blog




  • Essay / Impacts of an abusive government in The Bridge of Andau

    Throughout the history of literature, several situations can prove that the organization of political power actually has an impact on thoughts, feelings and the actions of those governed. . In the novel The Bridge of Andau by James Michener, the oppressive nature of Hungarian politics, particularly the AVO, affects Hungarian citizens by making them feel inferior and unsafe, eventually leading Hungarians to the rebellion. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayIn Michener's novel, the Hungarian people suffer severe oppression from their government, particularly from a group called AVO, which set several rules and regulations that contributed to the Hungarian people feeling inferior in their own country. For example, the Pal family explained that they could barely feed themselves because "food was very expensive" but then stated that "communist books were cheap" (Michener 58), demonstrating that the family felt inferior to its government leaders because the only things they could afford were the materials the government tried to impose on them. It was embarrassing for the father, who was trying to apply for a job but couldn't afford a suit, to have to go to a job interview in a windbreaker. There is no doubt that this treatment and organization of the economy made Hungarians feel inferior. Another example is the story of a husband and wife in Hungary who could not shop in stores offering cheaper products simply because they were Hungarian. The wife explained to her husband that “there was a very good store just for Russians” (Michener 158) that offered the best Hungarian products at prices of up to 80%. The wife finished by explaining that “when everything good has been used up in these stores…whatever is left is placed in stores for us workers, and we pay the highest prices” (Michener 158 ). Both husband and wife felt inferior because of their oppressive government, as even the stores were segregated: the rich received cheap, high-quality items while those who were already poor were forced to pay extreme prices for items which were just leftovers. This type of treatment, especially from one's own government, is more than enough to make anyone feel inferior. Additionally, Hungarians were affected by the AVO's oppression because the AVO's governing methods made the Hungarian people feel unsafe in their own country. country. Michener describes a man who was beaten daily for 33 days by the AVO simply because the police did not like that his costume looked "American." When asked if the AVO was allowed to hold him prisoner for 33 days simply because of the suit he was wearing, the man replied, "They could have kept me for 33 years" (Michener 138), which demonstrates how dangerous life was under police authority. control of the AVO. Innocent men were thrown into prison and beaten simply because the government didn't like what they were wearing. If this act doesn't put someone in danger, what will? Another woman had a deformed hand. When asked what happened to her, she replied that "the AVO broke it", that they smashed her fingers "with a rubber hose" and burned two holes in her back hand with “lit cigarettes” (Michener 138), all because a distant friend..