Summary
Stephen King’sCarriehas been out for 50 eld now , butthere ’s still something about the author ’s first novel that does n’t ride right with me . King publishedCarrieback in 1974 , and the book catapult the revulsion icon ’s writing career . Needless to say , Carrieholds a limited billet in the nerve ofdiehard King rooter . And it really is a big novel , with motif that still hold up half a hundred later . However , the characterisation ofCarrie ’s title characterhas always enervate me , and I ca n’t decide whether that ’s a good thing or not .
Carrietells the history of a bullied castaway with telekinetic powers she eventually use to bolt down her tormentors during prom . We get Carrie ’s position in King ’s book , but we also see her character through the eyes of her class fellow , neighbors , and bystanders , both before and after the cataclysm . While King ’s novel is a clear commentary on the fact that people create monster , his approach to writing Carrie White leave me feeling conflicted .
Over the course of his literary calling , Stephen King has crafted 66 novels and over 200 short stories , but how do his books rank against one another ?
Stephen King’s Depiction Of Carrie White Doesn’t Evoke Much Sympathy For Her
Carrie’s Bullies Are Often Portrayed With More Nuance
Carrie White hire a atrocious turn at the end of King ’s 1974 novel , so it ’s understandable that the author puts some distance between her character and the proofreader . I can also see how King himself would feel less sympathetic towards Carrie , despite revolving his entire story around her . ButKing ’s approach to writing Carrie showcases a clear disconnect between the author and the fictional character . King even allow in he " never cared much " for her duringOn Writing . And this radiate through when he describes her strong-arm visual aspect and internal dialogue in altogether uncomplimentary way .
By contrast , Carrieportrays the people who dismiss or exacerbate Carrie ’s excruciation as more sympathetic , with Sue Snell standing out in particular . Given that they ’re complicit in what Carrie becomes , it ’s an interesting writing choice — and it ’s one I regain myself going back and forth on . For a novel that tackles the event of intimidation and trauma , it ’s somewhat surprising that there ’s so footling travail to sell Carrie to readers . certainly , we should n’t endure what she becomes . But I feel like painting Carrie as hideous and place us in other characters ' POVs makes it much harder to feel for her .
Carrie Would Be More Tragic & Shocking If She Wasn’t So Off-Putting
Fully Stepping Into Her Shoes Would Make Stephen King’s Ending More Jarring
Distancing the reader from Carrie White is doubtlessly an designed option , butI question whether King ’s record would be more tragical and shocking if the reader was convinced to care her first . Carrieshows us a darker , more violent side of its form of address character at the very kickoff of the novel , which pushes readers away from her instantaneously . Although we know we should feel regretful for her , we do so at a aloofness . Once she start envisioning her revenge , it becomes more unmanageable to empathize , even though we understand how she catch to this breaker point .
Carriemight be more jarring if we actually related to and empathized with Carrie White first , as it would put us fully in her shoes before having her do something terrible . This would make us question whether everyone ’s capable of such things , and it would drive home the tragic nature of the persona and the Word of God ’s conclusion . As it stands , Carrieis still objectively annihilating for everyone involve . But part of me like we were able to see more redeeming qualities in Carrie before the book ’s finish twist . Another part appreciates why we get that from Sue and Carrie ’s classmates instead .
I Think I Understand Why Stephen King Makes The Choices He Does
We’re Not Meant To Relate To Carrie (& That’s Unsettling Too)
While Carrie White ’s depiction go forth me feel conflicted after all these years , I do understand why King makes the narrative choices he does . We ’re pushed to relate to Carrie ’s class fellow over her because their archetypes are more likely to apply to the reader . Many of us can relate to and realise the action of a bystander more than a tormented telekinetic small fry , and that ’s just as unsettling as Carrie ’s characterization . Most lector have found themselves in Sue Snell ’s shoe at some point , and they ’re imply to experience the guilt that come with that alongside her and the other characters .
At its core , Carrieis a novel about the consequences of do by others badly — and that content is most effectively fork out through the perspective of character who involve to try it . Carrie is the vehicle through which this is imparted , but she ’s not really someone we ’re able to form a deep connexion with . I ’m still not indisputable how I feel about that , but King gets his stage across all the same .
