All the King's Men Allusion Paragraph

Robert Penn Warren utilizes Greek mythology allusions to display significant parts of Jack Burden's life and development. The period where Jack becomes engulfed in the history of Cass Mastern is a vital section of Jack's growth as a character. Warren alludes to the Greek myth of Cassandra in this section. Cassandra and Cass share not only similar names, but also a similar gift. Cassandra was given the power to fortell the future by the Greek god of the Sun, Apollo. She then rejected Apollo's love causing Apollo to curse her; she may be able to tell the future but no one believes her. Similarly the story of Cass should warn Jack, but he pays no attention. Mastern speaks of horrible events when he says "...the death of my friend, the betrayal of Phebe, the suffering and rage and great change of the woman I had loved-all had come from my single act of sin...". These words should have cautioned Jack as events of equal magnitude happen to him: Willie and Adam, true friends of his, both die, he betrays Judge Irwin, and Anne suffers from the death of her brother and her lover. Jack later realizes "the world is like an enormous spider web", meaning one action causes another. Cass Mastern's actions effect Jack's. Jack become wrapped up in the history of Cass, he didn't realize how his own story was being changed because of his ancestor's. Warren channels another Greek myth when showing the blind eye Jack has to who is his real father. The Greek myth of Telemachus tells of a son who could not recognize his own father. This too happens to Jack numerous times. Signs are evident, but he never notices. Judge Irwin constantly refers to Jack as a "son". Irwin says "You got to lead a duck, son." and later wonders "You aren't in trouble, are you son?". Irwin acts fatherly towards Jack in both instances. He expresses his concern and acts lovingly towards Jack many times throughout the novel. Robert Penn Warren successfully shows the growth and understanding Jack gains of his own story through the history of his ancestors and father. Through these allusions, Warren effects the reader and their understanding of the world connected as a whole and the meaningfulness of each action.