Introduction
The Book Empire Rising’ by Thomas Kelly is an affectionate story that unveils dirty games and belief abstractions in which in-depth scrutiny of the book brings into focus a throbbing want for love. In this book, Thomas brings into focus an intriguing scenario of government involvement in corrupt affairs and explores at a glance how exhilarating love can turn into a dangerous mission leading to the breaking of hearts and plugging of evils done by people. As a matter of fact, Thomas creates his characters to portray reality; in which an in-depth of such characters makes the audience capture the underlying concepts in the book. Perhaps, Thomas succeeds in bringing the underworld activities into focus; in which he creates the novel to outline various social evils associated with power and money (Thomas 1-48).
Synopsis of the book
The setting of the book ‘Empire Building’ by Thomas Kelly is far much deep-rooted in the times when the building of the state empire was being constructed, back in the year 1930. It is during those times when men were being captured and be sold to captives in southern America as a result of the slave trade which was initiated in the European region. As the book depicts, Michael Briody, one of the men from Ire Land who had migrated to America in pursuit of gathering enough money to make him uplift his countrymen is brought out as one of the main characters. In fact, Michael’s migration to America turns out to be one of his brightest opportunities to meet new and very influential people who turn out to be one of his great friends. Among the main friends of Michael include Johnny Farrell, Tammary Hall, and remarkably Grace Masterson whom Michael falls in love with (Thomas 1-48).
In fact, Kelly brings into focus the uniqueness of the State Empire Building which he describes as being unique, being naturally remarkable for its romantic practices. Perhaps, it turns out that, Grace Masterson is one of the enthralling artists in which her life had not been happy one before she met Michael. Certainly, the two lovers, Michael and Grace engage in dangerous missions, though quite promising in terms of income generating by engaging prominent powerful people like Johnny Farrell and Tamary Hall. Being a builder and a contractor, Michael is one of those men who never take chances in which he utilizes his opportunities well and perfectly gets what he wants and establishes what he desires. In this case, his engagement with Grace strikes a replenishing feeling in his life where they ruthlessly involve themselves in nightclubs of highly remarkable people (Thomas 1-48).
As it turns out to be, Michael becomes so much engraved in this love affair, though his missions in his mind are very clear and well organized.
According to Thomas, the State empire Building is one of the main cities across the world that stands out eminently in terms of reflecting various phenomena that take place in that place. As the story unfolds, various evils committed by various people are unveiled which, the author describes as the only city that he has seen in his life composed of high levels of social evils including corruption and sexual immorality. As the story turns out to be, Michael, who is the main character in the story is being brought out as one of those Irish men who had come to America in pursuit of wealth and money and who could do anything to achieve their aspirations (Thomas 1-48).
In this case, Michaels’ love affair with Grace can be described as being a fake one in which his only main desire is to acquire wealth and money despite Grace representing an ideal situation where social evils are not practiced. According to Kelly, Grace Plays clean deals, as her background quite pities and thus engages herself in artistic works. It is in her artistic work where she meets Michael and they both entangle in a love affair which further expounds the making of the State Empire Building full of corruption, greed for money, idolatry, and remarkably sexual immorality (Thomas 1-48).
Generally, it is important to note that, Kelly presentation of the Rising empire in the entire book is significantly full of fiction in which he describes various phenomena and happenings in this unique city where people including quite respectful people like presidents met and gathered to make corrupt deals as evidenced when Irish Republican proprietor, Danny Casey gets involved in a love affair with Grace. On top of exhibiting corruption, Irish Republican proprietor, Danny Casey is also brought out as being very romantic and sexually immoral as he demands that, he be allowed to sleep with Grace on their first day of the meeting. As revealed in the story such highly ranked people in the society are being involved in the evils done by common people, which further make the city significant and unique in a way (Thomas 1-48).
As it was evidenced by Kelly, Grace’s life was full of misery as she is first introduced as being an immigrant who lived about on the shore of the island. Vividly, her living in the boat really exposes her simplicity and her determination of making her life more comfortable through hard struggles in her artwork. In this case, the situation set by Kelly is significant in portraying the level of humility and agility evils history shown by Grace by being very hardworking and quite reliable in many social works. Perhaps, Thomas Kelly succeeds in bringing out the kind of life that many people lead in society which portrays their weaknesses and strengths in one way or another. In fact, Kelly’s story brings into focus the untold fate that lies behind Michael whose life comes to an end sharply leading to his subsequent break-up with Grace as result of the evils practiced in the city. More specifically, Michael’s death is far much deep-rooted in the misuse of power and corruption in the State Empire Building in which the author find it interesting in unveiling the evils and archaic practices in that city (Thomas 1-48).
Character traits
As it has been depicted in this book various individuals are brought out to constitute the main outline and plot of the story through their remarkable character traits. Perhaps, Thomas Kelly brings out many of the characters in his book to portray the exact happenings in the contemporary society among many individuals, whether in political positions or not. It is important to note that, most of the themes brought out in this book are built on the various character traits by different individuals. On this basis therefore, Kelly succeeds in enhancing the relevance of his work into the contemporary society through creating characters who reflect the actual happenings in the society (Thomas 1-48).
As it is in the story, Michael Briody is brought out as being very scheming and tactical. From his undertakings with various individuals, Michael is brought out as being very scheming in his pursuit to acquire wealth and money and being very tactical in his dealings. Certainly, as depicted in the story, Michael’s friendship with Johnny Farrell and Mayor Walker is much based on his desire to acquire money and wealth. As the story depicts, Michael gets various loopholes into acquiring wealth and money through his unfailing and well organized plan to get money and wealth through engaging himself into various friendships. Though being an immigrant, Michael’s friendship with Grace, his fellow immigrant is much based on his pursuit to acquire money and wealth but not genuine love as Grace thought. In this case, his longing to acquire money and wealth is actually triggering his engagement in these friendships, which he later abandons after acquiring money and wealth as he wanted (Thomas 1-48).
In addition Michael is also brought out as being very secretive as he forms the main outlay of the story plot which is much based with dark conspiracy and filthy secrets. As depicted in the entire story, Michael’s plans and desires are not openly revealed to every body but keep them within himself, in which he emerges as being very secretive. More specifically, his whole plot on how to acquire money and wealth even if it means to engage into corrupt deals, knowing what he longs for exposes Michael as being very secretive. In this case, his engagement with quite prominent people in various deals succeeds as he does not expose his entire plans openly apart from being perceived as only a contractor (Thomas 1-48).
On the other hand, Grace is being brought out as an ideal girl whose dealings are upright and genuine. Being an artist, Grace emerges as a brilliant young lady whose beauty attracts many including Michael among other influential people. Being an immigrant, Grace is brought out as very loyal to her commitments in which her mission in her foreign country was to give quality services and get her pay. As it turns out, Grace’s commitment to Michael’s love is an ideal one but not faked as the one Michael had. Generally, Grace emerges as a very committed lady in her dealings where she is brought out to represent idealism in the contemporary society. Further, Grace is brought out as being very hardworking and portraying a high degree of perseverance and humility. In this case, her living in the boat along the shore of Ire land brings her out as being very hardworking lady and being very perseverant. It is through hardships that Grace emerges to be a recognized artist where she involves herself in the art of acting in the State Empire Building in which she later meets a number of remarkable people including Michael (Thomas 1-48).
On the other hand, Grace is emerges as being very immoral sexually when she engages herself in love affairs with various individuals. However her prowess is till outstanding in which she comes out as one of the main lady characters brought into focus in this story by Kelly, who describes her as being ‘a very strong woman’. Particularly, her engagement in love affair with Michael, though ends painfully, brings her out as being very committed in her dealings (Thomas 1-48).
Themes
Being a love story, “The Empire Building” revolves round a number of themes as brought out on an in-depth analysis of various undertakings in the entire book. As it has been revealed, Thomas Kelly can be described as one of the highly scheming authors who are quite creative in unveiling various issues that take place in the society. Meanwhile, this book is based on a number of themes which in a way reflect the kind of life led by some individuals in the contemporary society (Thomas 1-48).
As it has been revealed, corruption and power misuse is one of the main themes brought out in this book. As a matter of fact, various characters are brought into focus as engaging in corrupt deals and misusing their money and power in various ways. In this case, Mayor Jimmy Walker engages in the act of accepting bribes from people in favor of giving them opportunities in the construction process of the Empire Sate Building, Michael being one of the Contractors. As the two are very senior in the Building process, they thereafter engage in acquiring women through the use of their power and wealth. It is important to note that, Michael’s engagement in love affairs is not genuine but a loophole to get opportunities to acquire money and wealth (Thomas 1-48).
Further, immorality and greed are other themes unveiled in various undertakings in the book. As it is depicted in the story, Michael who is the character is brought out as being engaging in immoral acts with Grace. As things turn out, the love affair between Michael and Grace is not genuine in the sense that, Michael was just using Grace to acquire wealth. By so doing Michael is brought out being greedy and immoral. Perhaps, Briody’s agitator Irish Republican proprietor, Danny Casey, is also involved in immoral sexual acts with Babe Ruth which further expounds the theme of immorality in the entire book (Thomas 1-48).
More, the theme of politics remains eminent throughout the book as most of the deals in the process of Empire State Building falls under political deals from the beginning to the end. In this case, the use of political power by various individuals forms the main part of the story. Being a political project, the building of the empire state brings into focus how politicians like president Franklin Delano Roosevelt whose role in the whole story revolves round dirty politics of acquiring wealth through the use of their political influences. In fact, the book presents an appreciation of how political powers form the base of all undertakings forming the main national historical events in America (Thomas 1-48).
Conclusion
Generally, the ‘Rising of the Empire’ is one of the most remarkable books among Kelly’s collection; which unveils various practices done in the State Empire Building, by various remarkably significant individuals. As it has been revealed, various themes and characters by different individuals are brought into focus in which an in-depth analysis of the story reflects the entire dealings in the society. Perhaps, Thomas Kelly succeeds in bringing out various practices which various remarkable individuals were being involved into leaving a sense of society criticism and the urge to use powers and wealth effectively; but not to mistreat other people.
Work Cited
Thomas, Kelly. “Empire Rising”. New York: Picador Publishers. (2006):1-48.