All The King's Men

All The King's MenAll The King's Men

By Robert Penn Warren (1905-1989)

AP EnglishAP English

• HW: Read Ch. 1 of ATKM by Friday

• Notes on ATKM

• Huey Long video

• Journal entry

Journal ResponseJournal Response

• The end justifies the means.

• Agree or disagree? Reasons?

Won the Pulitzer Prize in Won the Pulitzer Prize in 19461946

Jack Burden’s moral Jack Burden’s moral educationeducation

Willie StarkWillie Stark

– Jack’s employer– Some link him with Huey Long,

governor of Louisiana from 1928-32

Huey LongHuey Long

– Former governor of Louisiana– His slogan “Every man a king.”– Nicknamed “Kingfish”– Candidate for President in 1935, but

was shot

Although Warren drew from many sources, there are similarities between Willie Stark and Huey Long but. . . .

Look at the novel as the Look at the novel as the story of the growth of Jack story of the growth of Jack Burden rather than a Burden rather than a biography of Huey Long.biography of Huey Long.

All The King’s MenAll The King’s Men

–What is the allusion?

Humpty DumptyHumpty Dumpty

–Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall

–Humpty Dumpty had a great fall

Humpty DumptyHumpty Dumpty

–All the king’s horses –and all the king’s men–couldn’t put Humpty –together again

The FallThe Fall

–Governing metaphor of the novel.

All The King’s MenAll The King’s Men

–Each major character experiences some kind of fall.

Original sinOriginal sin

–Taints all the characters.

All The King’s MenAll The King’s Men

–All characters are also capable of redemption.

All The King’s MenAll The King’s MenEnd noteEnd note

–Jack began as a minor character, but he took on a life of his own as the novel developed.