Summary The whole royal army
RP Warren
The whole royal army
The events of this novel unfold in the twenties and thirties of this century in the United States of America. The narrative is conducted on behalf of Jack Berden. Berden was born in a well-to-do family in the south, graduated from a prestigious school, studied US history at the University of the State, and later became the right-hand man of Governor Willie Stark. With Willie Stark, Jack Berden met in 1922 in Mason City on behalf of the editor-in-chief of the newspaper to write an article about him. He was born in a poor peasant family, worked on the ground, independently read books on jurisprudence, and then passed the necessary examinations and received the title of lawyer. Some time passes, the newspaper Kronikl publishes a series of articles on corruption in the state, and the name of Willie Stark appears on her pages as a defender of the rights of honest citizens.
At first, Stark works as state treasurer. He participates in the issuance
And yet one fine morning, Willie Stark suddenly wakes up as a candidate for governors, without making any effort. The fact is that in his state there are two main democratic factions. One is headed by Joe Garison, and the other by McMurphy. Joe Garison is a former governor, and McMurphy is the incumbent governor and is running again. Someone from Garison’s team comes up with the idea of nominating a third candidate who, according to their intentions, would have to take away some of the votes from McMurphy. This requires a popular man, and the choice falls on Willie Stark. Willie is courted, they say that he can become a governor, and they drag him into the election race. But one day before his public appearance, Willy learns that they are simply manipulated, used as a pawn in a political game. Having understood what’s what,
The next meeting of Jack Berden and Willie Stark takes place in 1930, when Willie is already in the position of governor. He offers Jack to work in his team. Jack Berden agrees, and from this moment Willie Stark becomes the Master for him. The Boss team also has some interesting personalities: Tiny Duffy, who earlier helped Joe Garison, secretary Sadie Burke and bodyguard driver Rafinad.
Becoming governor, Willie Stark enters the taste, begins to lead a great political game and now thinks not only about the benefits and welfare of his fellow citizens, but also about his own political career. Adored by the crowd, he develops his oratorical abilities, trying to preserve the image of the “people’s defender”, goes to the goal irresistibly and aggressively, using blackmail and corruption. For example, it helps to avoid criminal liability to the State Auditor of Bayram B. White. But he does it not because of his friendship with him, but because he needs to “wipe the nose” of McMurphy, who is now a political competitor to him. As a trump card in his next election campaign, he promises to build an exemplary clinic in the state and does everything possible to realize his plan, while making personal enemies.
Once Stark with his wife and the team comes to the farm to his father, where reporters want to take a few pictures of the governor for newspapers. There he learns that Judge Irwin, who enjoys authority in the city, supports Kelahan, the man of McMurphy who is running for senate, and not Masters, Stark’s protege. That night Willie with her driver and Jack Burden leaves for Berdens Landing, where Judge Irwin lives to talk to him. They can not talk because the judge does not want to change his decision. Then the Boss gives Jack the task to find in the biography of the judge some compromising facts to him so that he can be pressed on him.
Jack Berden begins to seriously dig in the past of Judge Irwin and learns that once, as a state attorney and in a difficult position, trying to save his mortgaged house from the sale, Irwin took a bribe. He also finds the relevant documents confirming this fact. Among the documents is a letter from which it appears that the crime was covered by his friend Senator Stanton, father of Adam and Anna Stanton, friends of Jack’s childhood. Before giving the documents to the Boss, Jack decides to first talk with the judge. Judge Irwin accepts this news courageously and refuses to help Willie Stark, despite the documents compromising him in the eyes of society and law. He also ignores Jack’s personal request. But when Jack Berden leaves, the judge shoots himself and dies. After Judge Irwin’s death, Jack learns from his mother that he was his father.
At about the same time, the troubles of Willie Stark also begin. People McMurphy, who, like Stark, is going to run for the Senate, are launching a campaign against the son of the Governor – Tom Stark, a rising star of American football. Under their pressure the father of one girl comes to Willie Stark and declares that his daughter is expecting a child from Tom. The father understands that the impact of competitors is directed primarily against him, and his son gives a reason for this. The father tries to solve this problem in his own way, that is, he is going to pay off, but he does not have time to do it. On his head a new misfortune strikes. During the match, Tom gets a serious injury to the spine. The question is about his life and death. Adam Stanton, who became a famous surgeon and agreed to become director of the medical complex that Willie Stark is going to build, operates Tom Stark. He pulls Tom out of the arms of death, but he can not save him from paralysis.
Sadie Burke, a devoted secretary and longtime mistress of the Master, learns that Anna Stanton, the sister of Adam’s doctor, childhood friend and youthful love of Jack Berden, is Willy’s mistress. The anger of the impulsive and energetic Sadie knows no bounds and she, via Tiny Duffy, secretly hating the Boss, informs Adam Stanton by telephone that Governor Stark suggested that he become director of a future clinic solely because of his sister that he now wants to remove him from this post, because Adam made his son crippled and because Willie now would like to get rid of Anna, break with her. Adam Stanton, who always referred to Willie Stark as an “upstart” who looked at him from the height of his idealistic moral position, believes what he heard on the phone. Having lost control over himself, he insults his sister and declares that he is forever breaking with her. Catching Willie Stark in the Capitol, he shoots at him and mortally wounded him. Well, Rafinad, the Governor’s bodyguard, kills Adam Stanton.
After the death of Willie Stark, the Governor’s office is occupied by Tiny Duffy. He suggests Jack Berden to work for him, but he refuses and even tries to scare Dafi, telling him that he knows the story with a phone call to Adam and that he can betray her publicity. He really is going to take revenge on Dafee for Stark’s death, but after thinking about it, he does not dare to take this step.
After the funeral of the Boss, Jack Berden leaves for Berdens-Landing, where Anna Stanton lives. Jack settles in the house of Judge Irwin, who bequeathed to him. Anna Stanton, who became his wife, moves to him, as does the former husband of his mother, now an old man whom Jack had long considered his father. But doctors say that the old man will not last long. Jack and Anna want to leave this house after his death and go somewhere far away from Berdens-Landing. Anna Stanton gives her estate to the orphanage, because she can not live in it after the death of her brother. Willy Stark’s wife, Tom Stark’s mother, finds the meaning of life in raising a boy, her grandson, born out of wedlock after the death of her son.