Discuss the techniques that Arthur Miller uses to create dramatic tension in Acts 1&2 of "All My Sons"?

“the back yard of the Keller house in the outskirts of an American town”

This creates a very ordinary sense of a families back garden, however there is an undercurrent of unease as “the stage is hedged from right to left by tall, closely planted poplars which lend the yard a secluded atmosphere”(P.3) making it seem private and narrow minded almost closed off to rest of world almost as if there hiding from the rest of the world while at same time remaining open to neighbours peering eyes and approach by the open driveway which leads into the backyard. As an example of one of Millers use of techniques to his disposal was the use of stage directions. Throughout the act 1, tension/ unease is created from conflicts between characters, especially between the Keller families. The conflicts between the characters occasionally climax to expose a dramatic secret or revelation, however Tension is often broken with the arrival of a new character. For example after the arrival of Ann during act 1 the argument between mother and Keller is soon interrupted. Using this method, Miller often has short breaks of tension that quickly cease to keep the audience hungry for more, thus maintaining a ‘drip feed’ style of revealing information.

1. Jo Keller relaxes in the sunshine of a quiet Sunday Morning reading his newspaper; it’s a picture of normality. Miller use of conversation style creates a sense of normality by using simple plain words. The conversation is short and uneventful about routine things like the weather. The dialogue is ordinary everyday and slow paced, the conversation casually flits almost aimlessly from the weather to newspaper ads to mentioning arrival of a visitor to  a toaster that’s not working  and a doctor answers a patients call .The style of conversation is colloquial , recorded as its spoken , without correct grammar .The subject content not great deep meaningful speeches.  It’s an average day, all the talk is not about any specific subject, but it gives a general sense that there are no particular problems as neighbours walk into the Keller’s garden on a relaxed August Sunday morning. the stage direction Settings convey immediate familiarity, the opening of Act I paints a scene of a leisurely relaxed cosy family garden, in contrast to the recent horrors of  WWII, “the backyard of the Keller household in the outskirts an American town “, the description of the stage set is realistic homely and safe lifelike and not at all theatrical, but a highly familiar setting for the audience. The family backyard setting is an open space set in ‘ordinaryville’ where neighbours feel comfortable just walking into to start conversations. the ordinariness stage setting  is emphasised “it would have cost fifteen thousand”

2. Joe Keller is sitting in a peaceful sunny suburban garden reading a newspaper as ordinary as regular routine relaxed weekend,(p.4) as his neighbour Frank casually walks into his garden he asks “what’s today’s calamity?”. It is telling that Keller replies “I don’t read the news part any more. its more interesting in the want adds”. I believe that Keller only chose to read the want adverts’ and not any news items because he doesn’t like facing reality or the fact that someone is reporting calamities or about crimes that someone’s done wrong .Keller is hiding a deep guilt

3. the stage direction Settings convey immediate familiarity, the opening of Act I paints a scene of a leisurely relaxed cosy family garden, in contrast to the recent horrors of  WWII, “the backyard of the Keller household in the outskirts an American town “, the description of the stage set is realistic homely and safe lifelike and not at all theatrical, but a highly familiar setting for the audience. The family backyard setting is an open space set in ‘ordinaryville’ where neighbours feel comfortable just walking into to start conversations. the ordinariness stage setting  is emphasised “it would have cost fifteen thousand”