All the King's Men Characters

Jack Burden

Jack is more than a narrator telling us about Willie Stark. In fact, near the end of the novel...

Willie Stark

Willie is an American hero, and he seems to be living the American dream. He studies night after...

Anne Stanton

Anne has been cherished and sheltered from birth in the gentle arms of the Burden's Landing's...

Mrs. Murrell

Jack describes his mother as a "damned expensive present." Mrs. Murrell (we never do learn her...

Judge Montague Irwin

Judge Irwin is Jack's real father, and he shoots himself in the heart rather than reveal this...

Dr. Adam Stanton

Adam is a brilliant doctor and surgeon, a skilled pianist, a devoted brother, Jack's childhood...

Sadie Burke

Sadie is Willie's "secretary," lover, and behind-the-scenes power broker. Sadie's big talent is...

Ellis Burden

For the majority of All the King's Men, Jack thinks that Ellis, the Scholarly Attorney, is his...

Lucy Stark

Lucy is Willie's first and only wife. They met when she was a schoolteacher, and she contributes...

Tom Stark

As a football star and son of the Governor, Tom has fancy sports cars, confidence galore, and all...

Cass Mastern

Cass is the main character of the "story within a story" at the heart of All the King's Men. He...

Annabelle Trice

Annabelle is a character in the Cass Mastern subplot. Annabelle doesn't come off as a very nice...

Phebe

Annabelle is a character in the Cass Mastern subplot. Phebe is Annabelle's slave and the person...

Duncan Trice

Duncan plays a role in the Cass Mastern subplot as Cass's friend. He introduces Cass to drinking...

Tiny Duffy

Tiny is a nasty piece of work. Willie makes him Lieutenant Governor in order to keep him close...

Sugar-Boy O'Sheean

Sugar-Boy is Willie's driver and bodyguard. He loves three things: driving fast, shooting his...

Theodore Murrell

Theodore is Jack's mother's fourth husband, and is ten years her junior. He's a pretty boy, who...

Mortimer L. Littlepaugh

Mortimer is the second person who commits suicide in this novel (the first being Duncan Trice)....

Miss Lily Mae Littlepaugh

Miss Lily is Mortimer's sister. She lives with the secrets of her brother's suicide until Jack...

Gilbert Mastern

Gilbert is Cass Mastern's older brother. He educates Cass, and gets him started in the Plantation...

Hugh Miller

Hugh has been with Willie since the early days, and is the Attorney General in his...

Mr. Byram B. White

Byram is the State Auditor, and a somewhat pathetic character. When his plan to makes some money...

Lois Seager

Lois is Jack's first wife. They have a great sex life, until – Jack realizes she's a human...

Gummy Larsen

Gummy wants the contract to build Willie's hospital, and is willing to do whatever it takes to...