Robert Gray
Well-Known Member
Expert is too kind and generous but I'll review the question when I get home from work and see if it is one I can answer.
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....and ?
Sai King does not fill in the direct details of what happened in the Marsh house, but I suspect I can get pretty close to the mark with the clues that the Tale-slinger left for us in the text. I will do it as a spoiler since it covers information in the book we are discussing and another book: 11/22/63 which also takes place at least partially in Derry. The clues left to us exist in the text where it discusses Beverly remembering her childhood and moving out toward College as well as the other book I mention.
WelcomeHey, folks, new to the board! Good stuff; good conversation about one of my favorite writers.
I've read It at least a half-dozen times and it remains to me one of King's absolute best works; a real masterpiece in my oh-so humble opinion. But, I've also thought a lot about the OP's question, and while this is a later response, I'll give it a shot.
I think there are a few subtle clues about what happened to Beverly after the events of that day, and in my estimation I think what happened was this: nothing.
During her flight from her father, Beverly understands a couple of things.
1: It has "invaded" her father and is controlling him, and means to kill her to weaken the "circle" she and her friends make, in the same way it wanted to kill Eddie that day his arm was broken. And like with Eddie, it failed to do so, much to It's frustration (voiced later in It's own internal narrative).
2: Even though It was controlling/influencing her father to some degree, Beverly ALSO understood that it was not entirely "just" It...that It was simply using what was already there. As she says to her father "You're not yourself, It's using you, but you let it in" (emphasis mine).
So Beverly knows that her Father is after her, and that It is using him, but that some of what's there is really her dad; namely his sexual attraction to her, which is what was fueling his anger that day. And as she runs, and sees other people turn away from her or disregard what's happening, she also knows that her father WILL kill her, and then wake up, like Richard Corcoran did, not knowing where he is or what happened.
So my thought is that with It wounded and sent to sleep, and It's influence "pulled" from her father, he would not remember what happened, or would be so ashamed of himself (and possible scared that she might tell) that he wouldn't mention it. Richard Corcoran admitted that he killed Dorsey, but didn't understand why. He was abusive, and It just kind of pushed him over the edge. Same would have happened with Al Marsh; he was abusive and sexually attracted to his daughter, so It would simply take his abuse to a new level and let him kill Beverly, and later he would not know why he did it. But Marsh failed to kill her, so when he "wakes up", so to speak, he isn't having to deal with what he did do, but with what he might have done had she not escaped him. I think he would either not remember all the details (and if he did, wouldn't want to) or would be so ashamed of himself and so afraid of how close he came to going to far that he wouldn't dare talk about it.
Thing is, he's an abusive ass, but it was clear from Beverly's POV stories that he did love her and could be a caring and kind father. But as she got older, his attraction to her got worse, to the point where Beverly herself can tell something isn't right between them anymore, and he starts avoiding her/staying away from her. And Bev's mom, as Mr. Gray mentioned, asks her flat out if he had ever touched her. When she is clearly confused by what that means, her mom lets it go, satisfied by Bev's honest confusion that nothing had happened. At least, not yet.
We also know that Beverly did stay in touch with her father, because later, after she had moved to Chicago, her father sent her a post card broadly hinting for money ("I hope you can send me something, as I don't have much"). In the days before internet, finding her when she had a new married name wouldn't be an easy thing to do if he didn't already know. So my guess is that he either completely forgot what happened (much to her relief, I'm sure) or pretended to, and both just sort of tacitly and silently agreed not to discuss it and life sort of went on as it always did, but with both knowing things weren't going to be quite the same as before.
I don't know what happened to Bev's mother, though. I can't recall any passage in the book that specifically says she died, but it may be there, just glossed over in a sentence or two and no more. I do think it's possible that she may have left Al at some point or died, probably after Beverly had gone to college or maybe even later. The reason I say that is that Beverly sees that in the post card she got, the address was not from her home; her father had moved, and to an "even slummier" apartment than before. Mrs. Kersh says that he had been dead "these past five years", indicating he died in 1979, about 20 years after the events of the kid's summer in 1958. That would put him around retirement age, which may explain why he had to move. But, another reason is that he may not have had his wife's income anymore. Kersh mentions only seeing him, and how she saw him "at the Washeteria" or the market; strange places for man like Al Marsh to be hanging out were he still married.
Further, Beverly never asks about her mother, as if she doesn't expect to see her there. So I think it's likely her mother had already died, and her father didn't have enough money to stay in the apartment he was in as a result (and also as a result of his probable retirement).
I'll have to look and see if I can find anything about the mom's passing, but I just don't recall it.
Hey, folks, new to the board! Good stuff; good conversation about one of my favorite writers.
I've read It at least a half-dozen times and it remains to me one of King's absolute best works; a real masterpiece in my oh-so humble opinion. But, I've also thought a lot about the OP's question, and while this is a later response, I'll give it a shot.
I think there are a few subtle clues about what happened to Beverly after the events of that day, and in my estimation I think what happened was this: nothing.
During her flight from her father, Beverly understands a couple of things.
1: It has "invaded" her father and is controlling him, and means to kill her to weaken the "circle" she and her friends make, in the same way it wanted to kill Eddie that day his arm was broken. And like with Eddie, it failed to do so, much to It's frustration (voiced later in It's own internal narrative).
2: Even though It was controlling/influencing her father to some degree, Beverly ALSO understood that it was not entirely "just" It...that It was simply using what was already there. As she says to her father "You're not yourself, It's using you, but you let it in" (emphasis mine).
So Beverly knows that her Father is after her, and that It is using him, but that some of what's there is really her dad; namely his sexual attraction to her, which is what was fueling his anger that day. And as she runs, and sees other people turn away from her or disregard what's happening, she also knows that her father WILL kill her, and then wake up, like Richard Corcoran did, not knowing where he is or what happened.
So my thought is that with It wounded and sent to sleep, and It's influence "pulled" from her father, he would not remember what happened, or would be so ashamed of himself (and possible scared that she might tell) that he wouldn't mention it. Richard Corcoran admitted that he killed Dorsey, but didn't understand why. He was abusive, and It just kind of pushed him over the edge. Same would have happened with Al Marsh; he was abusive and sexually attracted to his daughter, so It would simply take his abuse to a new level and let him kill Beverly, and later he would not know why he did it. But Marsh failed to kill her, so when he "wakes up", so to speak, he isn't having to deal with what he did do, but with what he might have done had she not escaped him. I think he would either not remember all the details (and if he did, wouldn't want to) or would be so ashamed of himself and so afraid of how close he came to going to far that he wouldn't dare talk about it.
Thing is, he's an abusive ass, but it was clear from Beverly's POV stories that he did love her and could be a caring and kind father. But as she got older, his attraction to her got worse, to the point where Beverly herself can tell something isn't right between them anymore, and he starts avoiding her/staying away from her. And Bev's mom, as Mr. Gray mentioned, asks her flat out if he had ever touched her. When she is clearly confused by what that means, her mom lets it go, satisfied by Bev's honest confusion that nothing had happened. At least, not yet.
We also know that Beverly did stay in touch with her father, because later, after she had moved to Chicago, her father sent her a post card broadly hinting for money ("I hope you can send me something, as I don't have much"). In the days before internet, finding her when she had a new married name wouldn't be an easy thing to do if he didn't already know. So my guess is that he either completely forgot what happened (much to her relief, I'm sure) or pretended to, and both just sort of tacitly and silently agreed not to discuss it and life sort of went on as it always did, but with both knowing things weren't going to be quite the same as before.
I don't know what happened to Bev's mother, though. I can't recall any passage in the book that specifically says she died, but it may be there, just glossed over in a sentence or two and no more. I do think it's possible that she may have left Al at some point or died, probably after Beverly had gone to college or maybe even later. The reason I say that is that Beverly sees that in the post card she got, the address was not from her home; her father had moved, and to an "even slummier" apartment than before. Mrs. Kersh says that he had been dead "these past five years", indicating he died in 1979, about 20 years after the events of the kid's summer in 1958. That would put him around retirement age, which may explain why he had to move. But, another reason is that he may not have had his wife's income anymore. Kersh mentions only seeing him, and how she saw him "at the Washeteria" or the market; strange places for man like Al Marsh to be hanging out were he still married.
Further, Beverly never asks about her mother, as if she doesn't expect to see her there. So I think it's likely her mother had already died, and her father didn't have enough money to stay in the apartment he was in as a result (and also as a result of his probable retirement).
I'll have to look and see if I can find anything about the mom's passing, but I just don't recall it.
I just finished re-reading It. The first time I read it was in the fall of 1986 while I was pregnant with my daughter. It's amazing how much one's perspective can change over time. I am delighted to find someone had the exact same questions and concerns regarding Beverly and Ben. How did 'the forgetting' impact them and their relationship. What happened to them? What did happen to Beverly on her return from the Barrens? How did any of them explain their appearance and injuries? It's odd that I couldn't remember the ending as I read this time. Maybe I didn't finish it the first time after I found out what It was. Great forum here. I'm glad to have found others with similar curiosities.I just finished re-reading It again for the umpteenth time and was wondering that myself. I love the couple and was happy they got together at the end. I think they stayed together, but not in Hemingford Home. In the Last Interlude part, some time after Ben and Bev left together, Mike had tried calling Ben's number in NE, but got the message that service was discontinued for that number. So if they did indeed stay together, they either went to Chicago or moved someplace else.
But what I'm really wondering is how the "forgetting" will affect them. Would they remember more than the others because they were together? Or would they just remember that they were childhood friends who just met up again later in life and got together?
I also feel that there could be another story, perhaps a sequel to It, in the vein of Dr Sleep, how it was a sequel to The Shining. The story could follow what happened to Ben and Beverly after they left Derry together. All we knew when they left was that they came to say goodbye to Mike, looking very much in love and then they just drove off together. Mike had talked to Richie afterward but not them.
I don't know about anyone else, but I sure hope they stayed together and maybe got married.
Welcome to the Board!I just finished re-reading It. The first time I read it was in the fall of 1986 while I was pregnant with my daughter. It's amazing how much one's perspective can change over time. I am delighted to find someone had the exact same questions and concerns regarding Beverly and Ben. How did 'the forgetting' impact them and their relationship. What happened to them? What did happen to Beverly on her return from the Barrens? How did any of them explain their appearance and injuries? It's odd that I couldn't remember the ending as I read this time. Maybe I didn't finish it the first time after I found out what It was. Great forum here. I'm glad to have found others with similar curiosities.
...welcome to the show!....I just finished re-reading It. The first time I read it was in the fall of 1986 while I was pregnant with my daughter. It's amazing how much one's perspective can change over time. I am delighted to find someone had the exact same questions and concerns regarding Beverly and Ben. How did 'the forgetting' impact them and their relationship. What happened to them? What did happen to Beverly on her return from the Barrens? How did any of them explain their appearance and injuries? It's odd that I couldn't remember the ending as I read this time. Maybe I didn't finish it the first time after I found out what It was. Great forum here. I'm glad to have found others with similar curiosities.
I just finished re-reading It. The first time I read it was in the fall of 1986 while I was pregnant with my daughter. It's amazing how much one's perspective can change over time. I am delighted to find someone had the exact same questions and concerns regarding Beverly and Ben. How did 'the forgetting' impact them and their relationship. What happened to them? What did happen to Beverly on her return from the Barrens? How did any of them explain their appearance and injuries? It's odd that I couldn't remember the ending as I read this time. Maybe I didn't finish it the first time after I found out what It was. Great forum here. I'm glad to have found others with similar curiosities.