English - All My Sons

"You look at a page like this you realize how ignorant you are."

Who said: Keller
To who: Frank
Significance:
- Shows that Keller knows he's not very educated and is more focused on practical things like business.

"I like to keep abreast of my ignorance"

Who said: Chris
To who: Keller
Significance:
- Reflects Chris's modesty and self-awareness. He acknowledges that no one can know everything, but his willingness to learn and grow contrasts with characters like Keller, who avoid confronting uncomfortable truths.

"We've mad a terrible mistake with mother."

Who said: Chris
To who: Keller
Significance:
- Chris acknowledges the family's failure to address Kate's denial about Larry's death. This quote reflects the central conflict of truth versus denial in the play.

"You have such a talent for ignoring things."

Who said: Chris
To who: Keller
Significance:
- Highlights Chris's frustration with his father's ability to avoid facing the truth. It emphasizes Joe's tendency to ignore or deny uncomfortable realities.

"I ignore what I gotta ignore." IMPORTANT

Who said: Keller
To who: Chris
Significance:
- Shows his intentional choice to avoid facing difficult truths, It reflects his self-preservation and the moral blindness that allows him to live with his actions without guilt.

"Everytime I reach out for something I want I have to pull back because other people will suffer." IMPORTANT

Who said: Chris
To who: Keller
Significance:
- Chris says this to express his inner conflict and sense of guilt. He feels that pursuing his own dreams is selfish because it would hurt others, reflecting his strong sense of responsibility.

"Dad, dont avoid me."

Who said: Chris
To who: Keller
Significance:
- Shows Chris's desperation for honesty and his frustration with Joe's tendency to evade difficult conversations,

"Mother would forget Larry" IMPORTANT

Who said: Chris
To who: Keller
Significance:
- Chris is expressing his frustration with Mother's refusal to let go of the belief that Larry is still alive. Chris feels that if she could move on from her hope, it would allow the family to heal.

"I've been a good son too long, a good sucker." IMPORTANT

Who said: Chris
To who: Keller
Significance:
- Chris expresses his anger with how he's spent his life trying to please Keller and uphold family expectations, even at the cost of his own happiness. This line reveals Chris's growing frustration with the sacrifices he's made,

"Maybe we ought to put our minds to forgetting him?"

Who said: Chris
To who: Mother
Significance:
- Chris is suggesting that the family should try to move on from Larry's death and the emotional burden he has placed on them, especially Mother. This line reflects Chris's frustration with Mother's refusal to accept reality and his desire for closure, even though he knows it would be painful for her.

"We're like at a railroad station waiting for a train that never comes in." IMPORTANT

Who said: Chris
To who: Mother
Significance:
- Chris is comparing the family's situation to waiting for something that will never happen.. Larry's return.

"Nobody inthis house dasts take her faith away, Joe. Strangers might. But not his father, not his brother."

Who said: Mother
To who: Keller
Significance:
Mother is fiercely defending her belief that Annie is still waiting for Larry. She is telling Keller that no one in the family should take away Annies hope as it is the only thing keeping Mother going. This line highlights her intense denial and the emotional conflict within the family.

"Because if he's not coming back, then ill kill myself!"

Who said: Mother
To who: Keller
Significance:
- Mother is expressing the extreme emotional pain and hopelessness she feels at the thought of Larry being truly gone. This line reveals how deeply she is clinging to the belief that Larry is alive, as accepting his death would mean confronting unbearable grief.

"I want you to stop that Joe. That whole jail business!"

Who said: Mother
To who: Keller
Significance:
- Mother is urging Keller to stop talking about the possibility of going to jail for his role in the faulty airplane parts. Mother is in denial about Keller's responsibility in the deaths of the pilots, and she doesn't want to confront the reality of his actions.

"I mean the shoes are all shined." IMPORTANT

Who said: Ann
To who: Mother
Significance:
- Ann is referring to the fact that everything is in order and prepared for Chris's return. This line is significant because it reflects Ann's awareness of the tension and discomfort in the house,

"Because your father is still - I mean he's a decent man after all is said and done."

Who said: Chris
To who: Keller
Significance:
- Mother is trying to justify Steve's actions, suggesting that despite the situation, he remains a good person at his core. This highlights Mothers deep denial and her need to protect the people she cares about.

"Well im not, Kate."

Who said: Ann
To who: Mother
Significance:
- Highlights the emotional conflict between Ann and Kate, particularly regarding their differing views on Larry's death and the family's future. Ann's statement reveals her desire for closure and a break from the past.

"Because certain things have to be, and certain things can never be."

Who said: Mother
To who: Ann
Significance:
- "Certain things have to be" refers to Kate's insistence on holding onto the belief that Larry is still alive
- "Certain things can never be" refers to the truth about Larry's death, which Kate is unwilling to accept.

"Haven't they stopped talking about dad?'"

Who said: Ann
To who: Chris
Significance:
- Ann is expressing frustration that the family keeps bringing up her father. She wants to move on from the past and focus on the future, especially her relationship with Chris.

"The last thing I remember on this block was one word "Murders!""

Who said: Ann
To who: Mother
Significance:
- Ann is recalling how the community labeled Keller and her father as responsible for the plane crash, calling them "murders." Even though Keller isn't openly labeled a murderer anymore, the word "murders" reminds Ann of the harsh judgment and how her family's reputation was destroyed.

"He was exonerated, your father's still there."

Who said: Mother
To who: Ann
Significance:
- Mother is trying to defend Keller by pointing out that he was cleared of any wrongdoing while Ann's father is still in prison. This line shows Mothers need to protect Keller's image.

"Annie, I never believed in crucifying people."

Who said: Keller
To who: Ann
Significance:
- Keller claiming that he doesn't believe in punishing people harshly. This line shows Keller's attempt to justify his involvement in the plane crash scandal, showing that he didn't intend to cause harm.

"No, I've never written to him, neither has my brother."

Who said: Ann
To who: Keller
Significance:
- Reflects the emotional distance between Ann and her father, showing that, despite her family's struggles, she has distanced herself from her father after the scandal.

"I was waiting for that. As long as you're here, Annie, I want you to never say that again."

Who said: Mother
To who: Ann
Significance:
- Shows mothers deep sensitivity to any mention of Steve, as it brings up painful memories and questions about Keller's involvement in the scandal. Mother wants to shut down any discussion that might expose the truth on Keller.

"So who flew those P-40's Pigs?"

Who said: Chris
To who: Keller
Significance:
- reveals Chris's anger and frustration with the situation, as he struggles with the idea that innocent men died because of Keller's actions.

"The man was a fool, but don't you make a murder out of him."

Who said: Keller
To who: Ann
Significance:
- Keller is defending himself and Steve, insisting that while they may have made a mistake, it shouldn't be treated as a crime. This line reflects Keller's attempt to minimize the seriousness of the situation and avoid taking full responsibility.

"They didn't die, they killed themselves for eachother."

Who said: Chris
To who: Ann
Significance:
- Chris is expressing his belief that the pilots sacrificed their lives for the greater good, which contrasts with Keller's actions, where Chris sees selfishness and dishonesty.

"A little more selfish and they'd've been here today."

Who said: Chris
To who: Ann
Significance:
- Highlights his idealism about selflessness and sacrifice.

"A kind of responsibility, man for man."

Who said: Chris
To who: Ann
Significance:
- Chris values personal responsibility and thinks that people should care for one another, especially in times of crisis.

"I felt wrong to be alive."

Who said: Chris
To who: Ann
Significance:
- Chris's internal struggle and his sense of responsibility for the deaths, feeling that he didn't deserve to live when so many others sacrificed their lives.

"You've got to be a little bit better because of that."

Who said: Chris
To who: Ann
Significance:
- Reflects Chris's idealism and his belief that people should honor those sacrifices by being better individuals.

"There's nothing wrong in your money."

Who said: Ann
To who: Chris
Significance:
- Ann calming Chris's deep sense of guilt over the consequences of his father's actions, including their wealth. It's a way for Ann to help Chris understand that the issue lies with the actions, not the financial outcome.

"Be smart now, Joe. The boy is coming. Be smart.

Who said: Mother
To who: Keller
Significance:
- Mother is concerned about how Keller will act and the potential consequences of his actions when Ann's brother is near.