All The King's Men Justice Analysis

All actions can be rationalized so long as they are done for the sake of justice.For the definition of justice is up to the definer. In the novel All the King’s Men violence and vengeance constitute justice. Through actions of violence, one can receive vengeance, and as a result of this justice can be obtained.Warren explores the theme of justice and reveals how it is perverted by greed, for out of one’s selfish desires comes violence; violence which is see as redemption, but also characterizes irrationality, suggesting that the meaning of justice is in the eye of the beholder

Throughout the novel justice is defined as vengeance, allowing the actors to justify carrying out their malintentions. Jack Burden, the leading character, argues that “a man has to sell his soul to get the power to do good” (Warren 600).Through this, the author presents the concept that good must come out of bad, in this instance for fairness and justice to come, there must be vengeance. The idea of selling one’s soul symbolizes selling one’s goodness, and the power that is given is

For one’s own selfish motives are what drive them to seek the justice that they desire. Jack’s theory on justice reveals a level of irrationality within him, by claiming that vengeance is the only path to justice he claims that out of selfish and subjective acts of passion, fairness and equality can be achieved.This reveals without a specific code for whether or not an action just or unjust individuals discern what constituents justice based off of their own opinion.For, one’s own experiences can blur the meaning of justice, creating a bias point of view in the individual. After learning that he had taken his sister’s virginity, Adam Stanton shoots Willie Stark. Jack Burden describes the experience claiming that “I saw the two little spurts of pale-orange flame from the muzzle of the weapon” (Warren