All the King’s Men

Kyle Rempfer

Period 1

English II

Honors Dialecticorial

All the King’s Men - The dialectical journal.

Passage 1: In this first passage the author describes the scenic views of the rolling countryside as he and Willie Stark drive to Mason City for some quick press photos at Willies old house. The author spends a great deal of time in this passage detailing the landscape and introducing figures. The entire passage reminds me of the time in which I was driving out to Arizona this summer with my family. Our drive as was the one in the book was highly defined by the apparition of rolling country hills, thick forestry, and a surreal sort of feeling that hung over the car’s atmosphere. As in the book were the main character Jack Burden pondered issues of his life as he gazed at the scenery I did the same thing. Over the drive I examined things in life and thought about whom I wanted to be and where I wanted to go in my life.

Passage 2: In this passage Willie Stark arrives at Judge Irwin’s home to question the judge on why he has decided to endorse a man running against another man that Willie has groomed for the position state senate. Willie threatens the well being of the judges family and his job by saying that Jack Burden will dig up some dirt on him and stick it to him if he does not endorse Willies candidate. The judge reacts bitterly toward this and throws Willie out of the house. This passage reflects the corruptness of politics in my eyes. Here there is a man whom has retracted an endorsement of another man due to the clear fact that he is the wrong man for the job. Then comes a political bully (Willie) whom clearly threatens the man into endorseing his candidate. Still the Judge refuses and then in doing so puts his job and credibility to risk at the hands of a political bully.

Passage 3: This passage recalls an event that rose Willie to fame in his local home. A contract was being given out to the highest bidder to build a new school in Mason City. Willie voted for the contract to be given to a well respected but lower bidder contractor. The higher up city officials did not like Willies plan and spread rumors that this lower bidder would import black labor. Being the middle of Red-neck country the town voted against Willies idea. This portrays once more the sad trodden over under dog in politics. The man whom was the lower bidder was a better contractor for the job because one could tell that he would not shirk responsibility and spend less money on the school than which was need to make it safe. However the higher bidders had friends in senior places in the state senate and were of course richer. This displays how even with the best intentions in life and politics there is always one out there who will play dirtier than you and do whatever it takes to ensure their way is the only way accepted by the people.

Passage 4: This is a disheartening passage in which the higher bidder for the building of the new school in the passage before had paid for faulty building structure ( as Willie expected) to keep more revenue from the project for himself. Then during a fire drill at the school a fire escape collapsed due to poor construction and killed three students. At the funeral for the boys a father approached Willie saying that he had been punished by god for voting against an honest man. Willie then became a local hero. This passage relates the simple theme in many children’s books and such that the nice guys don’t always have to finish last. Although the accident was terrible it turned around the town and made people start viewing the higher up officials of their town as more corrupt politicians.

Passage 5: This passage once again reflects on Willies younger years as he works on his father farm by the day and at night he attends law classes and stays up late at night to work on his law studies. He studies diligently until one day he finally takes the state bar exam. Willie ends up passing with flying colors and receives a license to practice law. Willie with more strenuous work opens up his first law firm and begins his rise to fame. Through this passage I feel that the author is trying to say that hard work and diligent studies will in the end help one prevail over all their dreams and accomplish all their hopes. Although Willie at this point in his political career was shunned by all for past positions he had held regarding city finances he continued to strive toward acceptance by his political peers and eventually won it.

Passage 6: This is an interesting passage because it reflects more upon the past of jack burden rather than Willie. Jack was an extraordinary Historian and had been trying