All The King's Men: Man As A Slave To Knowledge
In Robert Penn Warren's novel, All the King's Men, Jack Burden
states, “The end of man is knowledge, but there is one thing a man can't
know. He can't know whether knowledge will save him or kill him (9).”
Jack's statement reveals that man is enslaved by knowledge. Familiar
sayings such as, “Ignorance is bliss,” and, “what you don't know can't hurt
you” also state this point. Examples of knowledge enslaving man are seen in
the novel through the characters of Willie Stark, Adam Stanton and Jack
Burden.
Willie Stark is a character that attempts to conquer knowledge,
even though in the end, he is overcome by the forces of knowledge. Willie
did not want to be a slave to knowledge, but ...
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He is saying that everyone has
something to hide, a skeleton in the closet. Stark knows that everyone has
some bit of knowledge to hide, and that the knowledge makes man a slave as
he tries to hide the bit of knowledge. Stark often wields the power of
knowledge to enslave others to do his bidding. He finds the dirt on someone,
the secret bit of dark knowledge, and then has them do his bidding. When a
certain Byram B. White tried to get rich, Stark had him sign an undated
resignation form to hold him in his power. Willie said himself, “Well, I
fixed Byram. I fixed him so his unborn great-grandchildren will wet their
pants on this anniversary and not know why (136).” Also, Stark manipulates
people with knowledge, telling them what they want to hear. “Under the
picture was the legend: My study is the heart of the people. In quotation
marks, and signed, Willie Stark (6).” Willie Stark studies people, rather,
voters, and what they want to hear from him. When the people hear what ...
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father. He works to be the best in the medical
profession, becoming a surgeon. Adam often spends his free time practicing
the piano, again trying to become perfect. Jack said that “most of the time
when I was at Adam's apartment he would be at the piano (101).” Adam's life,
however, is affected by the knowledge of his father's corruption. When Jack
gives a photostat incriminating Governor Stanton to Anne, Adam's sister,
she then shows it to Adam. “I gave them to him—those things—and he read
them and then he just stood there—he didn't move—he didn't make a sound—and
his face was white as a sheet and I could hear him breathing (253).” His
most basic belief that his father was perfect and ...
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All The King's Men: Man As A Slave To Knowledge. (2004, March 6). Retrieved April 18, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/All-Kings-Men-Man-Slave-Knowledge/4119
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"All The King's Men: Man As A Slave To Knowledge." Essayworld.com. March 6, 2004. Accessed April 18, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/All-Kings-Men-Man-Slave-Knowledge/4119.
"All The King's Men: Man As A Slave To Knowledge." Essayworld.com. March 6, 2004. Accessed April 18, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/All-Kings-Men-Man-Slave-Knowledge/4119.
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