Deception in All the King's Men

Deception, Burden and "All the Kings Men"

"All the King's Men" is a fictional account of powerful and devious Louisiana politician, Willie Stark. The novel describes, Willie has an earnest, dedicated young man that is fed up with a political system built on patronage, lies, treachery, corruption and unchecked power. Initially, Willie is involved in politics to change the system from within- to remove the corruption and the corruptible. However, as the novel progresses, Willie becomes more and more entrenched within the patriarchy that defines the Louisiana political system. As Willie becomes more mired in the morass, he suddenly realizes that his wide-eyed idealism is unwarranted and indeed even a detriment if Willie wants to make progress within the system. In short, Willie receives a lesson in "Politics 101."

As time progresses, Willie becomes one of the foremost actors within a system that feeds off of corruption, power and political espionage. Indeed, Willie becomes so skillful at mastering a dismal system that he rises to the highest office in the state, that of Louisiana Governor. It is at this point, the reader is introduced to Jack Burden- a former new paper reporter and member of one of the state's preeminent aristocracies. Jack is at first, intrigued by this enigmatic figure present before him. However, he is soon pulled into this dark world of lies, espionage, deceit and political abuse. Jack abandons his initial upbringing, values and background to join Willie and his band of thugs as they engage in ruthless actions to ensure Willie maintains his political power.

"All the King's Men" is a gripping novel that goes to the heart of what politics is truly all about and the picture is anything but ideal. Jack, the main character, forsakes his values, upbringing and his patriarchal nature for the rough and tumble world of Deep South politics. Jack is intrigued and intoxicated by this environment and the trappings that are associated with it. But at what price? What is the cost that Jack must pay for entrance into the great "Southern Dance"? For Jack to reconcile his actions with who he is, Jack must essentially-lie-to himself. Jack considers himself an idealist -- a notion that will be played upon quite extensively throughout this analysis and this idealism is the framework that Jack relies upon to justify his participation within Willie's corrupt enterprise and the values that Jack's family attempted to instill within him. One of the main recurring themes throughout the novel is "deception." Deception can take many forms, one can be deceptive to others and to themselves-each one as damaging as the other. One can also be deceptive to themselves and to others -- the worst paradigm. The concept of deception is no different for Jack in this novel. Jack is deceitful to himself in terms of viewing himself as an idealist while at the same time doing everything in his power to fulfill demands and actions that are anything but representative of the idealist paradigm or construct. This will be the focal point of this analysis.

This analysis will review the main tenants of the literary concept of "deceit"; the various manifestations it can take within a novel and how it can impact the behavior of a character both on the physical and mental levels. During this portion of the analysis, the discussion will divulge into a more psycho-somatic focus within the body politic. Once this logical and mostly theoretical construct has been established, the more narrow examination of Jack's role within the overall plot of "All the King's Men" will be analyzed in relation to this concept of "self-deceit." Jack's ability to be untruthful to himself has drastic implications for his role within Willie's inner circle. Inevitably, Jack becomes Willie' "black-bag" operative, the original "opposition research" developer of his kind as a result of Jack's uncanny ability to compartmentalize what he does for Willie any given day and his moral and ethical upbringing. Lastly, this essay will conclude with an overall assessment of not only the theme of deception prevalent within this novel but how this novel is eerily similar to the current political reality that we as a society face. How politicians are, prima facie, champions of the "people" and will work to change the system from within; however, ultimately, they become part of the system, part of the problem they were sent to originally correct.

Discussion

This section of the analysis will focus on the academic perspective associated with the concept of "Self-Deception"; specifically how this concept applies to literary characters. The various components and remunerations along with the presentations and manifestations of "Self-Deception" are presented here and various questions will be posited that will attempt to link this concept with the actions, behaviors and attitudes of Jack, as the literary text is analyzed within this construct. For now, this portion of the discussion focus on the more theoretical aspects of the paradigm; the more detailed interface between theory and plot integration will follow.

The concept of "Self-Deception" is predicated on the concept of knowledge. Knowledge has various definitions, forms and interpretation. Philosophy, Law, Science have all contributed to the growing debate over what precisely defines knowledge. Epistemological, Phenomenological and Ontological approaches have all been endeavored to adequately construct a working logical paradigm that encompasses all the relevant theories associated with knowledge and its various forms.

With the advent of knowledge comes the presence of information. Indeed you cannot have knowledge without having information. The question inevitably becomes, "What is done with this information?" Undoubtedly, information flows from the external environment. Once information is absorbed into the stream of consciousness it can be modified, transformed or even deleted (Frost 12). Modification can occur when the first lucid thought concerning the nature of the information is formulated within either the conscious or sub-conscious regions of the neural nexus between thoughts and consciousness (Frost 12). An individual's reaction to the nature or content of the information can cause the information to be deleted either as a rational or irrational reaction the presentation of the content of such information (Frost 13).

Information or in the case of Jack Burden, perceived realities of his present political situation is vital to the development of the construct that supports "Self-Deception." The maxim of "ignorance," of not being aware of the existence of specific information-is the crux, the fulcrum of a literary character establishing self-deceit (Fischer 132). Although, one could make a plausible argument that many politicians have perfected this art of creative and convenient ignorance, certainly Willie has. Once information, or the memories they trigger are considered threatening, they are either transformed or deleted-one act's like the events did not happen-this is similar to the concept of "justification" which will be addressed near the conclusion of this section.

The manipulation of thoughts, perceived realities and memory pertaining to an event, action or pattern of behavior leads to an inaccurate perception of events; therefore this perception is correct in the individual's purview; however, incorrect outside this matrix (Frost 13). The concept of self-deception has been described by philosophers as "bad-faith" (Frost 14). Jean-Paul Sartre defined, "bad-faith" as related to an individual's consciousness (Frost 15). The individual's consciousness is predicated on experience. Experience leads to meaning and this meaning defines personal realities. If a concept is presented to an individual numerous times but remains unnoticed by the individual-or at least the individual portends to claim the information remained unnoticed-then the individual is said to have never "experienced" the information therefore it cannot become ingrained within their consciousness.

This seems like the overarching logical construct that outlines the old adage "ignorance of the law is no excuse." Certainly our current political environment is full of incidences that invoke this "convenient ignorance." However, today's modern era defines this as "plausible deniability" or "I do not know how these documents came to be found where they were found" or even further "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is." All of these statements have been uttered by politicians to excuse bad behavior. However, this concept of "Self-Deception" reveals a paradox. How can an individual construct two separate narratives that govern their daily existence? Is it possible for man to devise such a paradigm that allows man to function adequately in one while not forsaking the other? This introduces the concept of "forgetting."

The ability to forget, especially something relevant to the individual, is the hallmark of demonstrating "Self-Deception" (Fingarette 48). Forgetting allows an individual to maintain consistency in thought and in deed (Steffen 10). "Self-Deception" is at its core a psychological concept. "Self Deception" refers to the mental and behavioral aspects of an individual that define a level of self-relatedness (Steffen 119). The ability to "self-relate" is a pivotal aspect of an individual defining their central reality and ultimately allows the individual to act in a manner that is consistent with "self-deception" based on the earlier premise that self-deception is predicated on an individual constructing their own reality. Although the concept of "self-deception" and its literal cousin "self-relation" are purely abstract concepts thus far, there is another underlying contradictory element that is percolating under the surface.

If an individual is cognizant of their actions and demonstrate a level of regret directed toward their behavior or its implications, does this suggest the individual is truly aware of their behavior (i.e. The theoretical "information" defined earlier) and therefore incapable of engaging in "self-deception" at this point? This is a deeply philosophical question to answer, one that escapes the confines of what is analyzed here; however in addressing this question at the margins, will impact the level to which "self-deception" is prevalent and influential throughout the literary analysis involving Jack and Willie -- the professor and the dutiful student. The individual "plays a role"; engages in acting to create a false paradigm that lends itself to the further creation of a false consciousness. Does Jack do this? One could argue that he does, as will be demonstrated, by transforming himself into a political hatchet man after he is introduced to the reader as a clean cut, southern gentleman from well entrenched aristocracy.

Justification is another aspect of "self-deception" (Frost 18). An individual seeks not only consistency but absolution for their actions related to certain degrees of behavior. Therefore, an individual will inevitably seek to create lucid- or at least what the individual considers lucid-justifications for their actions (Wegner 4). This justification will fit within their purview and forgive any derelict behavior. Creating this justification creates a divergence between self and conscious reality for the individual. If the individual perceives himself/herself accurately then there is no disparity; however, an individual excusing bad behavior may create a segmented "reality" where there interpretation of one's self differs from the truth-therein creating a segregated "reality"-and ultimately exacerbating their "self-deception."

The concept of "self-deception" with all of its elements, presentations and deep principles rooted in philosophical existentialistic discussions of realty and how reality relates to self and consciousness remains, inherently, a contradictory premise (Wegner 5). It is hard to logically reconcile the behavior of an individual and their ability to maintain a working, fully functional psychological construct that supports two totally different veins of behavior. There are some that refer to this ability as "compartmentalization." However, is there a fine line between compartmentalizing and being devoid of any emotion, rational or irrational?

This is certainly a valid consideration when considering the broad implications of being able to fully function in a segregated reality where the individual perceives themselves as perfectly normal and operating within a well defined paradigm that excuses behavior that other individuals would find repugnant. So how does this construct related to the main characters in "All the Kings Men"? Does either Jack or Willie engage in "Self Deception"? One would have to initially answer yes to this question given the very nature of politics. A closer examination reveals that Jack Burden experience most, if not all, of the elements defined as part of "self-deception" (Bloom).

Weighed down by the force of history, his family history, Jack ultimately rejects his roots and turns instead to embrace the debauchery that is prevalent within Willie Stark's band of not-so-merry men (Perkins 25). In order for Jack to operate within this paradigm, he must engage in a level of "self-deception" or de minimus "self-rejection" (Booth 118). The remaining portion of this discussion focuses on the interface between the concept of "self-deception: and Jack Burden's role within the plot of "the entire King's Men."

The novel begins with a recounting of the incident where Jack and then Governor Stark are driving along a highway in Mason City. Jack, who at this point is narrating the story, explains how throngs of people showed up to welcome their beloved Governor to their corner of the world (Grimshaw 47). This is the first time, the audience is introduced to Willie Stark and they are met with intense flair and passion from Governor Stark. His uncanny ability to control a crowd, even on a whim, greets the audience within the first few stanzas of the unfolding narrative. It is not to long before the audience first experiences the nature of Jack's relationship with Governor Stark. Jack recounts the portion of the afternoon wherein he and Governor Stark visit the home of Judge Irwin-apparently a prominent judge that endorsed Stark's political opponent (Grimshaw 48). The conversation-if one refers to it as such- becomes hostile, ultimately concluding in Governor Stark and Jack being excommunicated from the Irwin household. Ultimately, Governor Stark requests that Jack find "dirt" on Judge Irwin and instructs him, with stark clarity (no pun intended) to make it "stick" (Grimshaw 49). Herein represents the first evidence of the nature of Jack's relationship with Governor Stark. The politically astute observers would immediately draw the comparison between Jack Burden and the political operatives Charlie Black, Lee Atwater, James Carville and Paul Begala- representatives of those who engage in "opposition research" a clean, antiseptic term to define the very behavior that Mr. Burden must engage upon.

So how does Jack reconcile this behavior to himself? Although it is early in the novel and the plot has yet to fully develop, there are present all of the elements of "self-deception" and they only get stronger as the novel progresses. This first chapter is the initial representation of Jack's ability to construct "justifications" for what he does for Governor Stark. Jack's own narratives support this very supposition. According to Mr. Burden, there is no real "reality"; reality is what can be defined within Jack's own consciousness. This serves a bifurcated purpose. First, it corroborates the presence of Jack creating a "justification" for his actions and second, it beings the process of Jack constructing a segregated "reality" that allows him to operate on a daily measure within two separate paradigms, one being his role in Governor Stark's inner circle with all the actions required of him and second, his knowledge of his own ethics and the philosophical juxtapositions that he must embark upon in order to live with himself. The preceding sections of the narrative entail Governor Stark's rise to power but they also shed critical light on the development of Jack's construct reality that lends itself quite well to the concept of "convenient ignorance."

The description of the period wherein Willie Stark rose to political prominence factors in quite heavily to this analysis of "self-deception" (Mansfield 109). Jack recounts the evolution of Willie Stark from idealistic-some would say ignorant-poor farm boy from the rural sticks to political master. Willie Stark began his career as Mason County Treasurer-Jack, a reporter at the time for the Chronicle followed the spry young politician as he strived to do what all political neophytes attempt to do-change the system and make a difference. However noble this cause is deemed to be there are rarely any instances wherein those who set out to achieve this lofty objective are ever successful. Willie Stark was no exception. Jack tells the story, in detail, of how Willie was run out of political office for being an honest politician, how this lead to him becoming an attorney and eventually a political straw man in a hotly contested Governor's race.

Jack's narrative is an exposition into the evolution of a political icon within the state of Louisiana. Jack traces the development of Willie Stark from neophyte to political powerhouse in a relatively short time span. This is a testament to the evolution of these two characters to exponentially increase their ability to engage in "Self-Deception" (Blair 39). This is clearly evident in the following prose uttered by Jack when he is trying to explain to Willie how to hold a crowd's attention:

Hell, make 'em cry, make 'em laugh, make 'em think you're God-Almighty. Or make 'em mad. Even mad at you. Just stir 'em up, it doesn't matter how or why, and they'll love you and come back for more. Pinch them in the soft place. They aren't alive, most of 'em haven't been alive in twenty years. Hell, their wives have lost their teeth and their shape, and likker won't set on their stomachs, and they don't believe in God, so it's up to you to give 'em something to stir 'em up and make 'em feel again.... But for Sweet Jesus' sake don't try to improve their minds (Warren 21).

The question now becomes, when taking this quote into context from what Jack has already exhibited from the first chapter, to what degree will Jack proceed to continue building this false reality, this false perception of himself as one who keenly understands what needs to be done to connect with an audience? Clearly Jack has experience being the political beat reporter for the Chronicle and it would stand to reason that Jack would have personal knowledge after seeing candidate after candidate on the stump. However, this quote and attitude that it suggests raises another point that warrants some cursory analysis. Jack's background, as a traditional southern aristocrat would never allow such behavior when describing a fellow southerner. Jack seems to be examining the crowd as nothing more than a collection of bacteria that a scientist would conduct experiments upon. Is this part of his bifurcated reality? It could certainly be argued as such. Perhaps Jack is attempting to think like a Willie Stark. Moreover it is Jack that gives Willie the impetus to change his persona on the campaign trail and this persona inevitably leads to the evolution of a very power political figure. This is the evolutionary construct that remains throughout the rest of the narrative-Willie Stark finally realizes how the political system works and furthermore is cognizant of what needs to be done to cultivate any realistic probability of advancing through this system.

As the narrative branches into the political events surrounding Governor Stark's administration it becomes clear that Jack is fully aware of the duality within which he operates and exists on a daily basis. Jack defines it as two distinct worlds; there is the state capital and then Burden's Landing -- the area of Louisiana that bears the name of Jack's ancestors (Gunn 76). This dichotomy harkens back to the questions asked regarding awareness and self-deception (Frost 18). Clearly Jack is aware of what he is doing in the state capital, there is no denying that and clearly he has difficulty dealing with it. Evidently, Jack realizes he does not feel comfortable within either world. Could it be that Jack is unable to complete sever himself from true reality, who he really is and develop a fully functional, yet emotionally devoid, separate reality that allows him to live in a paradigm where he can totally justify his behavior under the auspices of "the ends justify the means"? The inability of Jack to find an emotional or intellectual "home," "home" being defined as a well defined comfort level, within either environment certainly lends credence to this suggestion.

Jack's inability to find a home in either world suggests that Jack is dealing with another problem that is related to the ideas surrounding "self-deception" and that is the added burden of history-Jack's upbringing is a critical component of his evolution into a half-real, half-dogmatic and ultimately conflicted individual. Reverting back to the initial story of Willie, Jack and Judge Irwin, there is an additional element that lends itself quite nicely to this discussion.

After their excommunication from the Irwin residence and Willie gives Jack the order to dig for dirt, Jack asks "What if there is nothing to find"; to wit Willie aptly replies "Trust me, there is always something to find" (Booth 128). This represents a formidable development in the minds of both men. From this moment on, both find view man as a corruptible, self-interested creature who is out to satisfy his own needs, wants and aspirations. Willie has an easier time adopting to this new reality given that he understands the nature of the beast and wants what every new politician wants, more power and career advancement. Jack on the other hand finds difficulty adjusting- at first.

Jack's father, a notable attorney is suggested to be immune from all sorts of temptations, even the ones from the likes of Willie Stark that promise fortune and power (Perkins 112). Jack on the other hand, attempted to instill in himself these values; however due to the fact that he, Jack, has ingrained cynicism in the nature of man-most likely brought about by his biological father being present, has no problems engaging in activities with Willie and does not shriek from the moral consequences of his actions. This willingness to accept the morality of what Jack must do for Willie demonstrates several elements related to the paradigm of "self-deception" (Frost 19).