Dissecting Stephen King

From the Gothic to Literary Naturalism

By: Heidi Strengell, John Langdon

Write A Review

Paperback | 11 February 2008

At a Glance

Paperback
320 Pages

Edition Type
New edition

Dimensions(cm)
22.86 x 15.24 x 1.7

Paperback

$74.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $18.69 with

or

Ships in 10 to 15 business days

In a thoughtful, well-informed study exploring fiction from throughout Stephen King's immense oeuvre, Heidi Strengell shows how this popular writer enriches his unique brand of horror by building on the traditions of his literary heritage. Tapping into the wellsprings of the gothic to reveal contemporary phobias, King invokes the abnormal and repressed sexuality of the vampire, the hubris of Frankenstein, the split identity of the werewolf, the domestic melodrama of the ghost tale. Drawing on myths and fairy tales, he creates characters who, like the heroic Roland the Gunslinger and the villainous Randall Flagg, may either reinforce or subvert the reader's childlike faith in society. And in the manner of the naturalist tradition, he reinforces a tension between the free will of the individual and the daunting hand of fate.
Ultimately, Strengell shows how King shatters our illusions of safety and control: "King places his decent and basically good characters at the mercy of indifferent forces, survival depending on their moral strength and the responsibility they may take for their fellow men."

Industry Reviews

"Meticulously researched and argued, Strengell's work offers original insights on King's treatment of gender and sexuality, his use of Gothic tropes and themes, and the literary and mythological influences he has freely adapted. This book is particularly valuable as a resource for defining King's place as a specifically American artist." - Tony Magistrale, author of Landscape of Fear: Stephen King's American Gothic, recently reissued by the Popular Press"

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $89.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.

Defective items

If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.

For more info please visit our Help Centre.

More in European History

Norse-Gaelic Paganism

Viking and Irish Myth and Magic

Paperback

RRP $32.99

$26.99

18%
OFF

Rasputin

And the Downfall of the Romanovs

Hardcover

RRP $55.00

$46.99

15%
OFF

The Making of the Middle Ages

An Atlas of Europe

Hardcover

RRP $64.99

$46.99

28%
OFF

Battle of the Arctic

The Maritime Epic of World War Two

Paperback

RRP $37.99

$30.75

19%
OFF

The World of the Odyssey & Other Greek Myths

A 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle by Adam Simpson

Puzzle

RRP $39.99

$31.75

21%
OFF

Eurovision

Seven Decades of Glitz, Glamour and Unforgettable Performances - Douze Points!

Hardcover

RRP $65.00

$48.99

25%
OFF

The Nazi Mind

Twelve Warnings From History

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF

The Voynich Manuscript

Hardcover

RRP $82.95

$60.75

27%
OFF

On the Shortness of Life

The Stoic Classic

Hardcover

RRP $24.95

$21.75

13%
OFF

The Gulag Archipelago

(Abridged edition)

Paperback

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF

The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition

Penguin Modern Classics

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF

Heroes

The myths of the Ancient Greek heroes retold

Paperback

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF

The Anarchy

The Relentless Rise of the East India Company

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF

Talking Classics

The Shock of the Old

Hardcover

RRP $36.99

$29.99

19%
OFF

The Great Siege of Malta

Paperback

RRP $28.99

$24.75

15%
OFF

Raise Your Soul

A Personal History of Resistance

Paperback

RRP $36.99

$29.75

20%
OFF

Alchemy

An Illustrated History of Elixirs, Experiments, and the Birth of Modern Science

Hardcover

RRP $61.95

$45.75

26%
OFF

1177 B.C.

The Year Civilization Collapsed: Revised and Updated

Paperback

RRP $29.99

$25.75

14%
OFF

Revenge

Meghan, Harry and the war between the Windsors

Paperback

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF

Kokoda

Updated Edition

Paperback

RRP $39.99

$31.75

21%
OFF

Say Nothing

True Story Of Murder and Memory In Northern Ireland

Paperback

RRP $27.99

$22.99

18%
OFF

British Gardens

Hardcover

RRP $85.00

$61.99

27%
OFF

HOW TO KILL A WITCH

A Guide For The Patriarchy

Paperback

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF

Suicidal Empathy

Dying to Be Kind

Paperback

RRP $34.99

$28.75

18%
OFF

Abbreviations	p. ix
Introduction	p. 3
King, His World, and Its Characters	p. 7
Interpreter of the Postmodern Condition	p. 17
King's Brand of Horror	p. 22
The Gothic in King's Works	p. 28
Abnormal and Repressed Sexuality (the Vampire)	p. 33
Hubris and Death (Frankenstein's Monster)	p. 53
The Gothic Double (the Werewolf)	p. 68
The Gothic Melodrama (the Ghost)	p. 86
Myths and Fairy Tales in King's Works	p. 108
The Hero as a Generic Hybrid (Roland the Gunslinger)	p. 117
The Antihero as a Generic Hybrid (Randall Flagg)	p. 136
Adapted and Revised Myths and Fairy Tales	p. 156
Mythical and Fairy-Tale Themes	p. 168
Literary Naturalism in King's Works	p. 179
Free Will and Responsibility	p. 189
Genetic and Sociological Determinism	p. 207
Cosmological Determinism and Fate	p. 223
Metafictional Determinism	p. 246
Conclusion	p. 254
A Note on Previous Criticism	p. 269
Bibliography	p. 275
Index	p. 293
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Dissecting Stephen King

From the Gothic to Literary Naturalism

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

More in European History

Norse-Gaelic Paganism

Viking and Irish Myth and Magic

Rasputin

And the Downfall of the Romanovs

The Making of the Middle Ages

An Atlas of Europe

Battle of the Arctic

The Maritime Epic of World War Two

The World of the Odyssey & Other Greek Myths

A 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle by Adam Simpson

Eurovision

Seven Decades of Glitz, Glamour and Unforgettable Performances - Douze Points!

The Nazi Mind

Twelve Warnings From History

The Voynich Manuscript

On the Shortness of Life

The Stoic Classic

The Gulag Archipelago

(Abridged edition)

The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition

Penguin Modern Classics

Heroes

The myths of the Ancient Greek heroes retold

The Anarchy

The Relentless Rise of the East India Company

Talking Classics

The Shock of the Old

The Great Siege of Malta

Raise Your Soul

A Personal History of Resistance

Alchemy

An Illustrated History of Elixirs, Experiments, and the Birth of Modern Science

1177 B.C.

The Year Civilization Collapsed: Revised and Updated

Revenge

Meghan, Harry and the war between the Windsors

Kokoda

Updated Edition

Say Nothing

True Story Of Murder and Memory In Northern Ireland

British Gardens

HOW TO KILL A WITCH

A Guide For The Patriarchy

Suicidal Empathy

Dying to Be Kind

This product is categorised by