By Sydni Dailey
While continuing to read Robert Warrens All the King’s Men, I couldn’t help but think of the comparison to today’s politics. While the novel takes place in the 1930s, so many things about what happens behind the scenes in the political world are similar to today. Willie, the main character who is running for governor, asks Jack, his right hand man, to “find dirt” on his opponents and those who endorse them. Willie wants anything possible to hold against his opponents and possibly swing their voters to his side. In today’s politics whether it be during a debate or on social media between candidates or those who endorse them, everyone is trying to shame the other one. It’s the biggest part of being in that game, in my opinion. While politics should be more so focused on what each candidate believes and how they would help their country for the better, it has always been about who is the better person deep down and what they’ve done in their past. It’s scary that the political world is like this, but at the end of the day it’s very harsh and hard to work in. You have to have really thick skin to work in politics, which––so far––Jack has. While I’m not quite halfway through the book, I have a good feeling that he will be a good right hand man for Willie during his political career. However, with that being said, I also have a weird feeling that Jack will have something to do with the climax and possibly end up on willie’s bad side when all is said and done.
Great American Novels 