Stephen King’s breakthrough novel “Carrie,” published fifty years ago, remains a timeless horror classic that takes readers on a horrifying and gruesome psychological journey.
The story follows Carrie, a teenage girl with telekinetic abilities. Carrie lives alone with her mother, Margaret, and lives an unhappy life under strict supervision. Her mother is strong in her religious beliefs, and punishes Carrie anytime she sins, claiming her daughter possesses the “devil’s power.” Carrie can’t stand her mother’s parenting style. In one of the first scenes, we see Carrie’s disapproval of her mother’s harsh parenting style as she uses her telekinesis powers to sendstones down onto her mother’s house.
Carrie’s time at school isn’t much better. Her classmates often ridicule her; her teachers often torment her. Yet, things seem to turn around for Carrie when the most popular guy at her school asks her to the Prom. However, a seeming turn for the better sends Carrie down a dark and unforgiving journey. While this book is gory and otherwise brutal, its themes make
for an intense and compelling read. Stephen King focuses on isolation, revenge, violence, supernatural abilities, and sin. Through these themes, Carrie becomes an act of rebellion and manifests her ability into something destructive.
This book follows a strange structure with a 3rd person narrative and excerpts from newspapers, interviews, transcripts, autobiographies, and other media. This unconventional structure allows King’s readers to interpret the story in many different ways.
As Carrie approaches its 50th anniversary, we’re able to see its prevailing relevance. It opened the doors to a very American sort of horror, inspiring future authors and directors. Chances are, even if you aren’t a horror fan, you’ve seen the adaptation of the novel. As years pass, Carrie White’s story, King’s storytelling, and the novel’s legacy remain fascinating.
Overall, the story itself is really good and well-written. Its tragic and intense scene captivated me, and its suspense forbade me to stop reading. How King describes the paranormal within the human brain is eye-opening. Furthermore, I enjoyed how Carrie isn’t any typical horror story with ghosts or serial killers. Instead, King creates something horrifying that lies within the human mind.
