Christie #4

In Chapters 8 and 9 of All the King's Men, much drama transpires, at a sharp contrast to the first few chapters, which were full of memories and lacking action. In this refreshing and overwhelming section, Jack finds out about Anne and Willie, relives his past with Anne, Tom is nearly killed and accused of impregnating a teenage girl, said girl is used as a pawn in the political war between Talos and MacMurfee, the Judge commits suicide, Jack discovers the identity of his father, Adam kills Willie, and Sugar Boy kills Adam. However, in the midst of all the sitcom-esque drama, the most important revelation is that Jack is not, in fact, heartless. When he learns of the death of his true father at the hand of unbearable guilt inflicted by Jack himself, the isolated, detached, indifferent Jack Burden gives way to someone strikingly, painfully human. Although Jack does not directly express much emotion regarding the loss of both the Judge and the Scholarly Attorney, for he feels it irrelevant as they are both dead and gone, we see glimpses of guilt, confusion, sorrow, and conflict within him. When he learns of his inheritance and is struck full in the face by the sheer irony of the situation, Jack laughs a twisted, mirthless, exhausted laugh and writes "It was like the ice breaking up after a long winter, and the winter had been long" (pg 494). While he may simply be referring to his laughter after a long time without it, the long winter could also refer to the coldness and numbness of his heart, that finally shattered. The breaking of the ice shell around Jack's heart is the most subtle and significant revelation of this section of the book.