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All my sons - Arthur Miller
“On my word of honour, there’s a jail in the basement.”
Motif of jail - there is no jail and thus he has no honour. Keller also commits suicide to escape jail at the end of the play.
“I don’t like garbage in the house".” → “and I don’t understand why, after forty years and I got a maid, why I have to take out the garbage.”
Motif of garbage - ideas of dirt/ugly truths and ideas of materialism/wealth.
“you’re beatin’ her, you’re beatin’ her. (they are laughing)”
Epizeuxis + interruption - trying to lighten the mood and move on from the topic of Larry.
“see it human, see it human.”
Epizeuxis - begging for compassion and trying to get Chris to see it how he does.
“I’m glad, Chris, I’m just… George is calling from Columbus.”
Dramatic tension - Keller’s paranoia towards George bringing the truth.
“she don’t hold nothin’ against me, does she?”
Tragic hero trope, suspicion - his underlying guilt.
“I want a clean start for you Chris.”
Theme of clean vs dirty - understands that Chris doesn’t want to be associated with his immoral money.
“I’m going to build you a house, stone, with a driveway from the road.”
Link to the American Dream - shows the closeness in their father-son relationship and how he has worked for Chris.
“Champagne, tuxedos..!”
Short sentences + exclamation - idea of indulgence and tempting others to follow in his delusion.
“Chris: The man is innocent, Ann”
Unmitigated declarative - defending Keller erroneously while Keller plays the ignoramus.
“Don’t surround me, will you?”
Rhetorical question + dramatic tension - trapped by the past.
“My only accomplishment is my son.”
Unmitigated declarative - Love for his son, but it costs a lot to provide (justifying his dirty money?)
“A father is a father!”
Exclamative - practically begging for forgiveness.
“Mother: he hasn’t been laid up in fifteen years".”
Climax - the tragedy has been sealed.
“(He takes a step toward Chris, pleadingly)”
Kinesics - desperation to get Chris on his side.
“she’s out of her mind” (mother)
Repetition - trying to vilify mother and prove his innocence.
“I’m his father and he’s my son, and if there’s something bigger than that, I’ll put a bullet in my head”
Foreshadowing - shows that he will have a realisation which leads to his suicide.
“Chris: I know you’re no worse than most men but I thought you were better. I never saw you as a man. I saw you as my father.”
Confessional dialogue - Shows that father-son relationship which Keller destroyed. Shows the ramifications of his actions.
“I don’t read the news part anymore, it’s more interesting in the want ads.”
Unmitigated declarative - example of his poor education and that he resents those who are more educated. He also could avoid the news part because of guilt towards Larry.
“A little man makes a mistake, and they hang him by the thumbs; the big ones become ambassadors".”
Theme of little vs big, Steve vs Keller - shows a cynical view of society and tries to show his innocence through the hypocrisy.
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