just a suggestion

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laurarox

New Member
Sep 14, 2016
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Hello, Mr. King.
I am a big fan, truly. I think you're very talented and I love reading your books and stories. However, I think you should be aware of something. I was reading the afterword of Different Seasons, and I think you should know that you sound like a bigot! You wrote something about novellas, expressing your belief that they are not met warmly, and went on to describe the voice in your head that was making nasty comments about the novella. You said the voice in your head was, "heavily accented and rather greasy..." You continued writing in the accent, spelling words phonetically. As I mentioned, I am truly a fan of your work. However, I don't know what would possess you to be so rude, and I guess no one else has told you that you should be careful about that. I don't expect that you will actually read this, and for that, I am really sorry. I'm sure that you didn't intend to insult or hurt anyone's feelings, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that part of Different Seasons afterword did just that. We have never met, and I have no idea if you're an ******* or not. I hope not. Prove it and watch your words. Thank you for your time, and thank you for the stories. I really do love them!
 

César Hernández-Meraz

Wants to be Nick, ends up as Larry
May 19, 2015
605
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Aguascalientes, Mexico
I do like that you have the courage to speak up when you found something that you believed you had to comment on. And, for the most part, you did with respect (there have been others who just come here to insult Mr. King and/or his fans).

But...

We have never met, and I have no idea if you're an ******* or not. I hope not. Prove it and watch your words.

I am not sure if ordering him around is a nice thing to do. "Prove" and "watch" are not presented as "suggestions", but rather as commands.

Other than that, just like you, I am sure he did not mean any insult or offense.
 

mjs9153

Peripherally known member..
Nov 21, 2014
3,494
22,165
Am guessing you are not much of a fan of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain,either..you know,sometimes books or stories like these are not written to glorify racism,but to hold them up for examination and illumination of the issue..try to consider them in such a light,just a suggestion..
 

Spideyman

Uber Member
Jul 10, 2006
46,336
195,472
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Just north of Duma Key
OK, I'll bite. I just went back and reread that section. While I don't think SK is a bigot, I really can't explain or understand why he chose such vivid stereotypical language and imagery. I can see laurarox point of view. if someone can explain it, then please enlighten me.

Different Seasons: Four Novellas - Stephen King - Google Books
Just my opinion- King is simply being true to that characters voice (one he descriptively hears within his head) At some point in his travels he may have heard such a dialect being used. It goes to real life character, language,and imagery. Just using an example demonstrating the demise of a market for Novellas.
 

carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
Just my opinion- King is simply being true to that characters voice (one he descriptively hears within his head) At some point in his travels he may have heard such a dialect being used. It goes to real life character, language,and imagery. Just using an example demonstrating the demise of a market for Novellas.
Ah, but that is just it. There is nothing "simple" about the choice he made. He purposely chooses to hear this voice in a certain way. I realize it is the voice of a certain Hispanic stereotype we've seen portrayed in movies over the years (which is probably where it comes from), but I can see where readers may be offended. Of course this is part of a much bigger conversation and one that is always evolving. Times are different from when he wrote this back in 1982 or so. Our sensitivity to something like this is much more heightened right now.
 

Spideyman

Uber Member
Jul 10, 2006
46,336
195,472
79
Just north of Duma Key
Ah, but that is just it. There is nothing "simple" about the choice he made. He purposely chooses to hear this voice in a certain way. I realize it is the voice of a certain Hispanic stereotype we've seen portrayed in movies over the years (which is probably where it comes from), but I can see where readers may be offended. Of course this is part of a much bigger conversation and one that is always evolving. Times are different from when he wrote this back in 1982 or so. Our sensitivity to something like this is much more heightened right now.
Simply may have been an incorrect choice of wording. While writing the piece this may have(?) been what came into mind, not by forethought choice, but just there. Agree sensitivities are heightened in this current day and age. It is still my own opinion that SK meant no disrespect nor bigotry when he wrote the Afterword.
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
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I don't recall how he expressed himself, but didn't Twain explain the use of the n-word at one point in his life? He did. I just don't recall his words, not exactly. But I believe he said people talked that way, they didn't see anything wrong with it...whereas today to use the same language in the same situations would not fly. Just like within the last 25 years the newscasters on the major network news, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings...ALL, all used the expression "third world country" which is as bigoted as they come.

There is no "third world country". The phrase is ripe with colonialism. And today they use the word "developing"...as if these came countries have not yet reached the giddy heights where dwell Americans. Like Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, and Peter Jennings. And if you asked their friends and colleagues, everyone man jack one of them, would swear up and down that Dan, Tom, and Peter are not bigots, that they love to sit and listen to corn grow. But tell that to those who live in India, the far east, countries whose cultures are centuries old. "Third world countries." Bigotry. "Developing nations". Bigotry. What is the standard you use? Your position in the rankings?

So yeah, reading bits and pieces as presented here, I can understand where laurarox stands. And my example above is there to illustrate that people can be bigots without being aware that that is exactly what they are. India and the far east existed when Columbus tripped over America trying to find a short-cut there. "Developing nations"? What the hell is that? By whose standard is one "developed"? I'll hazard that the evolution from "third world country" to the only slightly less offensive "developing nations" is because people are generally becoming more sensitive to the words and the power they wield when they use words.

Yeehaw!
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
OK, I'll bite. I just went back and reread that section. While I don't think SK is a bigot, I really can't explain or understand why he chose such vivid stereotypical language and imagery. I can see laurarox point of view. if someone can explain it, then please enlighten me.

Different Seasons: Four Novellas - Stephen King - Google Books
I haven't read this book in years, but re-reading this bit... Yup yup. It does read badly. Unintentional, I'm sure, but I get what she's saying.
 

Steffen

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2015
2,233
12,800
Anyone who ever took a class in basic English Literature should recognise "tongue-in-cheek" and "caricature" in prose, especially when taken in context of what SK was explaining in the paragraphs referenced. If what he wrote there is to be construed as bigoted, might as well cancel a lot of shows on Comedy Central and put an end to those satirical cartoons in the New Yorker while we're at it.
 

mjs9153

Peripherally known member..
Nov 21, 2014
3,494
22,165
Anyone who ever took a class in basic English Literature should recognise "tongue-in-cheek" and "caricature" in prose, especially when taken in context of what SK was explaining in the paragraphs referenced. If what he wrote there is to be construed as bigoted, might as well cancel a lot of shows on Comedy Central and put an end to those satirical cartoons in the New Yorker while we're at it.
Exactly..might as well forget South Park,The Simpsons,Family Guy,etc,etc..not to mention all that is on live action tv shows..it seems that any weird sexual thing is fair game,and certain things like making fun of Asians or others,but some are off limits..very strange..
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
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what was the name of the movie about the astronauts...the first what was it? seven, eight? movie how the astronaut program started. we had that one astronaut...or astronaut, pending, as they were still in training. "my name is jose mendez." he'd say. and looking just now, search engine, there is some sort of comedy routine from the 60s? didn't look at the you-tube video, clicked on it. and it was "jose something other than mendez". i think it was the actor who played grisholm...the guy who hit the switch to blast off the hatch cover when he splashed done in the ocean? and the capsule sank? much to the chagrin of houston. (houston! houston means that i'm one day closer to you!) too, he went overboard with that "my name is jose mendez" schist...which sounds like it might have been an actual comedy routine...and one of the folk tending to the astronauts kept grisholm waiting this once? when the attendant had to take them potty? ground control to major tom. the hispanic attendant turns to grisholm and says, my name is jose mendez.

i guess until you are on the receiving end of it, it never looks like bigotry. i doubt anyone is going to swoon away to the ground. but the thread is both enlightening and baffling and that can never be a bad thing. onward, ever onward.
 

not_nadine

Comfortably Roont
Nov 19, 2011
29,655
139,785
Behind you
I guess no one else has told you that you should be careful about that

I would never presume to TELL Sai King anything. I'm sure he will take your input into deep consideration while working working on his next novel.
yeesh.

Welcome to the boards, but please do not come into this message board that he kindly provided for us - first post and call him an As hole.

I have a problem with that.
 
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