All My Sons

Act Three

KATE'S DENIAL - Like her husband, Kate Keller is in denial. She knows about Keller's guilt, and it is the source of her anxiety and headaches throughout the play.

Why is it that she takes part in Joe's denial?:- She is forcing her son to stay alive, only in her mind, in order to allow her to continue to live with her husband in some acceptable way. That is , if she has to accept that her husband effectively killed their son, then she could not bear it. But her loyalty to Keller ironically serves to separate the couple, since her knowledge of his guilt strains their relationship. Like her husband, she prefers to believe that there are forces outside her control - in her case, astrology and God's choice, both on Larry's side - that ultimately distate life or death more than individual choice does.

KATE'S GRIEF - Just as she mistakenly thought that Chris always knew in the back of his mind that Keller was guilty, she always knew inher heart that Larry was dead, despite a play full of protestations to the contrary. When Ann shows her the letter that proves Larry's death, Mother suffers…