Jack does many jobs for Willie and assists him with an array of tasks, the most important of which is "digging up dirt" on Willie's enemies and competitors in politics. In the very first chapter we are shown how loyal Jack is to Willie, and how much work he is willing to put in to help Willie win and even give up his own morals. Early in the book, during chapter one, we are introduced to the corruption of Willie and Jack. They had been previously described as not super likable gentlemen: Willie bathing in his power and using it to control others, while Jack prides himself of his skills of researching the "dirt" and past of others. Since the author already gave the reader a fair description of the characters, it was not difficult to believe and imagine that Willie would order Jack, (in Willie's bossy manner), to research "dirt" to bring down a component. After dinner at the farm the day that everyone drove up to Mason city, Willie announces that he, Jack, and Sugar-Boy will be going for a drive. He orders Sugar-Boy to drive the Cadillac to Burden's Landing, more than a hundred miles away. They go to Judge Irwin's, almost to threaten him that they could find dirt on him just as he did on Callahan. Jack says, "Somebody dug up some dirt for you, huh?" "If you choose to call it that," the Judge said. "Dirt's a funny thing," the Boss said. "Come to think of it, there ain't a thing but dirt on this green God's globe except whats under water, and that's dirt too. Its dirt makes the grass grow. A diamond ain't a thing in the world but a piece of dirt that got awful hot....It all depends on what you do with the dirt. That right?" (66). He strongly implies to Judge Irwin that he could find dirt on him and he could potentially loose his job as Judge. As the author describes the event, we see beginning of the end for Jack and Willie. Jack thinks that it is okay to research the past about an enemy and use it as blackmail. The quote above shows how Jack thinks of blackmail. He thinks of it as a material that can be used in many ways, he sees it is opportunity to make a "diamond" out of it, meaning use it as a threat to someone to get his way or bring down a competitor in politics. Once he was very successful at digging up dirt about Judge Irwin, he prides himself, thus beginning his career in corruption and blackmail.
Sofia, I agree with your argument that Jack's most important job as henchman to Willie is digging up dirt and through that he has become corrupt himself. There is a scene at Judge Irwin's house where Willie asks Jack to pour him a drink. Judge Irwin asks Jack if he likes essentially being a personal slave to his boss. It is in this scene that we see how Jack has a deep loyalty towards Willie. By Jack not standing up for himself in this scene, we see how Jack has become such a loyal servant to Willie, that he cannot see the wrong doings that his boss and he will commit.
ReplyDeleteHey Sof!! I totally agree with your post and argument saying that Jack unconsciously follows Willies orders and is headed down the path of corruption by digging up dirt on whoever threatens Willie's position. Throughout the book Jack is ordered to do research and follows Willie's commands like the loyal dog he is, in fact, Jack even agrees to work for Willie again even when the job description is virtually non existent. Jack asks, "'what do I do for the job?' to which Willie replies 'Hell, I don't know... Something will turn up'" (153). This quote makes me wonder if Willie has another plan for Jack or if Willie possible wants Jack back for his honesty and almost as a partner in crime or companion. Either way Jack decides to return, only pushing him deeper into Willie's web of lies and corruption.
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