Guardians of the Path

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Joseph Burdette

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2018
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West Virginia
I always thought that Jud stayed up all night on the porch to make sure no one was using the Micmac Burial ground. Like Louis even comment "Maybe they stand watch." This lead me to think of something, maybe are a select number of people in the town that serve and guardians of the place. This group may have been in existance since the town was settled or maybe even before. Jud once mentioned there were other ways up to the Burial ground, maybe someone else watches over them. Maybe that is part of the reason that Jud brings Louis into the fold, one day he'd be in charge of watching the path and seeing is believing as far as something like this goes. It would make more sense. After watching the movies and even reading the book it does seem like there is a bit of a cover up in the town, that they kind sweep things under the rug. Maybe the 'guardians' also keep things quiet. What do you think?

On an slightly related note, there is an awesome documentary about the Pet Sematary movie and book on Amazon Prime. It actually shows the real Pet Sematary. Here is a pcuture

31634
 

wolfphoenix

She-Wolf finally Risen and Strapping On.
Apr 24, 2019
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You could be right. I've always wondered why Jud introduced Louis as his own experiences weren't great.
I always felt like Judd was compelled to tell about, and show Louis the burial ground, even though he really didn't want to.
It was like he was trying to fight an urge and ultimately just couldn't help it.
Remember all the story behind that place that he told Louis about and how 'dead is better'.
It seemed to me the place got an ethereal hook sunk into him the first time he used it, and it was always nagging at him in a faint itch sort of undercurrent way. I always got the impression that Judd was in a quiet, sort of mild trancelike state as they making the journey to the burial ground.
He started out warning Louis about what lay beyond the children's pet sematary, but when the opportunity arose he took.
Burying an animal was 'a lesser evil' that he could live with, as opposed to the abhorrent evil of burying a human and bringing back a monstrous entity.
It just seemed to me that he had a vague need there that had to be fed.
The older residents like Judd who had gone through that horrific incident with the young soldier, buried the whole thing down deep and wanted to forget it all, never speaking of it again. But Judd and the Creeds were living so close to the vicinity, and that opportunity arose with Church, and it brought things back for him in my opinion. Just the right circumstances were there to instigate and escalate latent events that just waiting to happen.
Its been along time since I read the book, thats how I remember it. I'm may well be misremembering. Thats the way I've always looked at that aspect of the story and and that part of Judd's character. Maybe I am getting sequence of events mixed up too. Got to get the book again and reread.
Interesting thread. Like it. :)
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
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Cambridge, Ohio
I always felt like Judd was compelled to tell about, and show Louis the burial ground, even though he really didn't want to.
It was like he was trying to fight an urge and ultimately just couldn't help it.
Remember all the story behind that place that he told Louis about and how 'dead is better'.
It seemed to me the place got an ethereal hook sunk into him the first time he used it, and it was always nagging at him in a faint itch sort of undercurrent way. I always got the impression that Judd was in a quiet, sort of mild trancelike state as they making the journey to the burial ground.
He started out warning Louis about what lay beyond the children's pet sematary, but when the opportunity arose he took.
Burying an animal was 'a lesser evil' that he could live with, as opposed to the abhorrent evil of burying a human and bringing back a monstrous entity.
It just seemed to me that he had a vague need there that had to be fed.
The older residents like Judd who had gone through that horrific incident with the young soldier, buried the whole thing down deep and wanted to forget it all, never speaking of it again. But Judd and the Creeds were living so close to the vicinity, and that opportunity arose with Church, and it brought things back for him in my opinion. Just the right circumstances were there to instigate and escalate latent events that just waiting to happen.
Its been along time since I read the book, thats how I remember it. I'm may well be misremembering. Thats the way I've always looked at that aspect of the story and and that part of Judd's character. Maybe I am getting sequence of events mixed up too. Got to get the book again and reread.
Interesting thread. Like it. :)
....love the analysis there girly-gurl!.....I think the entire area was poisoned ground.....maybe even one of Steve's portals-but to Hell and back......
 

Doc Creed

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Nov 18, 2015
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I always felt like Judd was compelled to tell about, and show Louis the burial ground, even though he really didn't want to.
It was like he was trying to fight an urge and ultimately just couldn't help it.
Remember all the story behind that place that he told Louis about and how 'dead is better'.
It seemed to me the place got an ethereal hook sunk into him the first time he used it, and it was always nagging at him in a faint itch sort of undercurrent way. I always got the impression that Judd was in a quiet, sort of mild trancelike state as they making the journey to the burial ground.
He started out warning Louis about what lay beyond the children's pet sematary, but when the opportunity arose he took.
Burying an animal was 'a lesser evil' that he could live with, as opposed to the abhorrent evil of burying a human and bringing back a monstrous entity.
It just seemed to me that he had a vague need there that had to be fed.
The older residents like Judd who had gone through that horrific incident with the young soldier, buried the whole thing down deep and wanted to forget it all, never speaking of it again. But Judd and the Creeds were living so close to the vicinity, and that opportunity arose with Church, and it brought things back for him in my opinion. Just the right circumstances were there to instigate and escalate latent events that just waiting to happen.
Its been along time since I read the book, thats how I remember it. I'm may well be misremembering. Thats the way I've always looked at that aspect of the story and and that part of Judd's character. Maybe I am getting sequence of events mixed up too. Got to get the book again and reread.
Interesting thread. Like it. :)
....love the analysis there girly-gurl!.....I think the entire area was poisoned ground.....maybe even one of Steve's portals-but to Hell and back......
I think there is a moment in the book when Louis asks him that very thing and Jud says, "You do it, Louis, cuz the place gets hold of you." Something like that. I'm paraphrasing .
 

wolfphoenix

She-Wolf finally Risen and Strapping On.
Apr 24, 2019
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....love the analysis there girly-gurl!.....I think the entire area was poisoned ground.....maybe even one of Steve's portals-but to Hell and back......
I think there is a moment in the book when Louis asks him that very thing and Jud says, "You do it, Louis, cuz the place gets hold of you." Something like that. I'm paraphrasing .
....you are correct.....
I love you guys;)
 

Joseph Burdette

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2018
95
377
43
West Virginia
Oh I get the addiction angel, that you want to use the place even thought you know it isn't good. Something that never gets brought up in the movies thought is that most of the animals came back stupid, not mean or killers. So you can understand why people would still be willing to use it for their pets. I always just thought there might be a little group in town that kept an eye on things to make sure they didn't have another Timmy Baterman. I mean more than enough of them knew about the bull coming back, its obvious that the burial ground isn't as mysterious as it seems. At least to most people.
 

wolfphoenix

She-Wolf finally Risen and Strapping On.
Apr 24, 2019
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Oh I get the addiction angel, that you want to use the place even thought you know it isn't good. Something that never gets brought up in the movies thought is that most of the animals came back stupid, not mean or killers. So you can understand why people would still be willing to use it for their pets. I always just thought there might be a little group in town that kept an eye on things to make sure they didn't have another Timmy Baterman. I mean more than enough of them knew about the bull coming back, its obvious that the burial ground isn't as mysterious as it seems. At least to most people.
I like your way of seeing things. You have a great imagination I think. :)
Literature is art, and like visual arts, everyone walks away with something different from it. And everytime you look again you see more and new.
I said it before in "His never ending fury" thread, that good stories/books are like diamonds,
many beautiful and fascinating facets to gaze deeply into.
Your theory makes a lot of sense to me and I am looking forward to a reread of the book.
Just got to get my hands on a copy when I have time. :)
 
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doowopgirl

very avid fan
Aug 7, 2009
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I always felt like Judd was compelled to tell about, and show Louis the burial ground, even though he really didn't want to.
It was like he was trying to fight an urge and ultimately just couldn't help it.
Remember all the story behind that place that he told Louis about and how 'dead is better'.
It seemed to me the place got an ethereal hook sunk into him the first time he used it, and it was always nagging at him in a faint itch sort of undercurrent way. I always got the impression that Judd was in a quiet, sort of mild trancelike state as they making the journey to the burial ground.
He started out warning Louis about what lay beyond the children's pet sematary, but when the opportunity arose he took.
Burying an animal was 'a lesser evil' that he could live with, as opposed to the abhorrent evil of burying a human and bringing back a monstrous entity.
It just seemed to me that he had a vague need there that had to be fed.
The older residents like Judd who had gone through that horrific incident with the young soldier, buried the whole thing down deep and wanted to forget it all, never speaking of it again. But Judd and the Creeds were living so close to the vicinity, and that opportunity arose with Church, and it brought things back for him in my opinion. Just the right circumstances were there to instigate and escalate latent events that just waiting to happen.
Its been along time since I read the book, thats how I remember it. I'm may well be misremembering. Thats the way I've always looked at that aspect of the story and and that part of Judd's character. Maybe I am getting sequence of events mixed up too. Got to get the book again and reread.
Interesting thread. Like it. :)
Well thought out
 

preciousroy

Well-Known Member
Apr 4, 2018
175
661
I agree with wolfphoenix's interpretation, but I always thought the book would be dark in a different way if Judd was deliberate and intended to watch Louis and his family become the next victims of the burial ground. But I don't think the story would be better that way.
 

wolfphoenix

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I agree with wolfphoenix's interpretation, but I always thought the book would be dark in a different way if Judd was deliberate and intended to watch Louis and his family become the next victims of the burial ground. But I don't think the story would be better that way.
I agree with you too. The wouldn't be the same or any better.
I think Judd would have a totally different character (personality type) if he had done that maliciously and willfully.