All the King's Men Education Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

As I turned away, there was a wild burst of music from up in the building […]. It was Adam's piano. (6.113)

We can't talk about education without talking about Adam. He's probably the most highly educated guy in the book. Yet, he seems lacking in the school of how-to-live-among-other-human-beings. His piano music seeping into the nights might be an attempt at communication.

Quote #8

[Jack to Anne:] "It wouldn't be right." (7.115)

These words represent a painful aspect of Anne's (summer vacation) education. She learns that Jack is a more complicated guy than she thought. The lesson is so heavy it takes her years to understand it. We assume she does eventually understand it, though, because she finally marries Jack.

Quote #9

[Lucy Stark:] "It's just a little baby. It's a little baby in the dark. It's not even born yet, and it doesn't know what's happened. About money and politics and somebody wanting to be Senator." (8.5)

Lucy is making a stunning contrast between the baby (who has zero education) and politicians (who have too much education). Some argue that the more educated we become, the more innocence we lose. Jack shows us that it can also work in the reverse.