In the play "All My Sons," several characters act depending on whether it benefits their family or society. This is clearly seen in both Joe Keller and his son, Chris Keller. While Joe acts based on the needs of his family, Chris believes the needs of society should come first. In the midst of an emotional discussion between Kate and Joe, Kate argues that Joe had no excuse for not owning up to creating cracked cylinder heads. When Kate tells Joe that Chris believed there was something bigger than family, Joe responds, "Nothing is bigger...There's nothing he could do that I wouldn't forgive, because he's my son, because I'm his father and he's my son" (Miller 77). Its obvious that Joe Keller believed family was more important than society. He justifies the crime which caused the death of many men with the fact that he did it for his son; he did it so Chris would have a future. On the other hand, when Chris learns of what his father did, he is appalled, showing he believes the needs of society prevail over the needs of the family: "Is that as far as your mind can see, the business?...What the hell do you mean, you did it for me? Don't you have a country? Don't you live in the world? What the hell are you? You're not even an animal, no animal kills his own, what are you?" (Miller 70). Chris' opinion is very strong as he implies that if you act against the needs of society (in an extreme case), you're worse than an animal. He is disgusted at the fact that his father says he acted in his son's interest. After all, Chris is only one person in the entire society which is much more important.
The needs of the society should generally be put first, although there are occasions in which the needs of family must be put first. In a society that can generate happiness and one that has not forced an individual to be a part of it, individuals should always address the needs of the society before the needs of family. It is that society that provides the individual everything he or she has, besides giving life. The society sustains an individual's life much more so than a family can do; a family can provide happiness and joy, yes, but a family cannot keep someone alive without the tools the society has provided. If a society provides for the individual, the individual ought to provide for the society. If a society's values were 'wrong,' and if those values could cause harm to one's family, then the needs of the family would be more important than the needs of the society. But this would be rare as a society wouldn't want a value-set that would be harmful to the people it consists of. Although 'wrong' values may be the most harmful thing of all, it is not harmful in the sense that people would lack well being, something more important than values.
3 comments:
I completely agree with you Karwehn. Your quotes clearly emphasized the two extremes that Joe and Chris represented. This made me, as the reader, connect with the situation between father and son. While, society's values are generally skewed, they do not usually cause one to veer from its path and ignore its needs. However, this is exactly what Joe did, and you hit it on the button. Well done.
I somewhat agree. I agree on the fact that Joe was on the need to support his family, and didn't do this recklessly. However, he was putting the lives of many at risk, so I question how powerful his quest for money really was.
I think that one person who shows that putting a minor family issue in front of innocent lives in society is brutally wrong is the son of the sinner, Chris Keller. If the person who you supposedly broke this law cannot stand to live with you anymore, it is a clear indicator of how wrong you were. I also agree that in most cases, the needs of society should be put first, unless you are not harming society in as much as you are helping your family member.
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