Is Derry a microcosm for the entire United States?

[count chocula]

The ground is "sour" in pet cemetery and the pipes in Derry, Maine, far underground, house unspeakable demons. A lot of nations and tribes in the past had an attachment to the soil and some even believed they sprang from it, like Adam in the Genesis story.

So what is Stephen King really talking about? In IT, you've got evil that crops up every twenty-five years. Then, one of the heroes does research on Derry and finds an inexplicably high crime rate compared with other like towns in the area.

I have wondered why, given the relative wealth and prosperity of the U.S., our crime rate is so much higher than other comparably developed countries, cutting across all ethnic/racial groups. The fact that we always seem to run into an enemy every generation or so also seems strange. And for whatever reason, schools don't seem to get blown up in other countries.

Do you think King is suggesting something about the whole nation? It's a perceptive few that sense something wrong in every given society, but our nation was not founded like other nations so we are different. We're sort of a living conspiracy.

Maybe writers can sense something monstrous in the pipes here like those kids in the book?

 

[summer_sky]

Interesting notion.

I've long thought that in order to know where technology is going, read science fiction. My theory is that science fiction writers often have connections and ties to scientists' professional and social circles where they glean clues and insights into developing technology and how society and humanity will be impacted and affected and creatively write about it.

Does S.K. consciously use his own cultural experiences, education and insights as a natural born citizen of this country and member of society to extrapolate where our society and culture is going?
I say yes. Of course.

However, fiction, horror and fantasy writers are not the only ones who can see that our society... and devolving culture... is swirling down the pipes rapidly creating a monstrosity of unknown nightmares. Every member of society could see this IF they dare to look away from the television set and handheld gadgets long enough to see what is happening around us.

Of course, not all of us have the talent and skills to write about such observations as deftly and engagingly as does Mr. King, et.al.

 

[GNTLGNT]

...true horror is outside our window...we don't need it in writing anymore...

 

[count chocula]

...true horror is outside our window...we don't need it in writing anymore...

Yeah I agree. In Derry, there were people who knew, yet did nothing. They didn't necessarily want children to get hurt, but to stop what was doing IT was unthinkable. I see something similar here in this country. On the surface, we're just another country but I know we're different and their is something here that people are either frightened of or actively serving. We just beat the Soviets in the Cold War and now, presto! We've got another enemy in the Muslims. It's like its planned and meanwhile, more people are dying.

 

[Pucker]

We have met the enemy, and he is us.

-- Walt Kelly

 

[blunthead]

We have met the enemy, and he is us.

-- Walt Kelly

I have to fight Walt Kelly off. He insists on a relationship.

 

[GNTLGNT]

We have met the enemy, and he is us.

-- Walt Kelly

 

[Scaring The Little Girl!]

You guys sound like Bill Denbrough's Creative Writing Honors Seminar Instructor. I will just quote the man himself:

"I don’t understand this at all. I don’t understand any of this. Why does a story have to be socio-anything? Politics...culture...history...aren’t those natural ingredients in any story, if it’s told well? I mean..." He looks around, sees hostile eyes, and realizes dimly that they see this as some sort of attack. Maybe it even is. They are thinking, he realizes, that maybe there is a sexist death merchant in their midst. "I mean...can’t you guys just let a story be a story?"
-Bill Denbrough
Stephen King's IT

 

[GNTLGNT]

You guys sound like Bill Denbrough's Creative Writing Honors Seminar Instructor. I will just quote the man himself:

"I don’t understand this at all. I don’t understand any of this. Why does a story have to be socio-anything? Politics...culture...history...aren’t those natural ingredients in any story, if it’s told well? I mean..." He looks around, sees hostile eyes, and realizes dimly that they see this as some sort of attack. Maybe it even is. They are thinking, he realizes, that maybe there is a sexist death merchant in their midst. "I mean...can’t you guys just let a story be a story?"
-Bill Denbrough
Stephen King's IT

 

[Scaring The Little Girl!]

LOL! Not sure what this meme means! This has been my first post here, by the way! Greetings To All

 

[Moderator]

LOL! Not sure what this meme means! This has been my first post here, by the way! Greetings To All

Welcome to the Board!

 

[Spideyman]

You guys sound like Bill Denbrough's Creative Writing Honors Seminar Instructor. I will just quote the man himself:

"I don’t understand this at all. I don’t understand any of this. Why does a story have to be socio-anything? Politics...culture...history...aren’t those natural ingredients in any story, if it’s told well? I mean..." He looks around, sees hostile eyes, and realizes dimly that they see this as some sort of attack. Maybe it even is. They are thinking, he realizes, that maybe there is a sexist death merchant in their midst. "I mean...can’t you guys just let a story be a story?"
-Bill Denbrough
Stephen King's IT

Hi and welcome. Pleased to meet you. I have been advocating that exact thought for years about books-- sit back and just enjoy the journey/ story.

 

[GNTLGNT]

LOL! Not sure what this meme means! This has been my first post here, by the way! Greetings To All

...it's my normal way of welcoming new folks to the Board....I'm the Resident Village Idiot and have goofy post will travel.....

 

[mal]

Hi countchocula, Yes, it is. Welcome and enjoy, mal.