All the King’s Men

Throughout All the King's Men, history plays an important role in the

motivations and lives of all the characters. History's 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 Burden's 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.

"Dirt's a funny thing," the Boss said. "Come to think of it, there ain't a

thing but dirt on this God's green globe except what's under water, and

that's dirt too. It's dirt makes the grass grow. A diamond ain't 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 Murphy's candidate for the

senate, rather than Stark's, 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 Irwin's change in endorsements he plays

along saying, "'Suit yourself, Judge. But you know, there's another way to

play it. Maybe somebody might give Callahan a little shovelful on somebody

else_'"4 When this angle doesn't 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 don't 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