Anyone get kind of a cynical vibe from King's work?

[Kurben]

SK,s characters are very real to me. I see them more as human than cynical. Of course some of them are cynical but thats just part of the human nature. He doesn't turn a blind eye for the faults in a persons character and they are developing through his books in a very natural way. He doesn't lie about the characters.

 

[Connor B]

I'm trying to think of a writer that was downright misanthropic and/or nihilistic. Mark Twain in his later years and Bret Easton Ellis come to mind.

 

[Neesy]

Don't get me wrong, now. I love Stephen King, and he's one of those writers that made me want to become a writer. Nevertheless, looking at his stories, I've noticed that he tends to have a grim, almost Hobbesian view of human nature. Carrie definitely comes to my mind; aside from the titular character, everyone in the story is psychotic, sociopathic, apathetic, selfish, or stupid. Not exactly a pleasant view of human beings.

You must be joking - I see his work as the opposite of cynical. Carrie was about a bunch of kids in high school. Have you been to high school? They can be the cruelest people in the world.

I wish I could give some specific examples, but to me his work is based on the thought that people are basically good underneath and that goodness will triumph over evil.

 

[Neesy]

I'm trying to think of a writer that was downright misanthropic and/or nihilistic. Mark Twain in his later years and Bret Easton Ellis come to mind.

St. Paul in the Bible comes to mind as a misogynist - oooops - I see now that you said misanthropic

 

[Flat Matt]

You must be joking - I see his work as the opposite of cynical. Carrie was about a bunch of kids in high school. Have you been to high school? They can be the cruelest people in the world.

I wish I could give some specific examples, but to me his work is based on the thought that people are basically good underneath and that goodness will triumph over evil.

That's more or less how I see it. If Stephen King wasn't a writer, he would have made a pretty good psychologist! He truly understands what makes people tick.

 

[AchtungBaby]

The only King books I can think of that are exceptionally cynical/hopeless are Pet Sematary and Revival, but the cynicism in those isn't unheeded or unnecessary, but fully serve the stories being told.

 

[SpazzTheBassPlayer]

This is an interesting question. I most definitely think King writes cynical, but I also think that this cynicism is a big underlying aid to keep the tone of his books "dark". In our Real World, every new kid in school doesnt get beat-up on the School Bus on their first day in a new school but in King's universe, they do. I think the tone of the books would be diluted too much if little cynical nuances like that one didnt happen while reading

Ask any musician about their instruments: After the personal feel in the fingers, the tone is everything else

 

[Blake]

I'm trying to think of a writer that was downright misanthropic and/or nihilistic. Mark Twain in his later years and Bret Easton Ellis come to mind.

Because life is so fair and nice.