Willie Stark as Huey Long Essay -- Literary Analysis, Robert Penn War

Robert Penn Warren’s novel, All the King’s Men depicts the tale of the rise of a political leader named Willie Stark. Many readers have speculated that Warren based Willie Stark’s character on Huey Long, a controversial, political leader from Louisiana who was prominent during the early 1900s. Although Robert Penn Warren has â€Å"repeatedly denied that Willie Stark is a fictional portrait of Huey Long,† many aspects of the novel directly correlate to the political career and personal life of Huey Long (Payne). Robert Penn Warren creates a character whose experiences and political career directly correlate to the events in Huey Long’s life. The speculations that Willie Stark is a fictional representation of Huey Long are indisputable due to the events in the novel and the characterization of Willie Stark, Huey Long came from a humble background. His father, Huey Pierce Long, Sr. was a â€Å"livestock farmer† from Winn Parish, one of the â€Å"poorest parishes in a very poor state† (Hueylong.com). Willie Stark also hailed from a modest background. Penn describes Willie as a â€Å"red-faced and red-necked farm boy† demonstrating humble roots similar to those of Huey Long (7, Warren). Willie also comes from a low class family, which enables him to identify with the common man of society. For example, during his impromptu speech in front of the convenient store, Willie uses Germanic diction and speaks to the â€Å"folks† in the town of his being called to â€Å"come home† and the importance of roots (16-17). Huey and Willie’s upbringings are clearly a connection between the two men and directly impact their personalities and decisions that they make throughout their lives. Perhaps a more concrete example of the association between the fictional Will... ... described as a man whoâ€Å"bathes daily in a swamp of corruption, including casual infidelity† (Keller). Willie Stark’s actual death in the novel symbolizes Huey Long’s â€Å"death† in the election for mayor following the unveiling of his less than acceptable actions. Although Robert Penn Warren denies the assumptions that Willie Stark was created as a fictional representation of Huey Long, the correlations between the novel, All the King’s Men and Huey Long’s life are indisputable. Warren’s development of Willie Stark’s character perfectly mimics Huey Long through his political advances, his sexual indiscretions, his personality, and his assassination in the Capital building. The historical parallels shine clearly throughout the plot of the novel, but the internal detail of All the King’s Men clearly demonstrates the connections between Huey Long and Willie Stark. Willie Stark as Huey Long Essay -- Literary Analysis, Robert Penn War Robert Penn Warren’s novel, All the King’s Men depicts the tale of the rise of a political leader named Willie Stark. Many readers have speculated that Warren based Willie Stark’s character on Huey Long, a controversial, political leader from Louisiana who was prominent during the early 1900s. Although Robert Penn Warren has â€Å"repeatedly denied that Willie Stark is a fictional portrait of Huey Long,† many aspects of the novel directly correlate to the political career and personal life of Huey Long (Payne). Robert Penn Warren creates a character whose experiences and political career directly correlate to the events in Huey Long’s life. The speculations that Willie Stark is a fictional representation of Huey Long are indisputable due to the events in the novel and the characterization of Willie Stark, Huey Long came from a humble background. His father, Huey Pierce Long, Sr. was a â€Å"livestock farmer† from Winn Parish, one of the â€Å"poorest parishes in a very poor state† (Hueylong.com). Willie Stark also hailed from a modest background. Penn describes Willie as a â€Å"red-faced and red-necked farm boy† demonstrating humble roots similar to those of Huey Long (7, Warren). Willie also comes from a low class family, which enables him to identify with the common man of society. For example, during his impromptu speech in front of the convenient store, Willie uses Germanic diction and speaks to the â€Å"folks† in the town of his being called to â€Å"come home† and the importance of roots (16-17). Huey and Willie’s upbringings are clearly a connection between the two men and directly impact their personalities and decisions that they make throughout their lives. Perhaps a more concrete example of the association between the fictional Will... ... described as a man whoâ€Å"bathes daily in a swamp of corruption, including casual infidelity† (Keller). Willie Stark’s actual death in the novel symbolizes Huey Long’s â€Å"death† in the election for mayor following the unveiling of his less than acceptable actions. Although Robert Penn Warren denies the assumptions that Willie Stark was created as a fictional representation of Huey Long, the correlations between the novel, All the King’s Men and Huey Long’s life are indisputable. Warren’s development of Willie Stark’s character perfectly mimics Huey Long through his political advances, his sexual indiscretions, his personality, and his assassination in the Capital building. The historical parallels shine clearly throughout the plot of the novel, but the internal detail of All the King’s Men clearly demonstrates the connections between Huey Long and Willie Stark.