when this play takes place. Over all the social expectation of the american dream is the antagonist of the story. The American Dream has been something that has been around for a long of time. When World War II came around this dream seemed to die for most families. It didn't seem as important during the war because of what type of reality everyone was currently living in. Young men were drafted and taken away to war. Everyone worked harder than ever to contribute to helping as much as they
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    A Raisin In The Sun Discussion Question
    • 289 Words
    • 2 Pages

    A Raisin In The Sun Discussion Question

    What is the central conflict around which the play revolves? How does this central conflict relate to the notion of the American Dream?…

    • 289 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Alexis De Tocqueville Research Paper
    • 1413 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Alexis De Tocqueville Research Paper

    In short, these examples provide somewhat of a formative look at just what constitutes the American Dream and how it can be defined. The American Dream is a powerful construct, perhaps taking on some characteristics of a mythos, that can motivate one to take on a great deal of risk to become a part of American society. In this sense, it is somewhat of an aspect of nationalism and pride in “becoming American” or exhibiting Americanness. Additionally, the American Dream refers to a state of “keeping up with the Joneses” that implies continued economic progress and…

    • 1413 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Willy Loman Archetype
    • 333 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Willy Loman Archetype

    The American Dream: one of the most prevalent themes found in literary works of the Modern and Postmodern era. This phenomenon defines itself as the idea that any American is capable of achieving success, riches, and happiness through hard work alone. However, people who spend too much time and energy striving for wealth sacrifice their health and happiness, thus creating the American Nightmare. We all know someone, friend or relative, who works to the point of utter exhaustion in order to afford the big house and fancy cars. In fact, there is a piece of highly acclaimed literary work that illustrates this exact archetype: Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. The main character of the play, Willy Loman, represents that friend or relative we all know. He works his life away in an attempt to achieve the seemingly intangible American Dream, only to end his life living in the American Nightmare. As Willy becomes older, his formerly successful career begins to falter and his mental health begins diminishing due to years of mental and physical exhaustion catching up with him.…

    • 333 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Similarities Between Do You Know Where You Are And The Great Gatsby
    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Similarities Between Do You Know Where You Are And The Great Gatsby

    At its core, the American Dream is simply about possibility––it makes no guarantees. It’s an alluring but elusive ideal. Take an Impressionist painting, you can admire it from a distance, but as you get closer, it becomes incoherent. You lose sight of the big picture (literally). The same is true of the American Dream; you can admire it as a concept, but as you get closer, what was so clearly compelling begins to dissolve.…

    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Gatsby Compared to the American Dream
    • 517 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Gatsby Compared to the American Dream

    The American dream today is a little different than it was around the time of the setting in this book. In the 1920s, the American dream was more focused on how much money you had. Those who had more money were thought to have a better life, which wasn’t exactly true. For example, in this book…

    • 517 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    What Is Wrong In The Great Gatsby
    • 1250 Words
    • 5 Pages

    What Is Wrong In The Great Gatsby

    Bernie Sanders, a politician, once said, ¨for many, the American Dream has become a nightmare¨. The American Dream was coming true for many in the 1920s, shortly after World War I, and was caused mainly by the country being in an economic boom. The “Jazz Age” was a time when practically everyone believed if they worked hard enough, they would become successful, which at the time meant rich and of high status. Although, this was very flawed and the truth was that being happy was unachievable because they were constantly unsatisfied with their achievements, no matter how successful they truly were. Francis Scott Fitzgerald criticizes the reality of the American Dream in his novel The Great Gatsby. This story is follows the rich Nick Carraway…

    • 1250 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Essay On The American Dream In Of Mice And Men
    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Essay On The American Dream In Of Mice And Men

    The American Dream vanished during the Great Depression, and the land of opportunity became the land of misfortune. The American Dream is the idea of overcoming all obstacles and beating the odds to one day become successful. The American Dream was and still is unattainable for many people. Although characters in the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck have dreams for a better future, their hopes are soon destroyed by the harsh reality of the American Dream.…

    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The American Dream In The Great Gatsby
    • 455 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

    The American dream is an illusion implanted in the minds of people that sets the bar for life achievement. American children are raised in a society that tells them that they can be anything they want to be as an adult, if children were able to read between the lines of their parents motivational speech there would be less confusion. What parents really mean to say is that it's okay to be whatever they want to be when they grow up as long as it makes lots of money. After all in an excessive American society success is largely based off positions of power and financial stability.…

    • 455 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Death Of A Salesman Reality Analysis
    • 555 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Death Of A Salesman Reality Analysis

    At a glance, the American Dream can seem attainable to any and all that try. This façade of success deceives people into believing that they can accomplish more than their circumstances truly allow. The deception society has on people can inhibit their perception of reality in the same way it did to Willy Loman.…

    • 555 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Great Gatsby American Dream Analysis
    • 430 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Great Gatsby American Dream Analysis

    In conclusion all these reasons go to show that each character has a secret life that they live, and none of them actually reached to the point where they think they meet the “American Dream”. It also goes to show that no one can ever reach the American Dream it’s nothing but just a dream that we all wish to succed. It’s someting we have to look in ourselfes and ask what is the American Dream is it filled with money and fame or just simpleness and a…

    • 430 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Great Gatsby And The American Dream Essay
    • 1250 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Great Gatsby And The American Dream Essay

    For decades people have had American Dreams they dedicate their lives, giving it their all for the goals that they have set up for themselves. However, while seeming to be a good motivating factor for Americans, most of the time these dreams are unsuccessful or unattainable for the people that work so hard toward them. Since there is more often failure in achieving an American Dream, many people have negative opinions toward the concept itself. The best description of this ideology is reflected by F. Scott Fitzgerald, who viewed the American Dream as something not possible and could not be fully achieved no matter what a person does, despite how each dream is different. In order to demonstrate his opinion on the American Dream, he uses plot and conflict to show how character’s actions for their dreams,…

    • 1250 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Who Still Believes In The American Dream?
    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Who Still Believes In The American Dream?

    The American Dream to most is starting low on the economic or social level, and working hard towards wealth and fame. Having money, a car, a big house, and nice clothes symbolizes the American dream. On the other hand there are some Americans that dream too small. In another article by Marianne Cooper called “The Downsizing of the American Dream” she states that American’s “Lacking the resources needed to stay afloat in the new economy, these young people were no longer setting their sights on the very things that have long symbolized the American dream: a home, a job, a family.” This shows another side to the story.…

    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Argumentative Essay: The American Dream
    • 531 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Argumentative Essay: The American Dream

    The American Dream was once based on the same principles of The Declaration of Independence, like freedom and equality. That all men deserve “..life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness..” (Revolution) Over time, the dream became more materialized and narcissistic. For some, it promised a journey of milestones and accomplishments. But for others, obstacles in the way were too much of a struggle. Azar Nafisi once said, “The negative side of The American Dream comes when people pursue success at any cost, which in turn destroys the vision and the dream.”…

    • 531 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Fought For The American Dream
    • 745 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Fought For The American Dream

    The expectation that the American Dream has- set, that many believe to be a reachable goal, is a trap that a large variety of people have fallen into, and not been able to resurface from. Previously, the American Dream was thought to consist of luxuries that at the time many citizens in society can not achieve because of money issues within each family as well as health issues, without the included prices of food for the family on a daily basis. Because of media, many would assume that the American Dream as an easily attained dream that most had or would achieve in the future. The expectation that the achievement of this goal would be easy is what brought the vast majority of families and citizens looking to make it big down farther that it brought them…

    • 745 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Social Inequality In America
    • 1104 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Social Inequality In America

    The American dream is required through the accomplishment, wealth, reputation, and power. Any person can reach their American dream. All levels of accomplishment differ based on what one would like to reach. When so many people are poor, it is hard to look after the American dream for the reason that different people are “consumed by desires for status, material goods, and acceptance, Americans apparently had lost the sense of individuality, thrift, hard work, and craftsmanship that had characterized the nation” (Warshauer,…

    • 1104 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics