Eddie Carbone and Joe Keller are both American citizens. Explore the various ways in which the portrayal of their lives gives us insight into the life in America at this time.

In All my sons the events are somewhat different with some similarities. Joe Keller is so wrapped up in his own family and his love for them that he does not see the universal "family" which he had a duty to. This explains why he did what he did with the faulty parts, to protect his family. When his son finds out his secret his first thoughts were of his family "I thought I had a family here. What happened to my family?" And also "There's nothin' he could do that I wouldn't forgive. Because he's my son...I'm his father and he's my son. And if there's something bigger than that ill put a bullet in my head!" The later quote shows that his family is so important to him that he could forgive his son anything...family is his biggest priority. When he learns that his son's suicide was due to his father's conviction and that Chris could never truly forgive him he feels that his life is not worth living as he doesn't have the full love of his family, which is the most important thing to him.

The naming of names is something that features in both plays also. Eddie Carbone is faced with the decision of whether or not to be American by naming names of people who were doing unlawful acts i.e. immigrating illegally into the country. He goes against what was seen to be right at the time by calling immigration on his very own family leading to betrayal and his inevitable downfall. Joe Keller does very much the wrong thing although this is not included in the text. He "named" Steve as the sole criminal in the entire mess when if anything these roles were reversed. This is similar to the McCarthy trials when several named the names of the innocent. In America at the time it was important to be loyal, but when needed to tell the truth. In both cases the men take the wrong option on a very fine line. "The law is nature no law is only a word" meaning that it was in the men's nature. They would do what they did time and time again if only to protect their families from the world.

Financial success is very important especially to Joe Keller. He has worked his whole life to make something of himself so that he can provide for his family and so that they can live a perfectly plentiful life. This is another thing that leads to Joe Keller's suicide. He has spent his whole life trying to build something for his children but now knowing that Chris doesn't want his "dirty" money and that Larry died because of it there seems little point in his life. Also in all my sons it is Sue Bayliss who is almost only interested in financial success as it gives her material wealth, which is so very important to her. Her husband who once shared Chris' idealistic views was forced to give up his dreams so as to provide for his wife financially. Financial success is also the reason why Rodolpho and Marco left their homeland in the first place so that they could provide for their families back home. To them, Financial success is a necessity so that their families can leave more comfortable than they were before the brothers left their homeland.

It is for this reason that immigration occurred. In the community where Eddie and his family live, protecting relatives who have illegally immigrated in the country is the norm. This is why when Alfieri says that the only illegal thing that Rodolpho has done is "the manner in which they entered the country" Eddie's reaction is a negative one. In his community it is usual for relatives to keep secrets and for the neighbours to do the same, even though they know exactly what is going on. Marco and Rodolpho moved to America as they thought that even a life of hardship in America would be better than their lives in Italy. In the 1940s this was true for several hundred Italians; following a government law in 1924 only 3,845 Italians were legally allowed to enter America each year so for most Italians, illegally entering the country was the only option they had.

After the war, patriotism was at an all time high due to the hundreds of thousands of young men who died for their country. Joe Keller's son Chris is very patriotic as he himself fought in the war and he believes that his brother died during it. On finding out the truth about his father's terrible mistake he says " I was dying ever say and you were killing my boys" you realise the extent of his commitment to his country and his army comrades. Marco is patriotic to his Italian past and all of the traditions etc that accompany his past.

Denial features heavily in the plays but whether or not this featured in general American life it is impossible to say. In All my sons, Chris denies and denies his father's involvement in the manufacturing of the heads even though inside he knows that his father was probably to blame. "I'm not afraid of the answer; I know the answer" are the words he speaks to George when George questions his fathers honesty. This denial not only protects Chris from what he doesn't want to hear, it protects his family which goes back to the earlier topic of how important the love of the family is.

In A view from the Bridge, the denial is instead by Eddie of his love for Catherine. He considers his love to be what he promised her mother "on her deathbed" but to all of the other characters in the play it seems somewhat more obvious that "there is too much love". Eddie continually denies this whenever is brought up but it still appears simple to see to not only the audience, but the rest of the characters also. By the time Eddie himself realises his "sinful" love for Catherine it is too late for him to do anything apart from try to reconcile his relationship with Beatrice which he finally does by the end of the play. Catherine denies that she is growing up, as it would mean that she wouldn't be able to do the things, which she is so used to doing. When Catherine argues that Eddie thinks she is a baby so she is unable to resist following Eddie's orders, Beatrice makes the point that it is because Catherine "acts like a baby".

The play tells many things about life in 1940s America in particular Patriotism, the American dream, financial success, immigration, McCarthyism and the importance of family.