Essay About Willie Stark And Funny Thing

All the King’s Men
Essay title: All the King’s Men
Throughout All the Kings Men, history plays an important role in the
motivations and lives of all the characters. Historys importance is most
noticeable, not surprisingly, in the story main characters – Willie Stark
and Jack Burden – whose lives focus on and, in some cases, depend upon
history and how they relate themselves to it. While Willie Stark views
history as a tool with which to manipulate people for his own ends, an
attitude resulting in his own destruction, Jack Burdens view of history
changes over time and eventually allows him to accept his relationship to
the past and, therefore, present. Since each man has such a differing view
it is no wonder that history becomes important to each in different ways.
Willie Stark must support his entire empire in a world of enemies and
corruption, to do this he relies on the past to provide him with the
foundation.
“Dirts a funny thing,” the Boss said. “Come to think of it, there aint a
thing but dirt on this Gods green globe except whats under water, and
thats dirt too. Its dirt makes the grass grow. A diamond aint a thing in
the world but a piece of dirt that got awful hot. God-a-Mighty picked up a
handful of dirt and blew on it and made you and me and George Washington
and mankind blessed in faculty and apprehension. It all depends on what you
do with the dirt.”1 In this case, Stark is referring to the past as dirt –
something to be used in many ways. The way he chooses to use it of course
is as blackmail; “Then he would lean suddenly forward, at the man, and say,
not slow and easy now, God damn you, do you know what I can do to you?
And he could too. For he had the goods.”2 Thus history is important to
Stark as the device by which he maintains power.
Both Stark and Burden use history differently according to the way it
figures into their lives. To Stark, ultimate power being paramount, history
is a thing to be used in the manipulation of others to achieve his own ends.
For example, when Judge Irwin decides to endorse Murphys candidate for the
senate, rather than Starks, Stark views it as the perfect occasion for the
manipulation of the judge through blackmail, both directly and indirectly.
When he discovers the reason for Irwins change in endorsements he plays
along saying, “Suit yourself, Judge. But you know, theres another way to
play it. Maybe somebody might give Callahan a little shovelful on somebody
else_”4 When this angle doesnt work, the next thing Stark tries is direct
manipulation of the Judge himself:The Boss said, “Well, Jackie, it looks
like you got a job cut out for you.”And I said, “Callahan?”And he said,
“Nope, Irwin.” And I said, “I dont reckon you will find anything on
Irwin.” And he said, “You find it.”5
Stark also manipulates others through their pasts for his own gain,
although this time on a much grander scale, when he quiets the Legislature
which threatens to impeach him. For days Stark speaks around the state to
gain public support; and for nights he speaks around an envelope of
incriminating evidence to gain political support, or rather, subservience.
When finally Stark has achieved