Carrie
The Author
Short Biography
The Book As An Object
His books were credited with reviving the genre of horror fiction in the late 20th century.
He is best remembered by his movie adaptation of : "The Shining"
Born September 21, 1947
A common element shown in his works is that ordinary people, when they come together, can achieve extraordinary things against overwhelming odds.
Published in 1974, this edition was published in 2000.
Covers
My Personal Opinion
My Work Resources
Meaning
The Contents
Plot
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Horror and Science-Fiction
Chamberlain, Maine, in 1979.
"Carrie" by Stephen King
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Stephen King brought this scenario from a young girl he knew who had a game-nut mother and was bullied every day at school for wearing a single change of clothes that was the only one she had. And a reversal of the Cinderella fairy tale.
Dislikes
Recommendation
Likes
Carrie White is a shy young girl who is not well liked in school. After her classmates teased her about her horrified reaction to her unexpected and quite tardy first period. Carrie starts to realize about her telekinetic powers after being put in stressful situations. Meanwhile, another girl who has been banned from the prom for her continued aggressive behavior and plans a prank to embarrass Carrie in front of the whole school. And Carrie’s religious crazed mother tries to find a way to stop her daughter from freeing herself from her control by any means.
The story has its climax when Carrie is crowned Prom Queen and ends up covered in pig blood while the whole school laughs at her. She ran away only to come back since she had something to give back to her classmates, her revenge to turn her prom dance into a true night to remember. By having several people electrocuted, burned, impaled, smashed into and hit over the head with objects.
Mainly uses a suspenseful tone, but has a few moments of lighthearted conversations. (Prom and final letter).
A colloquial type of language with several swears.
The story has multiple points of view from several characters (Carrie's, Sue's, Margareth's,...) but also from scraps of books, interviews, newspaper articles, and letters.
Carrietta N. White "A frog among swans. She was a chunky girl with pimples on her neck and back and buttocks, her wet hair completely without color"p.9, "She was so pretty, with pink cheeks and bright brown eyes, and blonde hair. Sweet and bright and innocent"p.27. A anti-social girl with trust issues who wanted to fit in.
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Sue Snell is one of the beautiful popular girls who comes to take pity of Carrie, and regrets having hurt her with the other girls." skinny." p.85
Chris Hargensen is a "rich, popular girl"p.58, who had a long history of bullying unpopular or outcast fellow classmate. "a pig."p.89
Margareth White was "was a very big woman, and she always wore a hat."p.43, and dressed herself only with black clothes. "Her eyes were very large in her rimless glasses; they looked like poached eggs."p.44, "a hard hand, laundry-callused and muscled."p44. An overly fanatic and abusive mother.
A flame taking the silhouette of a girl's face.
A picture of Stephen King.
Outlook and Layout
Paperback
black, purple, red, orange, yellow
Medium-sized book
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Rita Desjardin is "a slim, nonbreasted gym teacher (...) her legs not too curved but striking in their unobstructive muscularity." p.9, she is one of the few people who comes to see Carrie's side of school life.
Billy Nolan was Chris's boyfriend, "who was like some strange time traveler from the 1950 with his greased hair, zipper-bejeweled black leather jacket, and manifold-bubbling Chevrolet road machine."p.58 A bad boy kind of character.
Tommy Ross was Sue's boyfriend and he was "a straight-A student", "a friendly, good-natured fellow"p.71 and "an extraordinary yong man"p.71. "he was handsome"p.97.
Unusual story
Empathic
Horror
Writing style
Slow development in book extracts
Secondary character's initial view