ALL THE KING’S HORSES

THEME

The moral dilemma of

sacrificing one for the benefit

of the many

PLOT OVERVIEW

American’s and Kelly’s family were prisoners in Asia

Pi Ying agrees to let them go if Kelly wins at chess, using human

chess pieces

Kelly begins to sacrifice his troops

Pi Ying gets killed by his concubine

Barzov takes over the game and begins playing against Kelly

Kelly makes the ultimate sacrifice (son) and wins the game

Barzov lets them go, but warns of other people willing to play with

human lives

QUOTES

“Now he recognized the eerie calm – an old

wartime friend – that left only the cold machinery of

his wits and senses alive. It was the narcotic of

generalship. It was the essence of war” (95).

“There will be others like Pi Ying eager to play you

with live men, and I hope I will again be privileged to

be an observer” (110).

CHARACTERIZATION

Kelly – he has the capability to remove his

emotions from the situation; willing to sacrifice one

for the greater good; desensitized from war;

experience in war has changed him, puts family in

danger, but ultimately saves them

Barzov – mediator, but at the same time controlling

to Pi Ying; better sense of morality; plays by rules

and doesn’t want to be sacrificing lives but still

wants to be involved in the battle

IMAGERY

Chess• Representative of war, strategy and sacrifices• Shows disadvantage of some people because they

have to sacrifice their own friends as opposed to being removed from war and being able to simply regard them as “wooden players”

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Symbols• Wooden pieces• Concubine – betrayal and emotional attachment• Son – sacrifices made during war• Balcony – removed from war, higher position and

advantage

Metaphor• Mathematical terminology (p. 102) “if x is dead, the

rest shall live”• Shows strategy and ability to understand the

situation completely