All the King's Men | Teaching Key Figures

Character Descriptions

This section provides a short description of all the major characters in the book. This can be printed out as a study guide for students, used as a "key" for leading a class discussion, or you can jump to the quiz/homework section to find worksheets that incorporate these descriptions into a variety of question formats.

Characters

Ellis Burden - This character was formerly a well-respected and wealthy attorney from Burden's Landing but left his family to become a missionary in the slums.

Jack Burden - This is the first-person narrator of the novel.

Lois Burden - This character's husband leaves her because of her intellectual dullness, despite the fact that they are physically attracted to each other.

Sadie Burke - This is Willie's secretary and occasionally his lover. She begins the story as an assistant to Joe Harrison when he is running for governor.

Count Covelli - This is...
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