GROUP DISCUSSION #3 - “Suffer the Little Children”

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AnnaMarie

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Feb 16, 2012
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While reading I kept picturing the teacher as my English teacher from grade 9 and 10 and 11. I was put in her class in grade 12 but went to guidance and begged for a transfer. He asked reason for transfer and I replied “she’s crazy. I cannot do another year in the nuthouse.” He burst out laughing but said I needed a more acceptable reason.

So, While reading, I was sure the teacher was imagining it, which made her way of dealing with them quite horrific. But the ending...

when her psychiatrist starts watching the kids so closely, he is seeing it too.

And I say aliens.
 

Doc Creed

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Nov 18, 2015
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While reading I kept picturing the teacher as my English teacher from grade 9 and 10 and 11. I was put in her class in grade 12 but went to guidance and begged for a transfer. He asked reason for transfer and I replied “she’s crazy. I cannot do another year in the nuthouse.” He burst out laughing but said I needed a more acceptable reason.

So, While reading, I was sure the teacher was imagining it, which made her way of dealing with them quite horrific. But the ending...

when her psychiatrist starts watching the kids so closely, he is seeing it too.

And I say aliens.
Good point.
 

fljoe0

Cantre Member
Apr 5, 2008
15,859
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120 miles S of the Pancake/Waffle line
The brilliance of this story is its ambiguity, yes. Every time I read it I change my mind on what I think is actually happening. It's a fun story.

(Off topic, Cody, but seeing how well you write and comport yourself gives me hope for your generation. Your posts are never muddled and it's nice to see a young person who places importance on writing, grammar, spelling, et cetera.)

I agree about the ambiguity. You can take this story so many different ways. I do think there is an underlying joke that children are monsters.

As far as Cody's generation, I'm not so worried. It's my generation that is disturbing the hell out of me right now. ;-D
 
Mar 12, 2010
6,538
29,004
Texas
While reading I kept picturing the teacher as my English teacher from grade 9 and 10 and 11. I was put in her class in grade 12 but went to guidance and begged for a transfer. He asked reason for transfer and I replied “she’s crazy. I cannot do another year in the nuthouse.” He burst out laughing but said I needed a more acceptable reason.

So, While reading, I was sure the teacher was imagining it, which made her way of dealing with them quite horrific. But the ending...

when her psychiatrist starts watching the kids so closely, he is seeing it too.

And I say aliens.

LOL... I think saying you couldn't do another year in the nuthouse was a perfectly acceptable reason. :rofl:
 

cat in a bag

Well-Known Member
Aug 28, 2010
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I guess I'm the odd one here, this is one of my least favorite stories.

Like most, I had a grade school teacher in mind but mine had awful arthritis and her hands were disfigured. She definitely was a no BS kind of teacher! Harder on the boys than the girls.

I was thinking pod people too. Silently taking over. I don't know why I don't particularly like this story, it hits all the right buttons. It just never has been a favorite of mine.
 

fljoe0

Cantre Member
Apr 5, 2008
15,859
71,642
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120 miles S of the Pancake/Waffle line
I guess I'm the odd one here, this is one of my least favorite stories.

Like most, I had a grade school teacher in mind but mine had awful arthritis and her hands were disfigured. She definitely was a no BS kind of teacher! Harder on the boys than the girls.

I was thinking pod people too. Silently taking over. I don't know why I don't particularly like this story, it hits all the right buttons. It just never has been a favorite of mine.

debbie-downer.jpg


;-D
 
Mar 12, 2010
6,538
29,004
Texas
Here's another thought... people with Parkinson's are known to hallucinate. The back could be a symptom; stiffness anyway.

I'm down with the aliens hypothesis but I like my allegorical take, too.

I hadn't thought about hallucinating... and I should have. I cannot smoke weed - I hallucinate. The last time I tried smoking, the friend I was with turned into an alien monster. I knew she wasn't really an alien monster but I could not shake the image. I've decided that people who read horror and sci-fi should probably stay away from hallucinatory drugs lol. Maybe SK was smoking laced weed when he wrote the story :)

I like your allegorical take too :)

Another thought: maybe there's something in the water :suspect: