Sunday 20 February 2011

Stephen King: "Suffer the little children"

Where would you like to start with this story? I would like for you to start this discussion and I'll join in. Easy? We'll see...

10 comments:

  1. I haven't read it yet but the author is already using pathos in the title.

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  2. I think that the effectiveness of this tale is Stephen Kings unwillingsness to reveal who the real monsters are. The chrildren or the school teather? Or? Who is to be trusted? The settings of this story is different than other horror stories. It takes place within a public elementary school in daytime, where other stories settings is in some isolated house or in the dark of night. Just something to think about. :)

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  3. Yes, it is an unusual setting for a horror story. The time when Miss Sidley sees the chilren change is in a reflection or when she is alone or alone with them. Her mind is playing tricks on her - Page 186; "The door opened and she heard two girls come in." She only heard but didn't actually see them. "By moving she could see their SHADOWS, made FUZZY and ILL-DEFINED by the DIFFUSE light FILTERING through the FROSTED windows." The capitalized words confirm that she didn't see them clearly and paint a picture of uncertainty. "She becomes quite aggressive towards the children. Page 186 line 18; "They knew she was there. Yes. Yes they did. The little bitches knew. She would shake them. Shake them until their teeth rattled and their giggles turned to wails, she would thump their heads against the tile walls...." It is a very distressing thing that she turns suddenly and has these awful thoughts about hurting the children. Her thoughts are manic and she is convincing herself that they are evil,with the short sentances. "Yes. Yes they did" and the use of repetition - knew, shake.
    She is clearly losing it!; "The voices changed, no longer girlish, now sexless and souless, and quite, quite evil. A slow turgid sound of mindless humor that flowed around the corner to her like sewage." She is clearly disturbed! I like the distinction between the setting - the girls' toilets and the flowing sewage!
    We are left with a cliffhanger; "Buddy Jenkins began to watch the children more and more. In the end he was hardly able to take his eyes off them." This paints a picture that he could possibly lose it or that he is fascinated by them.
    The moral of the story is this: All teachers are psychotic weirdos and quite, quite mad!!!!

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  4. @Maria: Good point about the setting and the notion of evil - the question is : WHY? What is the effect on the reader?

    @Dave: Many good points as well. I especially like your observation of the distorted view - what is the effect of that on the reader?
    Hm, not sure how to respond to your last remark - other than: If you're right; watch out....!!!

    Am I the only one who thinks this story is like a film? If not; how is this effect achieved by King?

    NB. The questions are for everyone to comment on, of course!

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  5. The story starts with a description of Miss Sisley. She is described as an 'oldschool' teacher, who has everything under control and is feared. 'Like God she seemed to know everything all at once.' The way she is pictured on page one gives her credibility.
    The author builds up a suspence. Miss Sisley is the hero and Robert and his gang are the villains. And so at first you think that Robert is a monster. But the more you read, the more you question her credibility.(see Dave's comments)

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  6. Just to comment on the title as well...

    Suffer the little children...
    Can mean to allow
    Jesus: Let the children come to me

    But it can also mean to endure, to put up with..

    So there is a contradiction in it, innit :-)

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  7. When we do not know who is the evil one (the children or ms. Sidley), it makes the reader wonder. You start going back in the text to find out if you read it right. I sit with the feeling now that I do not know who it is. Ms. Sidley is either completely mad or the children is playing tricks on everyone, since the doctor Buddy Jenkins is starting to see it to, or gets surspicious towards children.

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  8. @ Chanett
    Before I read the story I read some of Dave's and Maria's comments, and I started thinking about the music video from Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart".

    There actually is a movie from this story, but I haven't seen it, there is a trailer on youtube.

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  9. OMG, I'm making myself superfluous...
    @Julie: Thanks for the tips!

    What is the horror/terror in this story, really? Perhaps Julie and Maria have a point in their remarks on the nature of evil......

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  10. @Chanett
    The horror in this story is the uncertainty. You do not know if this is a story about a teacher, who is completely losing it, or if this is a science fiction story about some aliens attacking earth. Both interpretations are possible, and they are both very scary. As a reader you do not get an ending to the story, which makes one’s mind go crazy with possible endings. This uncertainty, and lack of knowledge about what will happen next, is the real horror in this story.

    Martin

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