Isu Essay
Abuse of Power
By Mac King ENG3U1 Rm. 179 Ms. Dawson
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Nobody is above the law. Mattiece is a rich and powerful oil tycoon from south
Louisiana. Macbeth is the leading general in Duncan’s army in the play Macbeth. Both Mattiece and Macbeth are very important figures in their own society. Both of these men share money, power, and fame. These two men share many of the same characteristics, they are both lawless, anarchists, and stone cold killers. Macbeth committed regicide to usurp his king’s crown because of his guilt. Mattiece committed murder and bribery to keep his secret safe, a secret that would ruin him financially. Both men are powerful, unruly, disordered criminals. Mattiece from Grisham’s The Pelican Brief and Macbeth from Shakespeare’s Macbeth reveal the consequences of excessive power through their common experiences of unjust acquisitions of power, their unjust ability to keep that power, and how it will ultimately lead to their downfall.
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Mattiece’s unjust acquisition of power began in two places. Mattiece’s power
operates under the influence of Mattiece’s money. “He did the sprinkling act and obtained official permission to gouge his way through the delicate marshes and cypress swamps” (Chapter 29, p285). Money, in this case, is Mattiece’s power. Mattiece’s power not only gains him command, but it also gains him respect in certain circles. Mattiece is a self made billionaire who is behind the murders of two Supreme Court Justices, Rosenberg and Jensen. He hires a high paid assassin to commit the murders because they are the two judges blocking his path to making more money. Mattiece has the other Supreme Court Justices in his pocket. “He spent big bucks on democrats, locally and nationally”(Chapter 29, p292). Mattiece, and his team of evil corporate lawyers are bribing the political-big shots. Mattiece is using money to get what he wants. Mattiece’s
money is his power over the population. Mattiece believes that because he has
By Mac King ENG3U1 Rm. 179 Ms. Dawson
!
Nobody is above the law. Mattiece is a rich and powerful oil tycoon from south
Louisiana. Macbeth is the leading general in Duncan’s army in the play Macbeth. Both Mattiece and Macbeth are very important figures in their own society. Both of these men share money, power, and fame. These two men share many of the same characteristics, they are both lawless, anarchists, and stone cold killers. Macbeth committed regicide to usurp his king’s crown because of his guilt. Mattiece committed murder and bribery to keep his secret safe, a secret that would ruin him financially. Both men are powerful, unruly, disordered criminals. Mattiece from Grisham’s The Pelican Brief and Macbeth from Shakespeare’s Macbeth reveal the consequences of excessive power through their common experiences of unjust acquisitions of power, their unjust ability to keep that power, and how it will ultimately lead to their downfall.
!
Mattiece’s unjust acquisition of power began in two places. Mattiece’s power
operates under the influence of Mattiece’s money. “He did the sprinkling act and obtained official permission to gouge his way through the delicate marshes and cypress swamps” (Chapter 29, p285). Money, in this case, is Mattiece’s power. Mattiece’s power not only gains him command, but it also gains him respect in certain circles. Mattiece is a self made billionaire who is behind the murders of two Supreme Court Justices, Rosenberg and Jensen. He hires a high paid assassin to commit the murders because they are the two judges blocking his path to making more money. Mattiece has the other Supreme Court Justices in his pocket. “He spent big bucks on democrats, locally and nationally”(Chapter 29, p292). Mattiece, and his team of evil corporate lawyers are bribing the political-big shots. Mattiece is using money to get what he wants. Mattiece’s
money is his power over the population. Mattiece believes that because he has