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Joe Keller in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons

Anderson, Michael. "Arthur Miller and the Politics of Reputation." The Hopkins Review 9.3

(2016): 325-338.

Michael Anderson is a Research Specialist at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. The

article covers how the politics of reputation that existed in Miller's time affected his plot

and play ideology. He explores the foundational drivers of Miller's dramatic strategy that

differed from other famous playwrights.

The publication will be useful in exploring how themes of politics, sex, and society

permeate and influence art. In this case, Keller's actions resulted from his desire to

maintain a stable family conforming to the American Dream. Moreover, the shame and

guilt of his actions drove his subsequent silence.

Ansari, Asghar Ali. "Conflict and Denial in Arthur Miller’s Play, All My Sons." Research

Journal of English Language and Literature 5.4 (2017).

Dr. Asghar Ali Ansari is an Assistant Professor of English at Jamoum University College,

Umm-Al-Quara University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The publication explores the themes

of conflict and denial in Arthur Miller's All My Sons and how they feed off each other.

The publication will be useful in exploring how societal expectations and pressures

pushed Joe Keller to maintain his facade of innocence. Moreover, the subsequent shame
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in framing an innocent man creates conflict as his family eventually finds out. On the

other hand, his wife has accepted Keller's role in the pilots’ deaths.

Brown, Halina Szejnwald, and Philip J. Vergragt. "From consumerism to wellbeing: toward a

cultural transition?." Journal of Cleaner Production 132 (2016): 308-317.

The authors analyze how society can transition from consumerism to wellbeing. The

current focus on material possessions as core component of the American dream.

However, the materialistic nature decreseases well-being due to reduced emphasis on

social and moral responsibility.

The source will be useful in arguing for Joe Keller's case as driven by entrenched

consumerist mentality. He aimed to maximize his family’s financial security at the cost of

lives and an employee’s reputation.

Casper, Vivian. "Joe Keller's Motivation for Suicide in All My Sons: A New Reading." The

Arthur Miller Journal 12.2 (2017): 86-102.

Vivian Casper, Ph.D., is the Associate Professor of English at Texas Women's University.

She has other publications on Literature analyzing Arthur Miller's plays. In this study, she

argues that Joe's motivation for suicide was to preserve the legacy of his business, which

would continue providing for his family.

The publication will help explore alternative interpretations of Joe Keller's actions. One

can argue that he prioritized practicality over ethics due to the need to provide for his

family. Consequently, his suicide can be interpreted as a heroic rather than a cowardly

move.
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Furrow, James L. "The ideal father: Religious narratives and the role of fatherhood." The Journal

of Men’s Studies 7.1 (1998): 17-32.

James Furrow, Ph.D. is a recognized leader in emotionally focused therapy with multiple

publications in journals and books. The article explores how religious narratives shape

the societal perceptions of fatherhood. Consequently, fathers feel that they have a specific

role to fulfill shaped by social expectations.

The source will show how Joe Keller's decisions to support his family at the expense of

other people’s lives may have been shaped by dominant narratives. Moreover, it shows

that while one may be religious, their ethical conduct depends on context and expected

outcomes.

Jopair, Omar A., and EL-Nour Iman. "Practicality is a Common Product of the American Dream

in Arthur Miller's All My sons." International Journal of Research 5.20 (2018): 489-498.

Omar Jopair is a Ph.D. Researcher in English Language & Dr. Iman EL-Nour Ph.D. is a

professor of English Literature at AL Neelain University in Sudan. They explore how

Arthur Miller’s All My Sons functions as a critique of the American Dream through Joe

Keller's actions. The need to feed his family results in Keller choosing to ship defective

parts rather than go bankrupt while maintaining ethical operations.

The source will prove useful in arguing how his desire to meet social expectations drove

Keller's decisions at all stages. The American dream prioritizes hedonistic approaches

with little regard for morality.

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NAHVI, Alaeddin. "All My Sons"-The Tragic Conflict between Family Loyalties and Social

Responsibilities." Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi

36.3 (2015): 1025-1031.

Alaeddin Nahvi is a faculty member at Art University, Tehran, Iran, with multiple

publications in peer-reviewed journals. The paper covers how Joe Keller's loyalty to his

family eventually creates conflict and degrades his relationship with them. While he

prioritizes his continued material performance, Larry’s suicide forces him to

acknowledge the betrayal of loyal pilots and workers.

The source will support Keller's actions as justified based on his context. He needed to

maintain stability in a period of war, leading to unethical decisions. Nevertheless, his

misguided efforts have the opposite effect to what he expected as others eventually find

out.

Ramya, C. "Arthur Miller's Moral, Social, and Political Ideas." Language in India 19.1 (2019).

Dr. Ramya K. Prasad is the Chairperson at the Department of Visual Media and

Communication in Mysore’s School of Arts and Sciences. The author makes a broader

evaluation of Arthur Miller's plays to identify the underlying psychological and

sociological themes. She explores how the plays have their categorization as naturalistic

based on real-life phenomena.

The source will be useful in understanding how Joe Keller's approach is similar to other

characters in Miller's plays. It shows how his identity, a loyal and committed family man

in addition to eventual self-awareness, drove his decisions.

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Sieber, Sam D. Second-rate nation: From the American Dream to the American myth. Routledge,

2015.

Dr. Sam D. Sieber is a recognized author with several books covering social and

economic interactions. The book analyzes how the capitalist culture created by the pursuit

of the American Dream has locked large segments of the population from achieving

social mobility. Consequently, the dream becomes a myth as only a select few ever make

it.

The source will be useful in exploring how Joe Keller's motivations persist in the modern

world. In many cases, people are willing to have flexible morals in the pursuit of material

gains.

Thompson, Terry W. "All I Want Is Out There": The Wild West Subtext in Arthur Miller's Death

of a Salesman." The Midwest Quarterly 59.3 (2018): 331-251.

Terry Thompson is an experienced author with several literature publications in peer-

reviewed journals. In this publication, he explores how social subtexts drive the main

character's motivations. He is noted as stating that "All I want is Out There," which

implies that his current situation is insufficient to fulfill his wants.

The source serves as a critical evaluation of the American Dream and how it creates

unrealistic expectations. Consequently, people are willing to ignore ethical issues if it

brings them closer to achieving the dream

Vijayalakshmi, K. S. "Father-Son Conflict in Arthur Miller’s All My Sons." IJELLH

(International Journal of English Language, Literature in Humanities) 7.2 (2019): 9-9.

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Vijayalakshmi K.S is an Assistant Professor, VISTAS, Chennai, India, with several

publications in peer-reviewed journals. His paper explores how Miller aimed to draw

awareness to broader concepts like values, morality, and justice through an emphasis on

his characters’ dreams, aspirations, and failures. He identifies how Miller’s plots usually

feature individuals coming to terms with their position in society.

The source will be useful in arguing how Miller's identity as a loyal and honest businessman led

to his actions. Moreover, his role as a committed father made him withhold information

from his family, thus making him less than a villain.