"Under the picture was the legend: My study is the heart of the people. In quotation marks, and signed, Willie Stark (6)."" Willie Stark studies people, rather, voters, and what they want to hear from him. When the people hear what they want to hear from Willie, they are satisfied and will vote him in office. Willie learned this important lesson through Jack Burden. After Willie gave a speech filled with facts and figures that left the audience apathetic, Jack told him this: Yeah, I heard the speech. But they don't give a damn about that. Hell, make em cry, make em laugh, make em think you're their weak erring pal, or make em think you're God-Almighty. Or make em mad. Even mad at you. Just stir em up, it doesn't matter how or why, and they'll love you and come back for more. Pinch em in the soft place. .Tell em anything. But for Sweet Jesus' sake don't try to improve their minds (72). Upon hearing this and pondering it, Stark became like a slave to this knowledge. This lesson became a part of his political personality. But despite his use of knowledge to enslave others, Stark becomes victim of Adam Stanton, who is prisoner of his then recent enlightenment. .
Adam Stanton grew up as the best friend of Jack Burden, and the son of prominent Governor Stanton. Adam is a character who is a captive of his belief that his father was perfect and that he should live up to the same greatness. Thus he works most of his life striving to be the best, trying to be perfect like his father. He works to be the best in the medical profession, becoming a surgeon. Adam often spends his free time practicing the piano, again trying to become perfect. Jack said that "most of the time when I was at Adam's apartment he would be at the piano (101)."" Adam's life, however, is affected by the knowledge of his father's corruption. When Jack gives a photostat incriminating Governor Stanton to Anne, Adam's sister, she then shows it to Adam.