Is Joe responsible for what happens outside of his family in All My Sons? Why or why not?

The
question of responsibility is central in . Joe Keller assumed several kinds
of responsibility as a father and a business owner during World War II. s title points to the
larger realm of responsibility into which Joe was inserted through his businesss role in
manufacturing airplane parts. As the play looks at the consequences of ethical behavior in the
production process, Miller clearly expects the reader or audience to evaluate the correct course
of conduct for such manufacturers.

Joe maintains that he tried to do his
best, but his protestations run counter to the evidence that is presented throughout the play.
While we can understand the pressure to provide materials in support of the war effort, faulty
products instead proved detrimental to the Allied cause. Miller brings home the repercussions of
Joes failure by having his own son die as a result of his crime. In that respect, Joe failed his
own family. More broadly, as countless other young fliers perished, Joe was responsible for
their deaths as wellall of them were the same as his own son. While Miller leaves open the
possibility that giving in to pressure was a moral gray area, he is less flexible on Joes
behavior toward his partner, Steve Deever, which leaves Joe at liberty to interact with his son
while Steves son must visit his father in jail.