Dolan's Cadillac - SKMB RBC- Discussion 8.8.14

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niro

niro

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Apr 5, 2013
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VultureLvr45 said:
Beginning This Friday Evening 10pm EST, 9pm Central

SKMB Reading and Discussion Group

Book Discussion -Nightmares and Dreamscapes

First Story - Introduction and Dolan's Cadillac

All are invited to participate in discussion about the story. Please re-read the story and be prepared to discuss some or all of the questions.

Please note, we are fans of the Kings Families works. We are starting this thread for those who want to read together, discuss and learn from 'the best'. We respectfully ask to keep on topic during discussion. Please no snark or 'cut down' of others opinions.



Questions to use as we discuss each of the reviewed stories. These were suggestions gleaned from LitLover as well as other reading discussion groups. Perhaps we can add more questions later but this is good to start.

1. How did we experience the book? Immediately engaging?

I liked the introduction makes you want to read Ripley don't you think? Dolans Cadillac is a great short story. It's a fast and easy readable.

2. Main Characters Actions, were they justified? What about the dynamics between characters?
There are not many characters in the story. The main character is a pretty lonley guy. His wife is dead but he talks with her in his imagination. His colleagues at school aren't nice to him. He only mentions one friend which he uses to get his revenge plan done because he needs some help with mathematics.

3. Any Growth or Maturity by end of tale?
After the main character got his revenge. He is haunted first by visions of Dolan. But in the end he finds something like inner peace. He doesn't hear the voice of his dead wife in his imagination and is pleased by that.

4. Plot, was it engaging? Fast or slow or twisty?
It was a fast read. But I knew the storyline because I had seen the movie made of it. I think there is one small change in the plot of the movie. The wife thinks she is pregnant and wanted to buy a pregnancy test. She is killed by starting the ignition

5. Was the timeline sequential or lots of flash backs? Structure, single viewpoint or multiple viewpoints?
The story is written from the husbands point of view. There are flashbacks mostly at the beginning of the story.

6. Themes - Main Ideas used? Any Symbolism?
The main theme is revenge.

7. Profound Passages, funny dialogue, or sections that summarize the story

8. Was it satisfying?
It was a well constructed story. All the planning to get Dolan into the trap. But I don't know if all the bruises of the main character are realistic.

9. If you could ask the author one question, regarding this book, what would it be?

10. Has the novel or story changed you in some way?
It is never discussed by the main character even not in an inner monologe if revenge is the right thing to do. It's years ago when the renvenge takes place. Years during the main character maybe could have lived a better life. On the other hand that's something I like about short stories in general not everything has to be discussed or to be explained.

11. How does the setting figure into the story and would you recommend the book?
Click to expand...


How did you expereience the imagined voice of the wife in the end of the story? I thought it was gloomier in the end. She pushed him even when he got injured more and more.


Have fun today while discussing the story. I will have a look on what you think about it.
 
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Christine62

Christine62

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Nov 7, 2013
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VultureLvr45 said:
The Introduction... It felt like icing on the cake.
Click to expand...

I liked the introduction because of his mix of high brow and low brow. On the one hand he talks about how he just believes everything fantastical out there. And in the next breath he talks about how short story writing is a "very challenging literary form'' and he goes back and forth like that.
 
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Christine62

Christine62

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I know as a writer of stories (some scary) I was much like Mr. King. My mom said I was "book smart" not street smart and that she always thought I would be the first girl in the family to get pregnant by some slick talking goober. She didn't know I was actually pretty smart when it came to real things but ghosts, monsters, weird things taking over my soul--I always slept with the blanket over my head...until I was 30.
 
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AchtungBaby

AchtungBaby

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Dec 5, 2011
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I'm holding my hefty hardback of N&D in my hands -- nothing better than a big ole King book is there???

I'll post a few thoughts and whatnot, but won't attempt to post a serious analysis/opinion until tomorrow, when I've finished the story and let my thoughts come together, if you will...

Still, a few things:

"I waited and watched for seven years. I saw him come and go -- Dolan."

SK sure can write a hooker, can't he? This story really hits the ground running -- who is Dolan? Who is the guy stalking him? One is immediately drawn into their relationship, and as one reads the first paragraphs the conflict is perfectly established: Dolan is the reason this guy's wife is dead. Dolan is of high society and is wealthy, whereas this guy is an Everyman, a school-teacher. The fact that he's a school-teacher lets us, the readers and observers, know he (probably) isn't usually prone to mean, vengeful thoughts or actions but he's planning to get Dolan. This guy means business! And really, can ya blame him? His wife is dead. SK is so great at coming up with "What would I do in that situation?!" scenarios.

Lines like "Schoolteachers and high-priced hoodlums do not have the same freedom of movement; it's just an economic fact of life" and "His hair went silver and mine just went" let us into the narrator's world and we can truly relate to him -- haven't we all felt a tiny bit like him at some point? Haven't we all had a Dolan, albeit maybe not to such a severe degree?

I've only read the first few pages, so I won't step out anymore until I've finished the story! Heh. Those are just a few thoughts for now, I'll probably expand on those and have much more to say later....

A few quick things:

I love the Spanish parable used as an epitaph. Definitely sets the story up splendidly.

The first-person POV really draws the reader into the story -- I remember this working especially well later on.

I didn't re-read the introduction this time, but c'mon -- it's a SK intro! Of course it's gold. I still remember the Nixon stuff and it makes me chuckle.

I'll be reading you guys' thoughts. (That sounds creepy....) Can't wait to post more tomorrow!
 
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morgan

morgan

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Jul 11, 2010
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VultureLvr45 said:
Christine62 said I liked the introduction because of his mix of high brow and low brow. On the one hand he talks about how he just believes everything fantastical out there. And in the next breath he talks about how short story writing is a "very challenging literary form'' and he goes back and forth like that.
Click to expand...
This is one of the many reasons I LOVE SK-he is a literary genius, but down to earth and completely relatable!
 
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