ATKM Great Sleep vs Life is Motion Discussion

In chapter two of All the Kings Men, Jack describes the period of time that he has gone through multiple times called the great sleep. During the great sleep Jack spends most of his time lying in bed. He says he could “go to bed early” “sleep late and then wake up and not move” (151), which emphasize Jack’s lack of motion and desire for lack of motion. The static form of life that Jack chooses comes as a result of crisis in his life which in this case was the loss of a job. The thought of Jack staying in bed all day and night shows that he has somehow given up on life. In Jack’s conversation in chapter 3 discussing how life equals motion further exemplifies the fact that Jack is giving up on life during his “Great Sleep”. In Jack’s analysis of God’s being the “Fullness of Being” he states that “life is motion toward knowledge. If God is complete Knowledge then he is complete non motion, which is non life, which is death” (226). Since Jack believes that the importance of life is motion towards knowledge, it is ironic to see him with no desire for motion at times in his life. His lack of desire for motion is actually his lack of desire for knowledge, and for someone who understands that ending his quest of knowledge is equal to giving up on life, this could mean he no longer wishes to continue his life. This indicates the great depression that Jack received after losing his job and emphasizes the how important Jacks job with The Chronicle was to him. Jack also goes on to discuss the dangers of too much knowledge when he uses the metaphor comparing knowledge and ignorance to a string on fire moving towards a powder keg. He says that when “man’s Knowledge is equal to God’s knowledge there wont be any fire, which is life. Or if the string leads to a powder keg then there will be a terrific blast of fire” (226). Jack explains how with too much knowledge or having complete knowledge will end a reason to live. Seeking knowledge keeps life going how ever if you reach complete knowledge to quickly there will be nothing left for you to live for. Ignorance then keeps a space between the quest for knowledge and complete knowledge. With out ignorance the power of knowledge would be as dangerous as a “terrific blast”. Perhaps Jack chooses a period of non motion and lack of knowledge to lengthen his life or quest for knowledge. Before his great sleep he chooses to be ignorant of why he is loosing his job and walks out of the office with out a complete answer. This shows that sometimes it is better not to know some information, and knowledge shouldn’t be continuously seaked. The comparison of the motion of life discussion vs. the non motion of the Great Sleep further develops the theme of Knowledge vs. Ignorance be showing the benefits of each side.