Explore the Role of Joe Keller in the Play 'All My Sons', Considering His Role as a Dramatic Function? Essay Example
At the beginning of the play we see just from the description of Joe Keller in the stage directions as he described as a 'business man with the imprint of the machine shop worker and boss still upon him' from this we learn that even though Keller is a man from nowhere he has achieved so much, and even though he is now the business man he still seems like the small man who started like any other person would. From the stage directions we also learn that Keller is a complex character who is still wondering through life 'there is still wonder in many commonly known things...' The idea of a man of low origins is reaffirmed in the stage directions again 'a peasant-like common sense' this helps to strengthen the idea that Keller is the average person (average Joe) and that he could be just like any one of us. At the end of the stage directions we are told that Keller is 'a man among men' this shows that Keller is the man of the house and the community. We also see the strength of his character as when he describes his account after getting out of prison Picture it now; none of them believed I was innocent... So I get out my of my car, and I walk down the street. But very slow. And with a smile. The Beast! I was the Beast...” this shows Keller as a strong character who is defiant even in the face of adversity, this also shows how Keller can manipulate things to his advantage, it also helps to establish Keller as the anti-hero.
We see Miller establishing Keller as the tragic hero as Keller is the described as the average person, a very decent, hard-working man that everyone seems to get on with, but as with every tragic-hero he has a flaw which will eventually lead to his downfall, so far we see the possible flaw as something to do with the disappearance of his son Larry “..Larry was reported missing on November twenty-fifth, right?”, this seems to be a something that has stuck with the family for a while but has recently come back to haunt them, with their other son
We see Miller establishing Keller as the tragic hero as Keller is the described as the average person, a very decent, hard-working man that everyone seems to get on with, but as with every tragic-hero he has a flaw which will eventually lead to his downfall, so far we see the possible flaw as something to do with the disappearance of his son Larry “..Larry was reported missing on November twenty-fifth, right?”, this seems to be a something that has stuck with the family for a while but has recently come back to haunt them, with their other son