The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York

Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 1974

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Introduction-Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Key Figures

Themes

Index of Terms

Literary Devices

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Literary Devices

Foreshadowing

Literary foreshadowing is a narrative technique in which an author hints at or suggests future events or outcomes within a story, creating suspense and anticipation. These hints can take the form of subtle clues, symbols, or motifs that subtly indicate what may happen later in the plot, often adding depth and complexity to the narrative. Foreshadowing can build tension, develop themes, and enhance the overall impact of a story by preparing readers for significant events or revelations to come.

In The Power Broker, Caro uses the introduction to juxtapose two events in the life of Robert Moses. He threatens to resign from the swim team if he does not get his way, and his resignation is accepted. Later, Moses threatens to resign if Mayor Wagner does not renew one of his many important and influential positions. Wagner is cowed whereas Moses’s fellow student was not. This contrast foreshadows the immense power that Moses will amass, showing the extent to which he feels confident and powerful enough to bully the mayor of New York City into doing what he wants. By including this in the introduction, Caro foreshadows the rise of Moses’s power.

Repetition

Repetition refers to the intentional recurrence of words, phrases, sounds, or structural elements within a literary work. Authors use repetition for various purposes, such as emphasizing key themes or ideas, creating rhythm and musicality in the text, reinforcing emotional impact, or highlighting character traits. By repeating certain elements, writers can draw attention to specific concepts or evoke a sense of unity and coherence throughout the narrative, enhancing the overall effectiveness and resonance of their writing.

In The Power Broker, Caro repeats certain scenes and phrases to illustrate Moses’s changing status. One repeated scene involves Moses threatening to resign from his post. When Moses has no power (such as when he is at Yale), this threat has no meaning. When he is the powerful head of parks in New York, this threat becomes legitimate. At the end of the book, Rockefeller accepts Moses’s empty threat of resignation, signaling his downfall. At each point, Moses’s relative power level is evident through the way people react to his repeated action.

Similarly, the repetition of the phrase “Getting Things Done” (or variations on this phrase) is used as a shorthand reminder of why Moses is so important in New York. Unlike other politicians, he can “Get Things Done,” meaning that he can cut through the bureaucratic red tape and achieve things that no one else can achieve. The repetition indicates the extent to which Moses turns “Getting Things Done” into an essential part of his public image. He wants to be known as the only man who can “Get Things Done,” so the phrase is deployed often and tactically.

Epigraphs

An epigraph is a brief quotation, phrase, or excerpt typically found at the beginning of a text or a chapter. It serves as a preface or introduction, setting the tone, theme, or context for the work that follows. Authors often use epigraphs to provide insight into the central themes, motifs, or historical context of their writing, or to establish connections with other literary works, cultural references, or philosophical ideas. Epigraphs can add depth and complexity to a text, inviting readers to consider multiple layers of meaning and interpretation before delving into the main narrative.

Throughout The Power Broker, Caro uses epigraphs at the beginning of chapters to establish a tone for what will follow. He mixes literary and factual quotes, using Biblical references, Shakespeare references, and excerpts from Moses’s speeches to give his characters a literary dimension. By placing Moses’s words in an epigraph in the same way he uses a quote from the Book of Job or Francis Bacon, he frames Moses as a tragic literary figure, someone larger than life and deserving of literary treatment. Through the use of epigraphs, The Power Broker reinforces the tragic arc of Moses’s rise and fall.