Stephen King, everywhere I look.
Posted: March 16, 2014 Filed under: Books & Authors, Movies & Films, My Family Album | Tags: King's March, Renae Rude, Stephen King, The Paranormalist, The Shawshank Redemption 12 CommentsI forgot that I was supposed to write a Stephen King themed blog for the second week of the King’s March linky sponsored by Forth Street Review and Wendsend.
Click the pic to go to this week’s link up.
Luckily, I’ve been completely immersed in King for the entire month.
1) I’m continuing to re-read Christine. On this pass, I’m learning a great deal about how to do a first person narrative elegantly, which is going to come in handy because my planned writing project for April is in first person.
2) I enjoyed reading all the blogs posted by the other King’s March participants, but my favorite was this one:
LITERARY MIXTAPE | THE STAND by Rory, of Fourth Street Review.
I might chose different songs (and I might actually do it, some hot night this summer, while sitting on the patio with my iPod speaker-stand-thingie and a beer) but I can’t fault the creativity that went into Rory’s selections.
3) What I didn’t expect was that I would be watching The Shawshank Redemption this week. My son “had” to watch it so that he can participate in a group project for his communications class. The assignment is to study the relationships between characters in the film, then write about the dynamics of said relationships.
I’ve never been so pleased with a professor before.
Ogre and I happily settled in with The Boy one blustery evening last week. Of course, we’d both seen the movie, but this was the first viewing for our son. He is not familiar with King, because he’s not interested in horror. (He’s a fantasy guy.) No matter how I often I tell him that King isn’t JUST about horror, and that even the all-out horror novels aren’t the kind of horror he thinks they are, I’ve not been able to persuade him to give Constant Writer a fair shake.
I’m sure it will surprise no one that he loved the movie.
I was rather hoping that seeing the film would make him want to read the book immediately, but I’d forgotten how even formerly voracious child-readers resist reading anything they don’t have to in these high school / college years. I’ll just have to wait until summer, when perhaps he’ll be willing to read for fun again. (Believe me, I’ll be leaving tempting stacks of King books around, just in case.) In the meantime, I can’t wait to see which relationship he chooses to write about.
There is something to be said for going into a movie with such a specific agenda. (At least upon a second or third viewing.) It focuses you on one aspect of the film, which helps you notice details that are otherwise missed.
My menfolk seemed to think that the relationship most worthy of deeper examination is the one between Andy and Red. I disagree. If I were going to write the paper, I’d explore the relationship between the warden and Andy. Or maybe, if I wanted a challenge, the one between the main guard and Andy … or between the main guard and the warden.
I guess my point is that ALL the relationships in this story are worth a second, deeper look. And that’s just one of the things that makes King a master.
So, if you had to write the paper, who would you pick?
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wrimoprog 03/16/2014: 15 + 20 = 35/80
Renae Rude - The Paranormalist 
First of all, Shawshank Redemption, is just a classic of a movie. The novella gives deeper insight to it all, but many would not know that Mr. King is responsible for the work. Like you said, he doesn’t just write horror. If I had to write a paper, I would choose the relationship between Andy and Society or The System. I really feel that Andy’ determination and plan for getting back to a “free” life was based on how the system basically gave him a raw deal, to but it nicely. He turned it around and used that same system to not only plan his (spoiler alert) escape, but to also make it to when he was out, his life, financially would be set. So for me, that relationship, although there are many interesting relationships within the story, holds the deepest meaning and I feel it drives the story.
That’s an interesting thought, Junior. It’s true that this isn’t just about the escape, but about the justice. Andy arranges things so that each face of the system gets what he deserves.
“…but I’d forgotten how even formerly voracious child-readers resist reading anything they don’t have to in these high school / college years. ”
Man, you got this right…
Anyway, as both you and Junior mentioned King does right a lot more than just horror. I think he’s even dabbled in fantasy, so maybe you could direct your son that way as sort of a lead-in. _The Drawing of the Three_ series could be a start (I’ve only read _The Gunslinger_ so I don’t know how the rest of the books went. Also, if I remember correctly, _The Eyes of the Dragon_ was another book that was a little more fantasy based.
Hmmm… I think I found a couple of ideas for things that I need to read this summer!
I think you’re right, Ray. The Eyes of the Dragon might be my best avenue of temptation. I have to admit that I haven’t read any of the Dark Tower series, which I’m pretty sure is a sin for a Kingophile like me.
Maybe I should go after it this summer too.
Oops…Dark Tower, that’s what I meant! _Drawing of the Three_ was a title in the series…lol. So, uh, you can see my familiarity with the series…
How about exploring the relationship between Brooks (the old man who hung himself) and institutionalization? He was so used to prison life that he couldn’t deal with freedom and opted for death instead. That’s a pretty powerful grip those bars had around him, even after he was no longer locked behind them. Food for thought.
“Christine” the novel is a million times better than “Christine” the movie.
Another excellent thought. I couldn’t spend a lot of time dwelling on Brooks, myself. He just makes me too sad.
I agree completely about Christine. Once again, as I re-read, I’m surprised by how GOOD the writing is. He makes it look so easy.
The only King book I have not read is 11/22/63, and I’ve been putting it off because it is sooooooooooooooooooo long.
It’s not too bad once you get into it, though I admit it’s not as fast of a read as the other monsters, IT & The Stand.
I tend to like his longer works … I just fall into the world completely.
The Dark Tower series is by far my favorite, followed by The Stand.
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