Review Questions

All My Sons

By Arthur Miller

1. What is the setting of the story?

2. What is the significance of the tree? What do the characters think?
3. What is the significance of the play’s title?
4. Describe Joe Keller
5. Who is Bert? How is he relevant to the story?
6. Sue wants Ann and Chris to get married and move away. Why?
7. How is Steve’s version of the events different from Joe’s?
8. Why do Joe and Kate each oppose to Chris marrying Ann?
9. How does Kate try to soften George? Give 3 ways.
10. How are the characters affected by the war? Choose 3 characters and explain.
11. Why does Kate insist that Larry is coming back?
12. The play is about idealism versus pragmatism.
Who is the true idealist in the play? Explain.
13. “it’s so funny… everything decides to happen at the same time.”
What does Kate mean when she says that?
14. “It ain’t gonna end till they move back.”
What does Joe mean when he says that?
15. “I am his father and he is my son, and if there’s something bigger than that I’ll put a bullet in
my head!”
What is the significance of Joe saying this?
16. “He hasn’t been laid up in fifteen years.”
What is the importance of Kate saying this?
17. “I ignore what I gotta ignore…”
How do Joe and Chris do this?
Give examples.
18. Kate: “The trouble with you kids is you think too much.”
Why does Kate say this to Chris and George?
19. “I’ve been a good son too long, a good sucker. I’m through with it.”
Who says this? What does it mean?
20. “I’ll do nothing about Joe, but you’re going to do something for me.”
Who says this and to whom? What does it tell us?
21. “The trouble is when you make suckers out of people once, you shouldn’t try to do it twice”
Who says this? What does it mean?
22. In what ways are Chris and joe similar?
How are they different?
23. Why do you think Joe offered to get jobs for George and Steve?
24. Do you think Ann is a selfish person?
25. In your opinion, why doesn’t the play mention the name of the town they live in?
26. Why do you think Kate demanded that Joe stop playing with Bert?