All The Kings Men
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Submitted by Greenwashington on 06/30/2008 05:21 PM
- Category: Psychology
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All The Kings Men
Advanced Placement English
Period A
Thursday, March 13, 2003
The Role of Dichotomy in All the King's Men
In All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren, many seemingly contradictory themes are introduced. Through the use of these varied themes, Warren is able to set up a pendulum from which the moralities of the protagonists are challenged. It is through the use of a constantly changing present that Warren is able to emphasize the struggles of the protagonists. Warren also employs the use of character doubles that fall under the split themes. Through the use of these dichotomies in moral theme, Warren is able to show the plight of Willie Stark and the growth of Jack Burden.
All the King's Men is the story of the rise and fall of a political titan in the Deep South taking the form of Willie Stark. He rises from the status of a poor uneducated farm boy to become treasure and eventually governor of this imaginary Southern state. He is a very powerful figure; he maintains his power through the use of political blackmail and bullying. Willie is in a constant swinging between altruism and power. It is this constant struggle that defines the existence of Willie. He is very ambitious and it is this that puts his character as a representation of a radical protagonist that foils Jack.
In the beginning of the novel, Willie is portrayed as an altruistic person nearly exemplifying a savior to the people of Mason City.
"There were a good many folks in the store, men in overalls lined up along the soda fountain, and women hanging around the counters where the junk and glory was, and kids hanging on skirts with one hand and clutching ice-cream cones with the other staring out over their own wet noses at the world of men from eyes which resembled painted china marbles. The Boss just stood modestly back of the gang of customers at the soda fountain, with his hat in his hand and the damp...
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