The Root Of All Evil Is Power By Patricia Cornwell

There is a famous quote by David Brin which states: “It is said that power corrupts. But actually it’s more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power.” This quote means that not everyone can be corrupted, but sometimes, people are too weak to handle the pressure. Additionally, power comes in many forms, but one way that really stands out is when it boils down to influence on other people. Furthermore, in real life and in novels, power often corrupts people and characters. In both the novels Lord of the Flies by William Golding and Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, power has the ability to bring out the worst qualities in human nature in the antagonists, a concept that can be also be applied.

Shirley Jackson emphasizes appearance vs. reality in the short story “The Possibility of Evil” because looks can be deceiving. Looks can shape how we think of people and in reality they could be the opposite.

Abraham Lincoln once stated, "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." The quote from the sixteenth president of the United States could be understood as power will display someone's true character by seeing what that person will do with that power that they have been given. People will follow orders blindly just to feel powerful or superior to others, and they will do unthinkable things to people just to have

Abraham Lincoln once stated, "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." The quote from the 16th president of the United States can be interpreted that power will display someone's true character by seeing what that person will do with that power that they have been given. People will follow orders blindly just to feel powerful or superior than others, they will do unthinkable things to people just to have the feeling of power. For example, Hitler wanted to have a superior race, so the Nazi soldiers were seen as the superior race; therefore, the soldiers felt superior

Power is the ability to control people in their actions. It gives you leverage over others. Power is like a drug, the more we have the more we want. Power makes people think their unstoppable. Our history proves how power corrupts people.

As defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, power is the “possession of control, authority, or influence over others”. Power is frankly quite powerful when held in the hands of one person. It can cause a divide amongst families, countries, or even society for that matter. What really lies behind the true meaning of power is how it affects people, either negatively or positively. This ultimately causes people to feel differently depending on what is put into place by the one who holds the authority. Power can always be corrupt in many types of ways, but it can be more harmful to some than others and therefore does not affect everyone equally.

People who have power can have negative effects on others because they can be intolerant and dangerous. Power may seem like a good thing, but I can promise you it’s not.

At the beginning of the story they both felt content and happy as show in this quote “Sometimes it rose to an aching chord that caught the throat, saying this is safety, this is warmth, this is the Whole.”. They did not even speak because their understanding was so great. But after Kino found the pearl his relationship steadily deteriorates as shown in this quote “"Kino," she said huskily, "I am afraid. A man can be killed. Let us throw the pearl back into the sea." "Hush," he said fiercely. "I am a man. Hush.”. That shows that as time goes by Kino is acting ruder and harshly to Juana all because of the greed the pearl caused. Another example is "This thing is evil," she cried harshly. "This pearl is like a sin! It will destroy us," and her voice rose shrilly. "Throw it away, Kino. Let us break it between stones. Let us bury it and forget the place. Let us throw it back into the sea. It has brought evil. Kino, my husband, it will destroy us." And in the firelight her lips and her eyes were alive with her fear. But Kino's face was set, and his mind and his will were set” this quote shows that Juana is becoming increasingly fearful yet Kino is sure this is the way and is willing to do whatever is necessary to become wealthy. This causes a strain between their relation. Finally the worst thing Kino commits is the act of attacked Juana. He is described as a snake hissing at her and hitting her that makes her fall. He even continues to kick her after she has fallen and she accepts it and knows he may even murder her. This shows that Kino has broken all limits of humanity and is being consumed by

Kino was attacked by mean trying to steal the pearl. He killed one of them in self-defense but Juana tells him that does not matter. He will still face consequences from the townspeople once the body is found in the morning.

Power can allow the person in charge to evoke fear to get people to do what they want. Here is an example from the play, Antigone, When King Creon uses fear to get his people to do what he wants. Another example is from the game, Infamous: Second Son, the head of the D.U.P., Augustine uses fear to get people of Seattle to turn in Conduits(people with abnormal abilities (powers) that normal people feared). Power in the wrong hands allows leaders to do whatever they want with no one stopping them. Power in the wrong hands has death in it. Power in the wrong hands also has violence written

Buddha once stated, “it is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.” In “The Possibility of Evil,” Miss Strangeworth, a seemingly innocent elderly woman, sends cruel letters in order to rid her town of evil. When other townspeople discover her as the author of the letters, they destroy her prized roses. Shirley Jackson’s “The Possibility of Evil” not only reveals the deceitfulness of people, but also emphasizes the underlying evil of all humans and shows that evil remains insurmountable until fully accepted.

“The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse” once said a wise man named Edmund Burke. Power is the ability to influence or outright control the behavior of someone. Everyone has some sort of power against someone whether it be a mother having the power of telling her children no when asking for yet another piece of candy or a government leader who has the power over the millions of people in their country. There are two roads to which having authority could go down; using power to benefit those who are watching or using power to control those who are watching in a deceitful manner. George Orwell, author of 1984, and Adolf Hitler, dictator of Nazi Germany, created two figureheads to whom were feared by the general population. Did Adolf

Throughout The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood utilizes various elements of fiction to develop and question the concept of power and control in the patriarchal society of Gilead. Offred, the main Handmaid, is the instrument of which Atwood delivers her message about corruption and power. Offred’s vague diction, unreliable characterization, and erratic tone illustrate the distress of this transitional society (Abcarian 1403-1404). In the beginning of Chapter 23, the role of memory in the novel expands, and the readers test the narrator’s creditability. Offred concludes that all of her memories are “reconstructions”, and that she will continue this practice even if she escapes Gilead. She continues to relate fluid memories to forgiveness and forgiveness to an unnaturally complacent and obedient population (Atwood 134-135). Identifying a powerful relationship between memories, forgiveness, and power, Offred suggests that the main source of Gilead’s totalitarian power is the regime’s ability to manipulate its citizens’ will to forgive past transgressions.

The pearl's evil infects Kino like a ravaged disease and consumes his mind. He starts off with good intentions, but they become twisted. He wants to sell the pearl and use the money to better his family's lifestyle. He has dreams and goals that each depends on the pearl selling for a good price. Juana sensing the evil and greed coming from Kino attempts to destroy it. Kino beats her unmercifully. "He struck her in the face and she fell among the boulders, and he kicked her in the side...He hissed at her like a snake and she stared at him with wide unfrightened eyes, like a sheep before a butcher." Juana sees through the outer beauty of the pearl and knew it would destroy Kino and herself. Kino's vision from the soul becomes blurred by the possible prosperity the pearl will bring. The evil invades Kino's life as well as everyone he knows and loves.

After fighting battles with himself, Kino began to lose his ability to control himself because he was set on his plan for his family that he once saw in the pearl. “He struck her in the face with his clenched fist and she fell among the boulders and he kicked her in the side.” (Steinbeck 59). Multiple instances have occured since Kino first got the pearl, including two attacks to steal it during the night, as well as thousands of eyes that have stared through him and looked into his soul full of secrets, making him feel scared throughout the day and night, worried that those eyes would turn into attacks on his pearl, which holds the future for his family. After Juana, Kino’s wife had enough jealous stares and greedy attacks, she took the pearl and boldly planned to throw it into the water, for it to drown with the wealth and the struggles attached to it. But, as Kino was constantly aware of everything occurring with the pearl, he didn't care whether it was his wife or a stranger, because he knew he had to attack and prevent the loss of the pearl, especially since he has such a close connection to it. “The pearl has become my soul. If I give it up, I shall lose my soul.” (Steinbeck 67). Kino cannot live without the pearl and as everyday goes by, his connection with the pearl grows stronger, and his