All The King's Men

by

Robert Penn Warren

A political crony affiliated with Tiny Duffy, Gummy Larson wants the contract for Willie’s free hospital—six million dollars—so that he can “skim” some amount of money off the top for himself and for Duffy. Gummy briefly has the contract but discovers, near the end of the novel, that Willie has reneged on the deal.
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Gummy Larson Character Timeline in All The King's Men

The timeline below shows where the character Gummy Larson appears in All The King's Men. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 5
Idealism vs. Pragmatism Theme Icon
Politics, Influence, and Power Theme Icon
Personal History, Memory, and Time Theme Icon
The South and Southern Culture Theme Icon
Loyalty, Friendship, and Betrayal Theme Icon
...new free hospital he has proposed building. Duffy tells Sadie that he has a friend, Gummy Larson, who can fix this up for the Governor—but Sadie knows that Gummy would include... (full context)
Chapter 6
Politics, Influence, and Power Theme Icon
Personal History, Memory, and Time Theme Icon
Loyalty, Friendship, and Betrayal Theme Icon
...attempted also to resist the efforts of Duffy to have the hospital contract signed with Gummy Larson, the crooked businessman with whom Duffy, in all likelihood, had a “special” arrangement. (full context)
Idealism vs. Pragmatism Theme Icon
Politics, Influence, and Power Theme Icon
Personal History, Memory, and Time Theme Icon
Loyalty, Friendship, and Betrayal Theme Icon
...repelling yet another persuasive advance by Duffy to have the hospital built using a crooked Gummy Larson contract. Willie tells Jack that, for once, he wants the hospital built without political... (full context)
Chapter 8
Idealism vs. Pragmatism Theme Icon
Politics, Influence, and Power Theme Icon
Loyalty, Friendship, and Betrayal Theme Icon
...visited at Adam’s apartment in Baton Rouge by a man named Coffee, who, working for Gummy Larson, tries to convince Adam to work on Willie to throw the free hospital building... (full context)
Idealism vs. Pragmatism Theme Icon
Politics, Influence, and Power Theme Icon
Loyalty, Friendship, and Betrayal Theme Icon
...the apartment and talks to Anne, who insists that Adam wants to prosecute Coffee and Larson for attempted bribery of a public official (since Adam is now one, in his capacity... (full context)
Chapter 9
Idealism vs. Pragmatism Theme Icon
Politics, Influence, and Power Theme Icon
Loyalty, Friendship, and Betrayal Theme Icon
...best wishes, give the building contract for the free hospital, for six million dollars, to Gummy Larson, who can use political leverage to get MacMurfee to withdraw his Senate bid in... (full context)
Idealism vs. Pragmatism Theme Icon
Politics, Influence, and Power Theme Icon
Personal History, Memory, and Time Theme Icon
Loyalty, Friendship, and Betrayal Theme Icon
...heads to the governor’s mansion to present his recommendations to Willie. But Jack finds that Gummy Larson and Tiny Duffy are already there—and Willie appears drunk and upset, while Duffy and... (full context)
Idealism vs. Pragmatism Theme Icon
Politics, Influence, and Power Theme Icon
Personal History, Memory, and Time Theme Icon
Loyalty, Friendship, and Betrayal Theme Icon
Jack realizes that Duffy and Gummy have achieved what they’ve always wanted—the lucrative contract to the free hospital, which Willie considered... (full context)
Politics, Influence, and Power Theme Icon
Personal History, Memory, and Time Theme Icon
Loyalty, Friendship, and Betrayal Theme Icon
...tells him that he will no longer allow the free hospital to do business with Gummy Larson—Willie is rescinding his deal with Gummy and Duffy. Duffy sputters that Willie can’t take... (full context)
Idealism vs. Pragmatism Theme Icon
Politics, Influence, and Power Theme Icon
Personal History, Memory, and Time Theme Icon
Loyalty, Friendship, and Betrayal Theme Icon
...the Governor will do, now that the free hospital will no longer be handled by Gummy and Duffy. Jack presumes that there will be political fallout from Willie’s decision to eschew... (full context)
Chapter 10
Idealism vs. Pragmatism Theme Icon
Politics, Influence, and Power Theme Icon
Personal History, Memory, and Time Theme Icon
Loyalty, Friendship, and Betrayal Theme Icon
...control the awarding of contracts for the hospital—thus enriching himself via his business dealings with Gummy Larson. And because Adam would have committed the shooting, it would be very difficult to... (full context)