Robert Penn Warren’s novel, All the King’s Men depicts the tale of the rise of a political leader named Willie Stark. Many readers have speculated that Warren based Willie Stark’s character on Huey Long, a controversial, political leader from Louisiana who was prominent during the early 1900s. Although Robert Penn Warren has “repeatedly denied that Willie Stark is a fictional portrait of Huey Long,” many aspects of the novel directly correlate to the political career and personal life of Huey Long

of those around them will play out. As the only genuine idealist in the entire book, Lucy Stark is constantly battling reality in order to hold herself and her world together. After Willie’s rise to power, Lucy continuously puts up with his growing drinking problems and infidelity in order to maintain her sense of normality and to create the illusion of a stable family. It is no secret to anyone that Willie is no longer doing right by Lucy, and you can see that in the way Jack talks to Sadie about

Following the trials and tribulations of a seemingly political powerhouse, Willie Starks, Robert Penn Warren’s “All the King’s Men” takes an intriguing twist with the rise of influence in the character of Jack Burden. Although Willie Starks is seemingly the main character of the story, Robert Penn Warren, plays Jack Burden’s evolution in the plot as the pivotal piece to the story. Watching the two of their relationship develop, is the key piece to the plot of the story. Although this novel traces

Over the course of political history in the world, consequentialism, the idea that the morality of an action should be judged merely on its consequences, has always been present in the spans of empires, republics, and sovereigns. The Prince, a composition written by Niccolo Machiavelli detailing the structure and mechanisms of government, first proposed the concept of consequentialism in politics (Machiavelli). This idea is intrinsic to politicians in governments internationally- from the freest

stunning lack of word choice and mercy, is driving Willie Stark, his wife Lucy and son Tom, Jack Burden, Tiny Duffy, and Sadie Burke to Willie’s father’s old farm outside Mason City, which we infer to be the County Seat of Mason County. They make a stop in Mason City for some drinks, and people start crowding around Willie, begging him for a speech. He’s very well respected and popular among these people. They go to the farm and take pictures of Willie; we assume these are for political purposes, as

with his characterization of both Willie Stark and Jack Burden. Warren’s novel is an American classic because it traces the lives of two lost men as each man follows his personalized compass pointing towards complete understanding. After elevating him to unprecedented heights, Willie’s interpretation of truth returns to drag him down to the Underworld. Only when Jack learns that not even Willie can be omnipotent does he stop trying to understand everything. Willie Stark and Jack Burden embody the essence

While Jack gives the pretense of imperviousness, he is sensitive to the signals even as he excuses them. “Doesn’t it all boil down to this? If the government of this state for quite a long time had been doing anything for the folks in it, would Stark…be making so many short cuts to get something done to make up for the time lost all these years in not getting something done?” (125). Jack recognizes that men are corruptible by power, but he justifies this because of the results corruption seems

everything to the heart, no matter how menial the comment or action. He allows his past to rule his life as though history repeats itself without fail. The person allowing the past to repeat itself is Jack, however his so-called best friend Willie shares the blame. Willie is the reason for most of Jack’s misfortunes although Jack always has the option to walk away but never does. The downfall of man will be none other than himself. For example, no critic but the artist who created the work will see each

highways.” This extensive list of the novel’s setting is meaningless without the characters that live and travel within them. In Warren’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, the use of setting is important in revealing characters’, especially Jack Burden and Willie Stark’s, personal opinions and struggles. Burden’s Landing, Jack’s family’s namesake town, is the site in which he grows up and frequently visits. Named in remembrance of his grandfather’s success and popularity among the community, Jack calls the

which can result in critical consequences. Jack Burden, Adam Stanton, Judge Irwin and Willie Stark are characters that with ironic traits. Jack Burden is known as the “student of history” ( Warren 372). The very fact that he is a historian is ironic, as he has come from an aristocratic and reputable family and grew up in Burden’s Landing. However, Jack lacks the ambition needed to excel in life and works for Willie, despite the disapproval of this family. He “not only lacks ambition, but all ‘essential