For a long time, I've objected to the label of King as a "horror" writer. Not that he doesn't frequently present horrifying situations or sometimes just scare readers for the fun of it. But I also consider him a very serious craftsman, and much of his writing reminds me of Nathaniel Hawthorne (who also grew up in Maine, though it was then still Massachusetts).
Not only do I regularly assign his books and stories, but I've started to give presentations at academic conferences. I spoke on The Green Mile in February and have just sent a multiwork proposal (reproduced below) to another conference.
I would like to turn these presentations into published papers, and so I ask for HELP. I haven't found much scholarly writing on King. (What is Stephen King's X? Is it any good? Would it help me?) So I need input from other Constant Readers.
For the GM piece, which focuses on the compromises we make to keep our jobs, I keep wondering about the connection between Percy and Brad. Paul keeps telling us ways in which Brad reminds him of Percy. Can I consider Brad a sort of Divine punishment on Paul for having allowed Percy to torment so many? One respondent says no, that Brad just shows us how every workplace has some bad people, but I want to hear from more than one person.
For the other piece, I need help locating all the RF characters. And does anyone know why King uses those initials? I also need help remembering all the alcoholic writers. I know they appear in The Shining, Tommyknockers, Desperation, and Doctor Sleep, but I think I'm leaving some out.
Thank you in advance for your feedback. Here is the proposal I just sent to a conference:
Stephen King’s Demons
In his writings, Stephen King does not present the Devil himself, although Randall Flagg, in The Stand, introduces himself, “Pleased to meet you. Hope you guessed my name.” Flagg not only represents Evil, with supernatural abilities, but he also reappears in other King works, sometimes under the same name, sometimes with a different name but still the initials RF. These demonic characters control many and tempt all. Others must resist them to remain Good. And while Good ultimately triumphs, not all who battle against Evil survive the confrontation. The good characters do not join any particular religious group, but often they do pray more and more, and they shift from cynics to the position that maybe a Good, Higher Power DOES exist out there.
At the same time, King frequently presents another kind of devil/demon in his writings: alcohol. Alcoholic characters, especially alcoholic authors heavily populate King’s stories. King has said in the nonfiction On Writing that not until he himself sobered up did he recognize these characters as himself. Generally these writers join those who perish in the fight for Good—except the protagonist of his recent Doctor Sleep. This character has actively joined AA, and he succeeds at conquering both demonic forces in the story: those within and those without.
Rather than rejecting King as a horror writer, believers should embrace him as a moralistic, Hawthornian writer. He asserts that we must conquer inner demons in order to defeat outer ones. He also insists that Evil is real.
Not only do I regularly assign his books and stories, but I've started to give presentations at academic conferences. I spoke on The Green Mile in February and have just sent a multiwork proposal (reproduced below) to another conference.
I would like to turn these presentations into published papers, and so I ask for HELP. I haven't found much scholarly writing on King. (What is Stephen King's X? Is it any good? Would it help me?) So I need input from other Constant Readers.
For the GM piece, which focuses on the compromises we make to keep our jobs, I keep wondering about the connection between Percy and Brad. Paul keeps telling us ways in which Brad reminds him of Percy. Can I consider Brad a sort of Divine punishment on Paul for having allowed Percy to torment so many? One respondent says no, that Brad just shows us how every workplace has some bad people, but I want to hear from more than one person.
For the other piece, I need help locating all the RF characters. And does anyone know why King uses those initials? I also need help remembering all the alcoholic writers. I know they appear in The Shining, Tommyknockers, Desperation, and Doctor Sleep, but I think I'm leaving some out.
Thank you in advance for your feedback. Here is the proposal I just sent to a conference:
Stephen King’s Demons
In his writings, Stephen King does not present the Devil himself, although Randall Flagg, in The Stand, introduces himself, “Pleased to meet you. Hope you guessed my name.” Flagg not only represents Evil, with supernatural abilities, but he also reappears in other King works, sometimes under the same name, sometimes with a different name but still the initials RF. These demonic characters control many and tempt all. Others must resist them to remain Good. And while Good ultimately triumphs, not all who battle against Evil survive the confrontation. The good characters do not join any particular religious group, but often they do pray more and more, and they shift from cynics to the position that maybe a Good, Higher Power DOES exist out there.
At the same time, King frequently presents another kind of devil/demon in his writings: alcohol. Alcoholic characters, especially alcoholic authors heavily populate King’s stories. King has said in the nonfiction On Writing that not until he himself sobered up did he recognize these characters as himself. Generally these writers join those who perish in the fight for Good—except the protagonist of his recent Doctor Sleep. This character has actively joined AA, and he succeeds at conquering both demonic forces in the story: those within and those without.
Rather than rejecting King as a horror writer, believers should embrace him as a moralistic, Hawthornian writer. He asserts that we must conquer inner demons in order to defeat outer ones. He also insists that Evil is real.