In the history of literature, there are several situations that can demonstrate that the arrangement of political power actually has an impact on the thoughts, feelings and actions of the people governed. In James Michener's novel The Bridge at Andau, the oppressive nature of Hungarian politics, particularly the AVO, affects Hungarian citizens by making them feel inferior, insecure, and ultimately leading Hungarians to rebel. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay In Michener's novel, the Hungarian people are experiencing severe oppression from their government, especially a group called AVO, who established several rules and regulations that served to make the Hungarian people feel inferior in their own country . For example, the Pal family explained that they could barely feed themselves because “food was very expensive,” but then claimed that “communist books were cheap” (Michener 58), which shows that the family felt inferior to government leaders because the only things they could afford were the materials the government was trying to force 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 show up to a job interview wearing 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 that sold cheaper products simply because they were Hungarian. The wife explained to her husband that "there was a great store just for Russians" (Michener 158) that had the best Hungarian products with discounts of up to 80%. The wife concluded by explaining that “when all that is good is exhausted in those warehouses… what is left is put in the warehouses for us workers, and we pay the highest prices” (Michener 158). Husband and wife felt inferior due to their oppressive government because the stores were also segregated: the rich were given cheap, high-quality items while those who were already poor were forced to pay extreme prices for items that were simply leftovers. This type of treatment, especially from your own government, is more than enough to make anyone feel inferior. Furthermore, Hungarians were affected by the AVO's oppression because the AVO's governing methods made the Hungarian people feel very insecure in their lives. Village. Michener describes a man who was beaten every day for 33 days by the AVO simply because the officers didn't like that his dress looked "American." When asked if the AVO could hold me captive for 33 days simply because of the suit he was wearing, the man replied, "They could have held me for 33 years" (Michener 138), which shows how dangerous the life under the regime. AVO control. Innocent men were thrown into prison and beaten simply because the government didn't like what they were wearing. If this act doesn't make someone feel unsafe, then what will? Another woman was seen to have a deformed hand. When asked what had happened, she replied that "the AVO broke it", and that they smashed her fingers "with a rubber tube" and burned two holes in the back of her hand with "lit cigarettes ” (Michener 138), all because a distant friend had fled across the border, which further demonstrates how dangerous it was to live under AVO rule. The organization of political power in Hungary has been seriously unfair towards citizens and has made them victims of unnecessary violence such as that committed.