All The King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren
Summary
This book is about the rise and fall of an American dictator. This book also has many excursions into the past. For example Chapter 1 starts out in 1936 and then chapter 2 in 1922 to 1936, showing how Willie became a political figure. Then in Chapter 4 the story goes to 1918 where it shows Jack Burden as a graduate student. These flashes of the past help the reader to get a better understanding of the characters. In the beginning a man named Jack Burden is remembering a road trip that he took with Willie Stark, Tom Stark, and Lucy Stark in 1933. Willie Stark becomes a political figure after overcoming poverty. He forces taxes on the rich and tries to help the poor farmers. One of his enemies Sam MacMurfee, constantly tries his best to subvert Willie’s political powers. Jack Burden becomes the helper Willie Stark, and uses his intelligence of history to find Stark’s enemies. Later, in the story Jack is faced with a task that will change him forever. Willie asks him to look for bones in the closet of Judge Irwin’s. While looking in the closet, Jack finds out that Judge Irwin accepted an offering and that the governor helped him to keep it a secret. Irwin kills himself because of this. After this killing Jack realized that Irwin was his true father all along and that Ellis Burden, his supposed true father left him. Governor Stanton is employed at a hospital that Willie is building and Anne and Willie begin to have a secret affair with each other. Stanton then kills Willie because he is angry. Later, Jack and Anne get married and Jack writes a book about Cass Mastern.
Character Analysis
Jack Burden- The protagonist of the story. He was a former journalist and the narrator of the story. He is Willie’s sidekick and assistant. He is very intelligent and knows many important people in the state of Louisiana. He discovers many secrets about Willie’s enemies. Jack has a hard time seeing himself as someone of importance. He mostly takes order from Willie. Jack develops the Great Twitch theory, where he says no one is responsible for anything that happens. However as the story progresses he starts to accept the idea that people need to be responsible for their own actions. Part of Jack’s journey in the story is to make sense of his own past. At the end of the story Jack marries his true love Anne Stanton, and he begins to work for an honest politician named Hugh Miller. The story is a happy ending for Jack, he gets the girl.
Willie Stark- He comes out of poverty to become a governor of Louisiana. He is very complicated man. He manipulative and acts like a king. He speaks to the people and becomes very popular among them. Throughout the story we see a transformation of man who is a humble, honest man to a man who drinks a lot, blackmails and has affairs nearly overnight. Even though with these qualities Willie really does want to help the state and be a good governor. He becomes a hero to the state of Louisiana by fulfilling his promises. Eventually, Willie has a tragic ending when his affair with Anne is found out by Adam. Stanton then kills Willie out of rage and anger. This novel demonstrates the reality of morals and the problems that it can cause if not interpreted the right way. Willie basically becomes a tragic hero in the end of the story.
Adam Stanton- He is the childhood friend of Jacks’s and brilliant surgeon. He is also the brother of Stanton. Jack asks Adam to push past his morals and become the director of the new hospital that Willie is building. At first Adam is unsure about this offer. When he learns about the affair between Willie and his sister Anne he kills Willie in the lobby of the capital. In the novel Jack and Adam can be considered opposites. While Jack is a moral relativist, Adam is a moral abolitionist. He also figured that his father protected Judge Irwin after he took a bribe. From the readers perspective it seems like Adam is the novel’s hero. However, when he commits murder by killing Willie it shows that he also has a dark side. Later, in the story he cares for Tom Stark after he has an injury. Adam has a lot of ambition.
Anne Stanton- She is the sister of Adam Stanton and had an affair with Willie. She is also Jack’s first love. They separated when she didn’t like Jack’s lack of determination. She is also the daughter of Governor Stanton. She was raised to believe in strict morals. However, when she finds out of her father’s misdeeds she is devastated. She is a strong, determined and courageous woman. In the novel she is mostly working at a children’s home. She likes Willie because he is very ambitious unlike Jake. Anne is very southern. She was sheltered from society for years. Because Jack is the narrator of the story we only see Jack’s perspective of Anne. In this tragic story she is the only hope. She is amazing and is trying to make the world a better place. After the death of her brother and Willie she marries Jack and they live happily ever after.
Judge Irwin- He is Jack’s father and a political figure. He is one of the main conflicts that occur in the story. Willie tells Jack to find information of Irwin. When he was the state attorney Irwin was in an incredible amount of debt, so he decided to take a bribe in return for money. He dismissed a case against the Southern Belle Fuel Company. Jack then confronts his father with his findings and then states he will tell everyone about his bribe. Because of this Judge Irwin is forced to commit suicide by shooting himself in the heart, believing that there were no more options for him. It was after Judge Irwin’s death that Jack’s mother revealed to him the true identity of Judge Irwin, that he in fact all along was his real father. Jack is very upset that this was kept a secret from him for so many long years.
Setting
In the novel All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren, the exact location and time of the story isn’t stated, but you know that you are in the South geographically, and after process of elimination you can determine that the location where most of the events occur is in Louisiana, and the time period is from 1810 to 1939, most events occur during the 1920s’ and 1930s’. Other locations that are play large rolls in this story are Kentucky, Mississippi, Texas, Arizona, and California, so it is a very southern story geographically. We know Louisiana is where the bulk of the novel is set not only through the process of elimination but also through the character of Huey Long, who plays an important role and was the former Governor of Louisiana. Also, there was a southern state which goes unnamed, the only information we have is that it is on the Gulf of Mexico, and we know that it isn’t Texas, Mississippi, or Florida. We know it isn’t Texas or Mississippi because both of these states are mentioned. Florida is also not an option because it just doesn’t fit geographically with the story. So that leaves Alabama and Louisiana, and there is absolutely not evidence for Alabama. The time period for this novel largely depends on the memory of Jack. It is not a linear narrative because it dips in and out of time according to his memory, but, at each place in the book a date is given, so even though the dates jump around from several years, you always know exactly where you are. One thing that all the years have in common is the Great Depression. The time period of this book was during the time period of the Great Depression and that largely influenced the book.
Types of Conflict
Man vs. Society- Willie is facing society in order to become the governor. He must make sure that the people like him, or his plan will not work.
Man Vs. Man- A man named Sam MacMurfee, one of Willie’s enemies does everything in his power to try and make sure that Willie does not gain power. He is one of the many enemies that Willie has throughout the novel.
Major Themes
Time- This is a very important theme throughout the novel. Time is talked about and repeated hundreds of times throughout the novel, the author did this to show it’s importance. Almost the entire novel is written in the past.
The Old South and the New South- A conflict between the old world and the new modern world is described many times throughout the novel. The aristocracy and the government opposition towards each other play a major role in the novel’s meaning and tone. In writing the book the author also put is own opinion in as well.
Change- Transformation is another significant theme in the novel. Over the course of the novel we see each character develop and mature. America also changes in the novel as well.
Symbols
The Great Twich- This was a theory that Jack came up with. He believes that everything is controlled by an impulse and that nobody is responsible for their own actions so they therefore don’t have to suffer the consequences from them. Later, in the book Jack realizes that his theory is wrong, and that people are responsible for the things they say and do.
Spider Web- Everyone is connected in some way or another. By touching the web you can affect many people.
The Great Sleep- Twice in the novel Jack experiences this occurrence. At first Jack is unsure on what to do with his new found knowledge. His body completely shuts down until he can come to terms what has happened to him.
Picture/image
(above)
Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgJC4Pu_tbo
Source
"All the King's Men." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/kingsmen/summary.html>.
"All the King's Men." Shmoop. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.shmoop.com/all-the-kings-men/>.
"All the King's Men Characters." Study Guides & Essay Editing. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.gradesaver.com/all-the-kings-men/study-guide/character-list/>
Summary
This book is about the rise and fall of an American dictator. This book also has many excursions into the past. For example Chapter 1 starts out in 1936 and then chapter 2 in 1922 to 1936, showing how Willie became a political figure. Then in Chapter 4 the story goes to 1918 where it shows Jack Burden as a graduate student. These flashes of the past help the reader to get a better understanding of the characters. In the beginning a man named Jack Burden is remembering a road trip that he took with Willie Stark, Tom Stark, and Lucy Stark in 1933. Willie Stark becomes a political figure after overcoming poverty. He forces taxes on the rich and tries to help the poor farmers. One of his enemies Sam MacMurfee, constantly tries his best to subvert Willie’s political powers. Jack Burden becomes the helper Willie Stark, and uses his intelligence of history to find Stark’s enemies. Later, in the story Jack is faced with a task that will change him forever. Willie asks him to look for bones in the closet of Judge Irwin’s. While looking in the closet, Jack finds out that Judge Irwin accepted an offering and that the governor helped him to keep it a secret. Irwin kills himself because of this. After this killing Jack realized that Irwin was his true father all along and that Ellis Burden, his supposed true father left him. Governor Stanton is employed at a hospital that Willie is building and Anne and Willie begin to have a secret affair with each other. Stanton then kills Willie because he is angry. Later, Jack and Anne get married and Jack writes a book about Cass Mastern.
Character Analysis
Jack Burden- The protagonist of the story. He was a former journalist and the narrator of the story. He is Willie’s sidekick and assistant. He is very intelligent and knows many important people in the state of Louisiana. He discovers many secrets about Willie’s enemies. Jack has a hard time seeing himself as someone of importance. He mostly takes order from Willie. Jack develops the Great Twitch theory, where he says no one is responsible for anything that happens. However as the story progresses he starts to accept the idea that people need to be responsible for their own actions. Part of Jack’s journey in the story is to make sense of his own past. At the end of the story Jack marries his true love Anne Stanton, and he begins to work for an honest politician named Hugh Miller. The story is a happy ending for Jack, he gets the girl.
Willie Stark- He comes out of poverty to become a governor of Louisiana. He is very complicated man. He manipulative and acts like a king. He speaks to the people and becomes very popular among them. Throughout the story we see a transformation of man who is a humble, honest man to a man who drinks a lot, blackmails and has affairs nearly overnight. Even though with these qualities Willie really does want to help the state and be a good governor. He becomes a hero to the state of Louisiana by fulfilling his promises. Eventually, Willie has a tragic ending when his affair with Anne is found out by Adam. Stanton then kills Willie out of rage and anger. This novel demonstrates the reality of morals and the problems that it can cause if not interpreted the right way. Willie basically becomes a tragic hero in the end of the story.
Adam Stanton- He is the childhood friend of Jacks’s and brilliant surgeon. He is also the brother of Stanton. Jack asks Adam to push past his morals and become the director of the new hospital that Willie is building. At first Adam is unsure about this offer. When he learns about the affair between Willie and his sister Anne he kills Willie in the lobby of the capital. In the novel Jack and Adam can be considered opposites. While Jack is a moral relativist, Adam is a moral abolitionist. He also figured that his father protected Judge Irwin after he took a bribe. From the readers perspective it seems like Adam is the novel’s hero. However, when he commits murder by killing Willie it shows that he also has a dark side. Later, in the story he cares for Tom Stark after he has an injury. Adam has a lot of ambition.
Anne Stanton- She is the sister of Adam Stanton and had an affair with Willie. She is also Jack’s first love. They separated when she didn’t like Jack’s lack of determination. She is also the daughter of Governor Stanton. She was raised to believe in strict morals. However, when she finds out of her father’s misdeeds she is devastated. She is a strong, determined and courageous woman. In the novel she is mostly working at a children’s home. She likes Willie because he is very ambitious unlike Jake. Anne is very southern. She was sheltered from society for years. Because Jack is the narrator of the story we only see Jack’s perspective of Anne. In this tragic story she is the only hope. She is amazing and is trying to make the world a better place. After the death of her brother and Willie she marries Jack and they live happily ever after.
Judge Irwin- He is Jack’s father and a political figure. He is one of the main conflicts that occur in the story. Willie tells Jack to find information of Irwin. When he was the state attorney Irwin was in an incredible amount of debt, so he decided to take a bribe in return for money. He dismissed a case against the Southern Belle Fuel Company. Jack then confronts his father with his findings and then states he will tell everyone about his bribe. Because of this Judge Irwin is forced to commit suicide by shooting himself in the heart, believing that there were no more options for him. It was after Judge Irwin’s death that Jack’s mother revealed to him the true identity of Judge Irwin, that he in fact all along was his real father. Jack is very upset that this was kept a secret from him for so many long years.
Setting
In the novel All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren, the exact location and time of the story isn’t stated, but you know that you are in the South geographically, and after process of elimination you can determine that the location where most of the events occur is in Louisiana, and the time period is from 1810 to 1939, most events occur during the 1920s’ and 1930s’. Other locations that are play large rolls in this story are Kentucky, Mississippi, Texas, Arizona, and California, so it is a very southern story geographically. We know Louisiana is where the bulk of the novel is set not only through the process of elimination but also through the character of Huey Long, who plays an important role and was the former Governor of Louisiana. Also, there was a southern state which goes unnamed, the only information we have is that it is on the Gulf of Mexico, and we know that it isn’t Texas, Mississippi, or Florida. We know it isn’t Texas or Mississippi because both of these states are mentioned. Florida is also not an option because it just doesn’t fit geographically with the story. So that leaves Alabama and Louisiana, and there is absolutely not evidence for Alabama. The time period for this novel largely depends on the memory of Jack. It is not a linear narrative because it dips in and out of time according to his memory, but, at each place in the book a date is given, so even though the dates jump around from several years, you always know exactly where you are. One thing that all the years have in common is the Great Depression. The time period of this book was during the time period of the Great Depression and that largely influenced the book.
Types of Conflict
Man vs. Society- Willie is facing society in order to become the governor. He must make sure that the people like him, or his plan will not work.
Man Vs. Man- A man named Sam MacMurfee, one of Willie’s enemies does everything in his power to try and make sure that Willie does not gain power. He is one of the many enemies that Willie has throughout the novel.
Major Themes
Time- This is a very important theme throughout the novel. Time is talked about and repeated hundreds of times throughout the novel, the author did this to show it’s importance. Almost the entire novel is written in the past.
The Old South and the New South- A conflict between the old world and the new modern world is described many times throughout the novel. The aristocracy and the government opposition towards each other play a major role in the novel’s meaning and tone. In writing the book the author also put is own opinion in as well.
Change- Transformation is another significant theme in the novel. Over the course of the novel we see each character develop and mature. America also changes in the novel as well.
Symbols
The Great Twich- This was a theory that Jack came up with. He believes that everything is controlled by an impulse and that nobody is responsible for their own actions so they therefore don’t have to suffer the consequences from them. Later, in the book Jack realizes that his theory is wrong, and that people are responsible for the things they say and do.
Spider Web- Everyone is connected in some way or another. By touching the web you can affect many people.
The Great Sleep- Twice in the novel Jack experiences this occurrence. At first Jack is unsure on what to do with his new found knowledge. His body completely shuts down until he can come to terms what has happened to him.
Picture/image
(above)
Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgJC4Pu_tbo
Source
"All the King's Men." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/kingsmen/summary.html>.
"All the King's Men." Shmoop. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.shmoop.com/all-the-kings-men/>.
"All the King's Men Characters." Study Guides & Essay Editing. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2013.
<http://www.gradesaver.com/all-the-kings-men/study-guide/character-list/>