Unexpectedly creepy aspect to "Doctor Sleep"

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Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
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I don't know that the original poster is suggesting any sort of anti-Semitism on the part of King...if so...it is not expresses as some have expressed it: Is Stephen King a racist? Doctor Sleep is a great story! blunthead! I liked it more than Joyland...but I think I'm in the minority on that one, based on another thread. I'd say the original poster is pointing toward various articles in the story and wondering what' what. I'm convinced that King's intent is true...that he truly intended to put each and every word in that story...and that is it possible, as I believe he says in On Writing...that once reading the first draft, there are themes and symbols that become apparent...so some things could be the subconscious. Wasn't there a question raised about that...and the answer wasn't the no flppng idea one...it was...not by intent, but maybe subconsciously. Don't recall the question. Jeopardy? Clemens? Or was that....oh never mind.
The no "flipping" idea was his answer to the question about "dancing hives"
 

Tiny

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Nov 25, 2009
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wow...none of this ever accord to me while I read Dr. Sleep.

can anyone name any other King story or book that is "supposed" to have
hidden ref's to Jews... or any other group >? ...this doesn't sound like King to me.
not his style...

anyway, no that I've read the above it seems clear ... King must'ta had something in his mind
while he wrote it. It seems to be 'too much' to be meaningless.

and also, HOW INVOLVED was his son in the writing of this story? I was never clear as to
what all the son contributed , or how much, or why he was involved at all???
 

Lily Sawyer

B-ReadAndWed
Jun 27, 2009
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wow...none of this ever accord to me while I read Dr. Sleep.

can anyone name any other King story or book that is "supposed" to have
hidden ref's to Jews... or any other group >? ...this doesn't sound like King to me.
not his style...

anyway, no that I've read the above it seems clear ... King must'ta had something in his mind
while he wrote it. It seems to be 'too much' to be meaningless.

and also, HOW INVOLVED was his son in the writing of this story? I was never clear as to
what all the son contributed , or how much, or why he was involved at all???
There aren't any hidden references to Jews in King's books. They're all out in the open, right where people can read about them, like in The Dead Zone and "Apt Pupil".
Mr. King isn't an anti-Semite and goes to great lengths to make it very clear when one of his characters is. I remember references to anti-Semitic characters in Needful Things, Under the Dome, and The Talisman, but if any of the characters in Dr. Sleep are anti-Semitic, it is not apparent, at least not to me.
 

Scott Chu

Member
Aug 11, 2014
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You seem to forgot those already dead once mentioned by Rose.

The True Knot Characters
“Andi” Andrea Steiner, Snakebite Andi
Apron Annie, rube name Anne Lamont
Baba the Red/Baba the Russian
Barry the Chink, rube name Barry Smith
Bent Dick
Big Mo, rube name Maureen Higgins
Black-eyed Sue/Susie
Diesel Doug
Dirty Phil, rube name Phil Caputo
Fat Fannie
Grampa Flick
Greedy G, rube name Greta Moore
Hands-Off Hans, big dumb Dutchman, electrocuted in Arkansas windstorm
Harpman Sam
Heavy Mary
Henry Rothman, “Crow Daddy” “Crow” & the True’s advance man
Jimmy Numbers
Katie Patches, drowned
Long Paul
Little Twins, Pea & Pod
Petty the Chink
Rose O’Hara “Rose the Hat”, leader of the True Knot
Short Eddie, rube name Ed Higgins
Silent Sarey, rube name Sarah Carter
Steamhead Steve
Sweet Terri Pickford
Toady Slim
Tommy the Truck
Token Charlie
Walnut, or “Nut”…the True’s jackleg doctor, rube name Peter Wallis of Little Rock

I dunno...maybe si maybe no. One thing I've noticed in the names of the characters in Doctor Sleep is that they run the gamut from A through Z. King must have some sort of something...heh! Some sort of index that he uses...otherwise, what are the possibilitiies that one discovers 10 Alberts, 13 Suzies, so on so forth. Maybe not that extreme but I think you know what I mean. I saw something like this...had to do with numbers...say if someone was...cooking the books...there's some sort of formula that one could plug into the equation, the numbers...and 'guess' that books are being cooked. Which all goes to say the characters run the gamut from A through Z. Those are the names up above there...True? Or knot?
 
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Cristian M

Well-Known Member
Mar 2, 2014
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Interesting! I've not noticed any of that, but I seriously doubt Mr. King meant any disrespect to Jewish people. In well over 30 years of reading his books, I've never even suspected that he has prejudices against any particular church; in contrast, it seems like he has respect for those that truly believe, and a serious dislike of those who manipulate faith for personal gain. I did catch the references that seem to point to Romany people, but my take was that the True Knot is the real root: Romany, Travelers, etc. are poor, weak imitations.

It would be interesting to know what @MsMod thinks, as she's closest to Mr. King.

Welcome to the board!
He has some references to Jews psychology in IT novel. Stan Uris as a child and as an adult with his wife. The motivation of Jews for staying in Germany before WW2. SK is definitely not racist.
 
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Pucker

We all have it coming, kid
May 9, 2010
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Welcome to the site. :) Personally I think that if we pick apart any work from any writer, eventually we'll come up with a reference or two to suit pretty much anything we're looking for in a piece of writing.
My best guess is that in this case it would have been largely unconscious--Stephen is prolific in his reading material and must have picked up all sorts of things.

Flake is absolutely correct here.

In point of fact, I seem to recall King reluctantly admitting once upon a time to writing The Running Man in such a state . . . claiming not to recall that it had already been written and that he had read it.

The world is a funny place.

Lots of weird stuff happens.

:a11:
 
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taylor29

Well-Known Member
Mar 18, 2014
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I like examining this stuff. I wonder if some of the history was given simply to give us an age range for the Knot...basically, they've been around forever. I did not look more into the books King referenced in Doctor Sleep, but I do think he was giving a nod to something beyond what was immediate to the story. Maybe just some interesting research for those who are inclined to dig deeper. SK is cool like that.
 
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César Hernández-Meraz

Wants to be Nick, ends up as Larry
May 19, 2015
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I do not see The True Knot as originating from any of these groups mentioned. They may have members from these groups, of course, since I think they recruit based on need and talent, regardless of origin.

What I think is that the Knot simply mimics whatever group is known for traveling without staying in a single place for too long. Groups of travalers that would not raise too many suspicions on other people. In the past, it was those nomadic groups. And it is an interesting choice what they do in the present, when it would be harder to stay anonymous. They found a very good solution, didn't they?

I suppose they could not be very race-inclusive in the past, though. If they tried to go to China back then, the original members would stand out too much. If they had gone on, perhaps we could have seen more diversity in the next couple hundred years.
 
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Feb 13, 2020
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I know this thread is nearly 5 years old at this point, but will add my 2 centavos anyway...
I think King may have been trying to reinforce (even subliminally) how far back the True Knot goes back... I mean the origins of these people are ANCIENT!!! Suggesting ties to one of the oldest religions known to man helps that. I've also read suggestions that some of the chanting done by the True Knot (Sabbatha Hanti, Lodsam Hanti, etc) sounds like Hebrew; don't necessarily disagree, but to me it actually sounds more Lovecraftian.
 
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