Re-reading

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César Hernández-Meraz

Wants to be Nick, ends up as Larry
May 19, 2015
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I'm just halfway-through, but I am another one who does not understand all the Fran-hate.

Perhaps she does something else in the second half, or perhaps the extended version has her behave differently, but so far she has done things for others, even if there is some sacrifice on her part.

- Burying her dad (may or may not count, because she truly loved him, but I say it counts because it was a very difficult thing to do).
- Trying to keep her feelings for Stu hidden, so Harold would not be upset (although this may also be partially for fear of what he might do, but we see how she tries to keep thinking of him as "good").
- Risking the nightmares instead of getting something that will let her sleep, but may possibly affect her baby.

We are also told how she sees the good things in other people way before she sees the bad things.

I also like how she can try to adjust to the new reality (pregnant, and in a post-apocalyptic world). She likes women liberation. She thinks they have rights to be treated the same as men. She then realizes this is made possible in the modern world. Going back to a world without the comfort brought by technology, the old roles (woman: source of life, but physically weaker; man: provider and protector) come back into play.

I have never been pregnant (you know, part of being a man), but I think there are chemical changes in pregnant women's bodies that may make her emotions be more raw (specially every time said woman thinks about hospitals being no longer active). How would any of us react during the apocalypse? Then, how would we react if our own body's chemical reactions were fighting against our emotional control?

Of course, if it turns out Fran does something worthy of all the hate in the second half of the book, all I have written will be invalid after the halfway point. :D
 

Aloysius Nell

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Apr 1, 2014
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Of course, if it turns out Fran does something worthy of all the hate in the second half of the book, all I have written will be invalid after the halfway point. :D

She doesn't, in my opinion. People hate on her because they've never lived with a pregnant woman! Stephen King had, and once again he nailed a character, warts and all. He doesn't often write a perfectly good or bad character; they are human.
 

Michael97

Member
Feb 19, 2016
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I had a question: I read the original about 17 years ago (it was my dad's copy and it got lost) and I recently purchased the uncut version but haven't read it yet. Is there anything omitted from the original version in the new one? Should I then try to purchase the original?
 

Moderator

Ms. Mod
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Jul 10, 2006
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I had a question: I read the original about 17 years ago (it was my dad's copy and it got lost) and I recently purchased the uncut version but haven't read it yet. Is there anything omitted from the original version in the new one? Should I then try to purchase the original?
About 400 pages were put back into the uncut version as well as some changes made to bring it up-to-date from 1978 to 1990. They had been edited out of the 1978 release as the publisher wanted to cut production costs.
 

Moderator

Ms. Mod
Administrator
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First post here, just so happen to be on my 7th or 8th reread of the Uncut version. Its probably THE book that got me into literature. Ive been moving around a lot lately so my book collection is MIA. Picked up a copy of The Stand today for $4.50. Excited to crack it open.

Also, hello all!
Welcome to the Board!
 

JubbaBones

New Member
Mar 9, 2016
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Thank y'all for the welcome(s) Everytime I read the book I get to paragraphs I feel Ive read one too many times, with other books I normally skip over paragraphs like this. No idea why, might be my ADHD, but once Ive read a book I have a hard time rereading it word for word.

Long story short; The Stand is one of a few books, I dont have to force myself to read every single word.
 

Doc Creed

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Nov 18, 2015
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She doesn't, in my opinion. People hate on her because they've never lived with a pregnant woman! Stephen King had, and once again he nailed a character, warts and all. He doesn't often write a perfectly good or bad character; they are human.
I agree with you, generally. John Coffey was near perfect, though, for the purposes of that novel. The Stand had a wonderful assortment of people, behaviors, and predicaments. The complete spectrum.
 

César Hernández-Meraz

Wants to be Nick, ends up as Larry
May 19, 2015
605
4,416
44
Aguascalientes, Mexico
I agree with you, generally. John Coffey was near perfect, though, for the purposes of that novel. The Stand had a wonderful assortment of people, behaviors, and predicaments. The complete spectrum.

True. Other perfect or almost perfect characters (which I love) are Tommy Ross from "Carrie" (good at everything, very polite to everyone, whose only thing he failed at was
putting on a condom right the first time he used one, oh, and lasting enough for his partner to finish, which I guess may be understandable because of his age and expertise-level
) and Jack Cantori from "Duma Key" (the perfect employee and friend, good at everything, very polite to everyone, does what is needed before others realize it is needed).

I think perfect people now and then are great so we can see the contrast on the flawed people who have to overcome their failures and become something close to heroes. :cool:
 

johnny9999

Member
May 19, 2016
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I've just finished a reread of The Stand, must be 20 years since I last read it so I'd forgotten a lot of the story. I particularly enjoyed the last few chapters covering the 2 surviving characters walk back to Boulder (I won't mention names in case it spoils it for anyone who hasn't finished the novel). I found the Christmas day they spent quiet moving, it was very well written. My favourite character was Tom.
 

Jim O'Leary

Member
Nov 18, 2015
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Naples, FL
I just read the uncut version. Never read the original. Ultimately, Harold and Trashcan man were my favorite, but I was always holding out hope they could defeat their inner demons and truly join up with Stu, Larry, etc. Although indirectly Trash was the key to the success of the winning battle, I was hoping he would morph into wanting to detonate to wipe out Flagg. Harold's root hurts and they manner in which SK writes those inner dialogues are definitely truly genius. I have been thinking about the difference between Harold and Larry. The defining moment for Larry when he turns down Nadine on the street corner is, to me, symbolic of when I just knew everything would turn out okay. One person, here Larry, making his stand. A full and complete commitment to be loyal to his cause. That was powerful. That is more of what society needs. I think of SK and think here is a man who probably had many chances to leave his wife and family upon hitting the big time, probably getting come on to by all kinds of good looking women, but he has been a strong, loyal, dedicated man. I think there is a little Harold and Trash in SK and in me, and I have found that some of the harder times growing up serves as my fuel for the ongoing fire in my belly, heart and soul to try to do good things with my life. Unfortunately, some people like these two, who I have tremendous sympathy for, are so abused, beaten down and ostracized in younger years that they can't find it in themselves to overcome. When we are kind and caring to all, we can take away some of the risk these people have of going South. For that, I was kind of mad at Frannie for the way she managed Harold, even though I felt for her too. In the end, I had not forgotten and was waiting for Tom to surface, and really liked the way his character flourished caring for Stu. I've read Carrie, Salem's Lot, The Shining, Doctor Sleep, Revival and now The Stand. I'm carefully selecting my next SK read and am thinking of "It." If you have any recommendations, if chronology means anything, please share. Not ready for Dark Tower stuff yet.