ATKM last post-Izzy Snow

My order-Best to Worst

1. Cass Mastern: Although Cass Mastern did ultimately help ruin his best friend's marriage (and life), when he finds out what Annabelle did, he gives up his life to find Phebe. This shows that Cass Mastern was a man of principles and inherently good natured. Although he made a few mistakes, Cass realized the impact his choice had and changed for the better. He is one of the few characters in the book who isn't guided by selfish behavior. He never forgets his mistakes. He wears Duncan's ring around his neck as he travels to find Phebe and as he enters the war. Unlike many of the characters, Cass does not accept the bad decisions he makes and instead searches for atonement.

2. Gilbert Mastern: Gilbert Mastern is a man that is rooted in good principles. He believes in hard work and education and puts his own life aside to educate his brother. He also lets his brother freely control the plantation. He is resistant to some of Cass's wishes, but in the end he lets Cass sell the slaves. Gilbert also understands the importance of Cass's story. He sends it to Jack because he recognizes Cass's good character and believes that his story should be told. This shows he is a considerate, kind man.

3. Hugh Miller: Hugh Miller is net on the list because he sticks to his inherent good principles. Unlike other characters, Hugh is true to his beliefs and decides to leave his job because of this. Once he has realized he has been manipulated by Willie, he fully understands Willie's deceitful tactics and decides to leave. He recognizes he would rather stick to his beliefs than have more power.

4. George: George is a good-natured man. However, he does mooch of the Scholarly Attorney, such as making the Attorney give him bread so he can make his statues. He is very grateful for the Scholarly Attorney's help and loves him like a father.

5. Scholarly Attorney: The Scholarly Attorney is a good character because he decides not to associate himself with Governor Stanton and the judge after they accept the bribe. Jack thinks the Attorney is a little bit of a hopeless flake, as for most of his life Jack sees the Attorney as his father. After the Attorney left Jack and his mother, he gave his life up to care for "unfortunates". This is driven by his religious beliefs and maybe a little guilt for abandoning Jack and his mother. Similar to Cass, he does give up his life to aid those in need.

6. Governor Stanton: Although the Governor was a part of a deal that made the judge successful but drove Mr. Littlepaugh to suicide, he raised his children with good morals. Stanton was a lot like Willie, as he recognized the risks one had to take in politics. However, he tried to make sure his children would never experience that side of politics. This shows he was caring, a good father, and a good man. When Jack descries him, he recognizes that Stanton was always present in his children's lives. He seemed to live a slightly corrupt political life, but he never brought that to his children.

7 Judge Irwin: Judge Irwin made some corrupt mistakes in his younger days. As he tries to move farther away from that life. He, along with Hugh, refuses to be associated with Willie when he discovers Willie's political strategies. Judge is a father figure towards Jack, Anne and Adam. However, he never tells Jack that he is his real father. Also, his abandonment of Jack's mother break's Jack's mother for all her future relationships, as she continues to love the Judge. Despite the fact that his mistakes were made long ago, he prefers to end his life than confront his past.

8. Jack: Jack drifts in and out from being good and bad. Jack had little principle and accepts his frequent use of blackmail. Jack also can be exceptionally rude and judgmental. However, Jack is a good hearted person. He sticks with Willie because he recognizes that Willie's intentions are good. He also loves Anne because of her good nature. Towards the end of the book, Jack is more mature and good-natured. The reader can see change's in Jack's personality when he accepts his mother, when he decides not to pursue Duffy, when the writes the story of Cass Mastern and when he develops a friendship with Hugh Miller.

9. Willie: Willie is a good man, as he gains power so he can help the public. He builds new roads, hospitals, and government buildings. On the other side, Willie is manipulative, cruel and he has little empathy for the weak. He repeatedly cheats on his wife, ends other's careers and blackmails his enemies. He is seen as both an evil figure and a strong, good hearted man by Jack throughout "All The King's Men". An example of this is his relationship with Tom from Jack's point of view. He pressures Tom so much so that Tom physically suffers from it multiple times. When Tom dies, he also decides that he does not want the hospital to be built under a blackmailed deal. Willie is reminded of his good intentions through his relationships with Lucy, Anne, Jack, Sadie, and Tom. They all see him as a powerful leader with good intentions and this encourages Willie to continue to provide services for the public.

10. Adam: Adam is an example of a character with moral principles so strong that it makes him angry and agressive. He ends up being a murderer because he blindly sees Willie as evil. He is so blinded by anger he does not see how much the public benefits from government service.

11. Tom: Tom Talos is spoilt. Willie and Lucy raised him with little of the same moral principles and ambition. Tom recognizes his talent for football and decides to use this to his advantage. He refuses to participate in training and he tries to use his celebrity to get women, cars, and liquor.

12. Tiny Duffy: Duffy is the worst character. His only ambition is to be with the most powerful leader. In the end, he realizes he can no longer manipulate Willie, so he causes his death. Duffy ends up with the most power, but he only wants power to have power and could care less about the public.

Women

1. Lucy: Lucy continues to be a good hearted figure throughout the book. Many times Jack admires her fro inherent goodness. She still loves both Willie and Tom, no matter how much they disappoint her. In the end, she ends up caring for Tom's baby and makes sure Sybil, the mother, has enough money to start a new life.

2. Phebe: Phebe is loyal to her employers. She discover's Duncan's ring under the pillow after his suicide. When she shows it to Annabelle. Annabelle's paranoia leads her to sell Phebe. Annabelle sees Phebe's goodness and loyalty and understands the weight of her mistakes. To Annabelle, Phebe is a symbol of her (similarly loyal) husband's death.

3. Anne: Anne Stanton is seen as the innocent, saint like figure in "All the King's Men." She is good natured, but at times recognizes her ability to manipulate men. She can easily manipulate both Jack and Adam into helping her and uses this to her advantage. However, she recognizes her privileged upbringing and gives her life to helping organizations such as the children's hospital.

4. Lois: Lois is seen as a two-dimensional character in "All the King's Men". Jack only sees her as a sexual object and when he discovers she is more, the marriage suffers. Lois has little patience for Jack as well. She leaves him for his lack of ambition (the great sleep) and his cruelty.

5. Jack's Mom: Jack's Mom pressures Jack, but only because like any parent, she wants the best for him. She holds herself to a low moral standard as she embarks on many painful relationships. Like Jack, she is very judgmental. Unlike Jack, she is also materialistic. She also refuses to tell Jack that the Judge is his father. However, she loves both Jack and the Judge dearly. After the Judge's death, she confronts her won life and realizes she must leave her relationship and Burden's landing. This shows great strength in her character.

6. Sadie: Sadie is apart of Willie's corrupt team. She loves Willie, but her insecurity ends up causing his death. She directs Duffy to tell Adam to kill Willie. She feels used by him, as he moves on to Anne Stanton and then decides to stay with his wife after Sadie helped start his career. Sadie's selfish acts are, in part, caused by her blind love for Willie.

7. Anabelle: Annabelle Trice is the most corrupt female character. She is cruel, manipulative and selfish. She sells one of her slaves because she cannot combat her mistakes. She also flirts with Cass in-front of her husband. Her mistake costs her her husband's life, Cass, and her most loyal housemaid.