An exploraton of the importance of Ann in
Arthur Millers play
'All My Sons'
Arthur Millers play
'All My Sons'
Ann in the play 'All My Sons' written by Arthur Miller can be seen as one of the most important characters in the play. There are many aspects of Ann's characteristics that back up this argument. It is these aspects that i am going to explore.
Primarily, Ann can be seen as the messenger for the ghost typically seen in a majority of 'tragedies' according to the Greek definition anyway. Throughout the three years that Larry is gone, unknowing to the family, Ann has received a letter from him telling her that he is going tto commit suicide. It is important to the plot of the play that it is Ann that bares this bad news because she is seen at the beginning of the play as being a "Nice girl". It also furthers the plot because we see that Ann, the barer of this bad news now wants to marry Chris, Larry's younger brother.
Secondly, Kate's tree adds massively to the importance of Ann.the tree is place to connote hope for larry in the play,The tree compliments the importance of Ann's arrival because the tree itself was planted soon after larry's dissapearance and yet when the 'Ghosts' messenger arrives, Ann, the tree crashes down. The tree could connote Kates hope of larry's return and when it does fall on Ann's arrival, it could be seen as the hope is now lost as she is going to reveal the fate that larry befell. Its important because the tree falling is the start of the downward spiral that the family takes because of Ann arriving with bad news, the letter.
Another thing that makes Ann important is the plays inability to be as sucessful if it werent Ann that took responsibility for all these things. Its almost as if Ann is there to settle everybody elses fatal floors and end them for good. She ends Kates greiving of Larry. She shows the family that although it was not Joes fault directly that larry died or killed himself it was however indirectly his fault simply because the letter says that Larry could not face his friends after knowing it was him father that caused the death of the other 21 men due to the faulty funnels. The play wouldnt work as well if it was just a family friend that bought the letter, it was because it was Ann, and the deceiption that came with Ann delivering this letter was important because the family thought that Ann had absolutly nothing to hide. Also i think it is important because the family do change their opinion of Ann due to this betrayal, but again Ann also ends her own fatal floor by taking responsibility and accepting this new opinion of her epecially from Kate who previously seemed to absolutly love her and saw no wrong in her.
Anns most important role in the play however is how she is being used by Miller to deliver the 'Ghost' if you like. As we know Larry is dead and Ann's role in the play is to deliver this letter to the family. Ann is being used as a puppet like figure for this ghost to deliver the bad news. In Shakespears 'Hamlet', The ghost himself Hamlets father who had been killed by 'Cludius' appears to Hamlet and delivers the news directly himself whereas in this play the ghost uses another character instead of appearing itself. Ann is very much the character that accompanies the ghost which is important because it is Ann, the ghosts widow.
Primarily, Ann can be seen as the messenger for the ghost typically seen in a majority of 'tragedies' according to the Greek definition anyway. Throughout the three years that Larry is gone, unknowing to the family, Ann has received a letter from him telling her that he is going tto commit suicide. It is important to the plot of the play that it is Ann that bares this bad news because she is seen at the beginning of the play as being a "Nice girl". It also furthers the plot because we see that Ann, the barer of this bad news now wants to marry Chris, Larry's younger brother.
Secondly, Kate's tree adds massively to the importance of Ann.the tree is place to connote hope for larry in the play,The tree compliments the importance of Ann's arrival because the tree itself was planted soon after larry's dissapearance and yet when the 'Ghosts' messenger arrives, Ann, the tree crashes down. The tree could connote Kates hope of larry's return and when it does fall on Ann's arrival, it could be seen as the hope is now lost as she is going to reveal the fate that larry befell. Its important because the tree falling is the start of the downward spiral that the family takes because of Ann arriving with bad news, the letter.
Another thing that makes Ann important is the plays inability to be as sucessful if it werent Ann that took responsibility for all these things. Its almost as if Ann is there to settle everybody elses fatal floors and end them for good. She ends Kates greiving of Larry. She shows the family that although it was not Joes fault directly that larry died or killed himself it was however indirectly his fault simply because the letter says that Larry could not face his friends after knowing it was him father that caused the death of the other 21 men due to the faulty funnels. The play wouldnt work as well if it was just a family friend that bought the letter, it was because it was Ann, and the deceiption that came with Ann delivering this letter was important because the family thought that Ann had absolutly nothing to hide. Also i think it is important because the family do change their opinion of Ann due to this betrayal, but again Ann also ends her own fatal floor by taking responsibility and accepting this new opinion of her epecially from Kate who previously seemed to absolutly love her and saw no wrong in her.
Anns most important role in the play however is how she is being used by Miller to deliver the 'Ghost' if you like. As we know Larry is dead and Ann's role in the play is to deliver this letter to the family. Ann is being used as a puppet like figure for this ghost to deliver the bad news. In Shakespears 'Hamlet', The ghost himself Hamlets father who had been killed by 'Cludius' appears to Hamlet and delivers the news directly himself whereas in this play the ghost uses another character instead of appearing itself. Ann is very much the character that accompanies the ghost which is important because it is Ann, the ghosts widow.
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