"All My Sons" is considered Miller's most famous play. The play is an assertion of the need for the individual to accept full responsibility for his actions, to acknowledge the reality of a world in which the idea of brotherhood is an active principle rather than simple piety. It is to be regarded as a sever attack on materialism which stands at odds with human values, on a war-profiteer's drive for profits based on an ethic that Familial obligations should come first, even at the expense of his social responsibilities and obligations.
The title of the play is very significant; since it indicate one of the most important subsidiary themes of the play, namely "the father-son relationship". As we have said before the main theme of the play has to deal with the importance of a Man's social responsibility as compared to his responsibility towards his family. This main theme is very related, even interwoven, with the conflict that might arise between a son's duty towards his father and his own moral duty towards his society. Perhaps, a close examination of the character of Chris Keller and his relation to his father would make this point even clearer.
As the play opens, we are immediately made to realize how Chris highly regards his father and the depth of his affection for him that he comes to believe that he (his father) is a perfect and ideal person. This fact has been affirmed when his mother-Kate- expresses her worries about George's - Steve Deveer's son- purpose in paying a visit to their house. She is quite sure that the later -being a lawyer now- intends to open the case of his father again. Chris affirms her " you"re silly; what's there to be afraid of"; which clearly indicate his high regard of his father and his complete awareness of his innocence. And when his mother affirms that "to his last day in court Steve never gave up the idea that Dad made him do it" and that "if they are going to open the case again" she "won't live through it" Chris assures her that he would stand by her and his father in a very determinant manner: "George is just a damn fool, Mother, how can you take him seriously".
