**Uncover the theories behind the Master of Horror's macabre tales: *It* , *The Shining* , *Carrie* , *Cujo* , *Misery* , *Pet Semetary* , and so much more!** Gothic media moguls Meg Hafdahl and Kelly Florence, authors of *The Science of Monsters* and *The Science of Women in Horror* , and co-hosts of the *Horror Rewind* podcast called "the best horror film podcast out there" by *Film Daddy* , present a guide to the Stephen King stories and characters we all know and love. Through interviews, literary and film analysis, and bone-chilling discoveries, *The Science of Stephen King* delves into the uniquely horrific Stephen King universe to uncover the science behind the legendary novels that have become an integral part of modern pop culture, answering such questions as: * What is the science behind time travel and parallel universes like in *The Dark Tower* series and *11/22/63*? * How does lack of sleep...
Copyright © 2020 by Meg Hafdahl & Kelly Florence
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.
Cover design by Daniel Brount
Cover photograph by gettyimages
Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-5774-5
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-5775-2
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
Section One: The 1970s
Chapter One: Carrie
Chapter Two: The Shining
Chapter Three: Salem’s Lot
Chapter Four: Rage
Chapter Five: The Stand
Chapter Six: Nightshift
Section Two: The 1980s
Chapter Seven: Cujo
Chapter Eight: Pet Sematary
Chapter Nine: Thinner
Chapter Ten: It
Chapter Eleven: The Drawing of the Three
Chapter Twelve: Misery
Chapter Thirteen: The Tommyknockers
Chapter Fourteen: The Dark Half
Section Three: The 1990s
Chapter Fifteen: Needful Things
Chapter Sixteen: Insomnia
Chapter Seventeen: The Green Mile
Chapter Eighteen: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Chapter Nineteen: Gwendy’s Button Box
Section Four: The 2000s
Chapter Twenty: Dreamcatcher
Chapter Twenty-One: From a Buick 8
Chapter Twenty-Two: Cell
Chapter Twenty-Three: Lisey’s Story
Chapter Twenty-Four: Duma Key
Chapter Twenty-Five: Under the Dome
Section Five: The 2010s
Chapter Twenty-Six: 11/22/63
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Doctor Sleep
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Mr. Mercedes
Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Outsider
Chapter Thirty: The Institute
Introduction
Every “constant reader” remembers the first time they delved into the delicious horror of Stephen King. For me (Meg), it was finding a paperback of
When we began research for this book, it became clear that we were going to learn about science, folklore, and literary influences. Yet, we ended up coming to understand the author himself more than anything. Join us, fellow constant readers, on a journey into the creative, dynamic world of Stephen King. Leave behind reality for the modest towns of Derry, Castle Rock, and Salem’s Lot. Traverse the magical landscape of Mid-World. Because, as you well know, there are other worlds than these.
SECTION ONE
The 1970s
When you think of horror writers, it’s impossible not to think of Stephen King. He has scared us, thrilled us, grossed us out, and made us feel terror for nearly fifty years, but his writing breaks the boundaries that are sometimes placed on the genre. As film critic Aja Romano said, “the key to his popularity as a horror novelist, and as a novelist in general, resides not in the darkest moments of his writing, but in his basic belief in humanity’s innate goodness.”1 The plots within his works are sometimes otherworldly and sometimes rooted in truth. In this book, we will explore the scientific explanations behind his narratives and the fascinating and sometimes unbelievable horror that exists in our world.
CHAPTER ONE
Carrie
