Looking at Joe Keller.

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Joe Keller, the chief character, is a man who loves his family above else, and has sacrificed everything including his honour, in his struggle to make the family prosper. He is now sixty one. He has lost one son in the war, and is keen to see his remaining son, Chris, marry. Chris wishes to marry Ann, the former fiancée of his brother, Larry. Their mother, Kate believes Larry still to be alive. It is this belief, which has enabled her, for three and a half years, to support Joe by concealing her knowledge of a dreadful crime he has committed.

His father, Joe Keller, was head of business, which made aero-engine parts. When one night, the production line began to turn out cracked cylinder heads, the night foreman had alerted Joe’s deputy manager, Steve Deever as he arrived at work Steve telephoned Joe at home, to ask what to do. Worried by the lost production and not seeing the consequences of his decision, Joe told Steve to weld over the cracks. He said that he would take responsibilities for this, but could not come to work, as he had influenza. Several weeks later twenty-one aeroplanes crashed on the same day, killing the pilots.

Investigation revealed the fault in the cylinder heads, and Steve and Joe were arrested and convicted. On appeal, Joe denied Steve’s true version of events, convinced the court he knew nothing of what had happened, and was released from prison.

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Before his last flight, Larry wrote to his fiancée, Ann, Steve’s daughter. He had read of his fathers and Steve’s arrest. Now he was planning suicide

Three and a half years later, Ann has told no-one of this letter. Kate Keller knows her husband to be guilty of the death of the pilots and has convinced herself that Larry is alive. She will not believe him dead, as this involves the further belief that Joe has caused his own Son’s death. She expects Larry to return, and keeps his room exactly as it was when he left home. ...

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