The children’s book The King’s 6th Finger by Jolby and Rachel Roellke demonstrates the issues that can arise in an authoritarian power structure. The story, although not explicitly stated, is an authoritarian text. The absolute ruler is King Mortimer, who commands the kingdom to follow his quirky rules. Marxist views can be used to examine the distribution of power and inequalities amongst social classes in this story. In its barest elements, this story describes how a total ruler is able to oppress the lower and middle classes. Fortunately, at the story’s end, King Mortimer allows the kingdom to have their freedom. Although Mortimer is described as a simple man, he is an absolute ruler who expects obedience to his ways. At the expense of
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The conflict arises when Mortimer grows a sixth finger. This goes against his value of order. He tries to find a cure but fails to do so. This leads Mortimer to realise he can live with his extra finger. He accepts that the worry of his extra finger has “poisoned [his] mind” (Jolby & Roellke). At the end of the book, Mortimer learns to embrace the irregularities in his life, rather than obsess over them. The situational irony in the book is that he ends up indulges in the other numbers. In the end, Mortimer gave up his personal desire for the good of everyone. He no longer has the typical characteristics of an authoritarian and oppressive leader. His new outlook on life grants freedom to the rest of the kingdom, who celebrate and rejoice. This demonstrates how the power balance is shifted to the lower and middle class through their freedom. In this case, the lower class is fortunate enough to see the situation resolve in their favour. This is not always the case in other works.
The King’s 6th Finger demonstrates several Marxist ideas that are embedded within a children’s book. The book itself is a lesson in how oppression can be dangerous and undermining to the lower and middle classes of society. It causes these classes to lose their freedom and power. Equality amongst social classes is also lost. The kingdom falls into a state of false consciousness where they do not even
The conflict arises when Mortimer grows a sixth finger. This goes against his value of order. He tries to find a cure but fails to do so. This leads Mortimer to realise he can live with his extra finger. He accepts that the worry of his extra finger has “poisoned [his] mind” (Jolby & Roellke). At the end of the book, Mortimer learns to embrace the irregularities in his life, rather than obsess over them. The situational irony in the book is that he ends up indulges in the other numbers. In the end, Mortimer gave up his personal desire for the good of everyone. He no longer has the typical characteristics of an authoritarian and oppressive leader. His new outlook on life grants freedom to the rest of the kingdom, who celebrate and rejoice. This demonstrates how the power balance is shifted to the lower and middle class through their freedom. In this case, the lower class is fortunate enough to see the situation resolve in their favour. This is not always the case in other works.
The King’s 6th Finger demonstrates several Marxist ideas that are embedded within a children’s book. The book itself is a lesson in how oppression can be dangerous and undermining to the lower and middle classes of society. It causes these classes to lose their freedom and power. Equality amongst social classes is also lost. The kingdom falls into a state of false consciousness where they do not even