Apt Pupil - Why Dussander/Denker never says Todd's name

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Neesy

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May 24, 2012
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It is noted several times, particularly by Rubber Ed French, that Dussander/Denker never once refers to Todd by name. Interestingly enough, and perhaps providing a reason, the German word for death happens to be "tod".
Do you think that is a coincidence? I wonder if Stephen King did that on purpose and if not that's quite freaky.
 

AnnaMarie

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Do you think that is a coincidence? I wonder if Stephen King did that on purpose and if not that's quite freaky.

I doubt it's coincidence. We know he researches before/while writing. Not doubt he chose that name on purpose.

...he was also a Nazi and could have just been his way of dehumanizing....

I don't remember details of the book, but reading the First post, my first thought was dehumanizing.
 

skimom2

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It is noted several times, particularly by Rubber Ed French, that Dussander/Denker never once refers to Todd by name. Interestingly enough, and perhaps providing a reason, the German word for death happens to be "tod".
Not pronounced the same as the name, though. I think it was more to dehumanize than anything else.
 

GNTLGNT

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The Walkin Dudemar

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As GNTLGNT first noted, it was a deliberate brutalisation.
It was also, most likely, Denker's inherent attitude toward anyone he felt beneath him.

- tot or tote (rhymes with taut or taught) is the German word that you may be thinking of.

I am pretty sure "tod" is the German word for death. The word you posted: "tot" means dead. My mother was a fluent German speaker and I know a bit myself. Also, if I am wrong, so are the online translators and dictionaries. Check this one:

Tod translation English | German dictionary | Reverso


In my opinion, this was a very deliberate choice made by Stephen King. It's the perfect name... Todd is on one hand one of those all-American boy names, but on the other hand, in German, it means death, and Todd is the one who brought death back into Dussander's life after he hid from it for 3 decades, and eventually brought death to Dussander himself.
 

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