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thinktosee · 5 years

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BROADWAY – “ALL MY SONS” – PART TRES

Image courtesy Library Walk on 41st and Madison, NYC. I happened to come by while strolling along the streets (Refer blog post “Journal to David- 41st month” dated 16 July, 2019

A. OPENER

“DO NOT DO UNTO OTHERS THAT WHICH YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE DONE UNTO YOU.”

- The Golden Rule to Life.

This is the concluding essay to the subject story or play. Parts 1 and 2 are accessible via the following links :

https://thinktosee.tumblr.com/post/186676809458/broadway-all-my-sons-part-1

https://thinktosee.tumblr.com/post/186792441988/broadway-all-my-sons-part-dua

B. THE STORY RETOLD

Arthur Miller. Image courtesy BBC

“All My Sons” is a tragic and soul-wrenching story by multi-award winning American playwright, Arthur Miller (1). The play takes us to post world war two America, to the home of the Keller Family – Joe, Kate and Chris Keller – dad, mom and son – living an apparently blissful life of the American Dream. Joe, a successful businessman in the defense industry, while Kate, a loving wife and mother who holds the family together. Chris, is a war veteran and an executive in dad’s company. The Keller’s eldest, fighter pilot, Larry did not return from the war.

The opening scene, on a Sunday morning in the back yard of the Keller’s home presents a toppled fruit-bearing apple tree, its stump remaining, still rooted to the ground. The “wind” the night before had done its deed. Joe is sitting in the garden amusing himself with the classifieds, apparently oblivious to the fallen apple tree. Oblivious also to neighbour, Dr. Jim Bayliss’ presence. As if, the world didn’t matter. This scene portends what is to come.

Annette Bening as Kate (Mother). Image courtesy NYT.

During the war, defective spare parts supplied by Joe’s company caused the deaths of 21 pilots. Joes’s partner, Steve Deever was held responsible for knowingly committing the crime. He was convicted and went to prison.

We learn that Kate refuses to accept the death of her eldest son. She seeks reiteration in the other-worldly pronouncements of a neighbour, Frank Lubey. Meantime, Chris invited an old family friend, Steve’s daughter, Ann Deever to visit. Ann was Larry’s girlfriend before the war. Her visit to the Kellers is really to reinforce the love which has blossomed between her and Chris, ever since Larry went missing.

Kate stands between the lovers. Her opposition is based on her certainty that Larry is alive. He will return to the family and to Ann someday. A belief steeped in emotion and sentimentality, lacking any rational basis, so it seems.

Tracy Letts as Joe (Father) Image courtesy Britannica.com

As the story unfolds, we learn that Joe is the person criminally responsible for the deaths of the 21 pilots. He slyly led everyone to accept that Steve is to blame, although many apparently knew the truth. The discovery of Joe’s guilt is brought out by the interplay of the main characters in the story. Each a critical piece to the puzzle, in this unfolding drama. We learn then that Kate’s refusal to accept Larry’s death is rooted, like that broken stump in the garden, in fertile reason. She was living the most terrifying nightmare since Larry went missing. To accept his death is to acknowledge Joe’s guilt. A son murdered by his father.

Benjamin Walker as Chris. Image courtesy gq.com

The final scene is played out with Chris confronting his father, Joe. The latter retreats into the house. A gunshot. They find Joe, dead. Regret, that faithful follower of tragedy, makes its appearance……finally.

C. “ALL MY SONS” FOREVER

Broadway, NYC

There is no conclusion to this essay, I am afraid. A tragedy lives in us forever, to be replayed as many times as our hearts yearn for the past. Just like the actors, Ms Bening, Mr Letts, Mr Walker, et al who perform on stage at the American Airlines Theatre in NYC every night, re-living a tragic play. The audience, while a witness to the unfolding drama on stage, is reminded of the reality which these enormously talented actors create – “All that is Human is Art,” as David said (refer to part 2).

Perhaps the old Bard was right :

“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women, merely Players; They have their Exits and their Entrances….” (2)

“All My Sons” is a play about human frailties. A story which is retold countless times, in every conceivable way, since the birth of the human race. It will go on playing, through our “seven ages”, till the end of time. Arthur Miller gave us his unique and powerful perspective. One in which David before, and now I, lovingly treasure forevermore.

“MOTHER : What more can we be!

CHRIS : You can be better. Once and for all you can know there’s a universe of people outside and you are responsible to it, and unless you know that, you threw away your son, because that’s why he died.”

- From the final scene of “All My Sons.” David shaded these portions.

I like to close this essay for now with a couple of pages from David’s copy of Mr. Miller’s book. They are some of David’s annotations. His thoughts are pencilled all across the pages of the book. These 2 pages at the opening of the book, should suffice for now :

David. Image courtesy Tiffany

In the Spirit of David Cornelius Singh

David’s father

Email : [email protected]

https://thinktosee.tumblr.com/

Sources/References

1. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arthur-Miller-American-playwright

2. “As you Like it” Act 2, Scene 7, Jacques

http://www.opensourceshakespeare.org/views/plays/play_view.php?WorkID=asyoulikeit&Act=2&Scene=7&Scope=scene

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