Matthew Guzdial, Post Three

Despite Henry Burton’s amazing perceptiveness within Primary Colors, Joe Klein, the author, does not share this trait. Repeatedly throughout Primary Colors Mr. Klein introduces fictional characters that are more a caricature then a clean copy of their non-fictional selves. One of the greatest instances of this is in the character of Rev. Luther Charles, a civil rights activist and a clear mock-up of the Rev. Jesse Jackson. The reverend is represented within the novel as a weak, foolish man who is past his political prime, but who retains his bravado and immense pride.

 

The best example of this is within the narrator’s dinner with the character in chapter seven. Joe Klein portrays the reverend as graying and deflated, Burton remarking on this when he first sees the man. The character quickly goes on to lose control of the conversation, and the evening, making him seem impotent and weak-willed. And though Luther manages to end the evening connecting to Burton in a way neither men were expecting, all his opinions and judgements toward the narrator are proven completely incorrect by the end of the novel.

 

All in all this seems an entirely inappropriate reflection of Rev. Jackson. Though the man’s style of speaking and overall personality seem mostly intact, his ideals and motivations seem completely askew. Though Jackson never regained the political prominence he held during the Civil Rights era, to throughout his life he has remained an important force in politics, serving as both a representative of the United States and United Nations. As such Joe Klein’s representation of a fading, fallen leader seems more vindictive then perceptive.