Character Profiles: All My Sons

Joe Keller

• Joe Keller is the key central and tragic figure of the play.
• He begins the play as a man respected in his community but hides a critical secret regarding his past war success.
• He owns a successful business but was responsible for the shipping of faulty airplane cylinder heads which caused the death of 21 pilots during the war.
• This action shows his values; preferring material success over ethical responsibilities.
• Keller refuses to admit his guilt throughout the play and hides behind a face of innocence and ignorance.
• Near the end of the play, he finally reads the letter from his lost son revealing truth. This leads to his suicide and neatly concludes his tragic character arc.

Kate Keller

• Kate Keller is Joe's wife and the play's most poignant figure of denial and delusional hope.
• She refuses to believe in the death of her son Larry, who was declared missing in action during the war.
• Kate is determined to uphold the Keller family's innocence, even if it means deluding herself about the obvious truth.
• Her character also serves to highlight the moral corruption of the Keller family.
• Her unearthed suspicion of Joe's guilt indicates her silent complicity and actually provokes Joe's tragic end.

Chris Keller

• Chris Keller is the surviving son. He returns home from the war with an extremely high view of those who served under him, but is psychologically scarred from the experience.
• He cherishes the idea of moral absolution and blames himself for surviving when others died.
• The news of his father's guilt shakes his moral beliefs to the core and forces him to grapple with the harsh realities of life.
• Chris's character serves as a symbol for the young generation's disillusionment after the war.

Ann Deever

• Ann Deever, Larry's former fiancée and sister of Joe's business partner, represents the external world in the play.
• Unlike the Kellers, she has accepted her family's guilt and her brother's imprisonment.
• She also acknowledges Larry's death and wishes to move on by marrying Chris.
• Her arrival at the Keller household is the catalyst that unravels the truths and lies within the family.

Dr. Jim Bayliss

• Dr. Jim Bayliss serves as a foil to Chris's idealism. His character presents a realistic, jaded perspective on life and the American Dream.
• He once had dreams of medical research but has settled into a life of financial security instead.
• His character subtly critiques the materialistic values of society.

George Deever

• George Deever is Steve Deever's son, and his character links the past actions to the present consequences in the play.
• He initially believes in his father's innocence but upon visiting him in prison, he comes to realize his father's guilt.
• His arrival puts additional pressure on the Kellers, contributing to the family's downfall.