His isolation only grows worse as the play continues as he alone cannot recognise the pain he is causing for his family.
Eddie's flaw also isolates him from the rest of the family: as soon as he sees the way that Catherine looks at Rodolpho, we sense that the catalyst of the 'submarines' arrival will bring about an 'explosion' in the Carbone household. Miller reinforces Eddie's flaw of obsessive jealousy as he watches the young couple dance to 'Paper Doll' . Here, Miller cleverly conveys Eddie's spiralling jealousy through the symbolism in this dance tune. The words of the song are a striking metaphor for the control that Eddie wants to have over Catherine so he can protect her. Catherine however feels that she no longer wants to be a vulnerable and fragile doll and wants to grow up, marry and become a woman. .
As the play goes on, Eddie reveals to Alfieri that Rodolpho is 'stealing' from him – another indication that from his flawed viewpoint he sees Catherine as a possession almost and cannot stand to think of someone else 'owning her' Eddie's visit to Alfieri also vividly depicts his 'fatal flaw'. Alfieri plats the role of a Greek chorus in a more conventional tragedy. Miller uses this technique in order to let us see how distorted Eddie's perception of events has become. He desperately wants to prove that the 'guy ain't right' and that he's 'only bowin' to his passport'. Miller uses imagery here to emphasise Alfieri's rising feeling of horror as he realises that Eddie's feelings for his niece are 'too much'. He uses the metaphor of a figure walking down a hallway towards 'a certain door' to reintroduce Eddie's isolation in a tragedy of his own making. .
In this, as in any other tragedy, the fatal flaw can lead to only one conclusion :like Alfieri, we are forced to watch 'powerless' as Eddie's overwhelming feelings which he is unable to admit to, drive him onwards towards his downfall.
