What keeps you turning the pages of your book?
Pet Sematary, a very real, horror thriller set in the relatable landscape of a family home, has thus far enticed me with its intriguing characters and great writing style. Although I have only read the first few chapters of the book I can already see some very interesting character developments lying ahead. The protagonist of the novel, Louis Creed, is a very cynical man, worrying about the nature of others actions and striving to protect his family from the world. While reading the book, his thoughts are heavily narrated creating a lot of tension within the smallest of actions; for example while just driving to his new home Louis begins to daydream, entering a place in the mind where most people go rarely, the place where dark and perverse thoughts lay in wait. He fantasises of simply leaving the family he has cultivated and moving far away to begin a new medical practice, starting a new life free from responsibility. Of course, he does not actually act on these urges but it shows a very realistic insight into the mindset of the average person and the private or secretive thoughts we may have.
This kind of dark and unidealized representation of a character is heavily aided by the unique writing style employed by Stephen king in the Pet Sematary. The style tends to draw focus to the smaller intricacies of the character’s daily life, reflecting on simple tasks such as finding the car keys or petting the family cat, while also allowing the reader to hear the character’s thoughts through this entire process. This inclusion of many thoughts and actions within the book creates a slower read (a long section of a chapter can be dedicated to a very small action with lots of thought) but it also creates a huge insight into the character’s lives. It enables the reader to learn a fictional person's story, traits, and personality by experiencing their thoughts alone. By employing this style, the reader feels like they really know the character’s without having to learn through obvious exposition.
Write a letter to someone you care about, telling them about this wonderful book you are reading.
Dear Grandmother,
The day has finally come; I am taking you up on your recommendation and reading the “Pet Sematary”. So far it is everything that you have told me, the characters are very interesting and the story does seem very real. Currently, I have only seen Louis Creed and his family driving, living at their home, and chatting with the neighbors, so nothing overly exciting has happened, yet in the way of horror. However, there is a lot of foreshadowing about death in this book; it seems that the eldest daughter of the family has a strange interest in the subject, particularly in the context of her little cat Church. The deadly road on the side of the Creed’s new residence and the mysterious pet Sematary are creating an ominous figure within the story but as I said, nothing has happened yet. I can only assume by the name of the book and the front cover (an evil looking cat) that eventually Church dies on that very road, although having read Stephen King’s other literature I am very curious about the other roles the road or the sematary will play in the coming chapters. At this point, I can only guess but perhaps we can talk about it next time I see you. I believe I’ll be meeting with you again soon for my brothers birthday, but until then I send my regards.
Ethan
Pet Sematary, a very real, horror thriller set in the relatable landscape of a family home, has thus far enticed me with its intriguing characters and great writing style. Although I have only read the first few chapters of the book I can already see some very interesting character developments lying ahead. The protagonist of the novel, Louis Creed, is a very cynical man, worrying about the nature of others actions and striving to protect his family from the world. While reading the book, his thoughts are heavily narrated creating a lot of tension within the smallest of actions; for example while just driving to his new home Louis begins to daydream, entering a place in the mind where most people go rarely, the place where dark and perverse thoughts lay in wait. He fantasises of simply leaving the family he has cultivated and moving far away to begin a new medical practice, starting a new life free from responsibility. Of course, he does not actually act on these urges but it shows a very realistic insight into the mindset of the average person and the private or secretive thoughts we may have.
This kind of dark and unidealized representation of a character is heavily aided by the unique writing style employed by Stephen king in the Pet Sematary. The style tends to draw focus to the smaller intricacies of the character’s daily life, reflecting on simple tasks such as finding the car keys or petting the family cat, while also allowing the reader to hear the character’s thoughts through this entire process. This inclusion of many thoughts and actions within the book creates a slower read (a long section of a chapter can be dedicated to a very small action with lots of thought) but it also creates a huge insight into the character’s lives. It enables the reader to learn a fictional person's story, traits, and personality by experiencing their thoughts alone. By employing this style, the reader feels like they really know the character’s without having to learn through obvious exposition.
Write a letter to someone you care about, telling them about this wonderful book you are reading.
Dear Grandmother,
The day has finally come; I am taking you up on your recommendation and reading the “Pet Sematary”. So far it is everything that you have told me, the characters are very interesting and the story does seem very real. Currently, I have only seen Louis Creed and his family driving, living at their home, and chatting with the neighbors, so nothing overly exciting has happened, yet in the way of horror. However, there is a lot of foreshadowing about death in this book; it seems that the eldest daughter of the family has a strange interest in the subject, particularly in the context of her little cat Church. The deadly road on the side of the Creed’s new residence and the mysterious pet Sematary are creating an ominous figure within the story but as I said, nothing has happened yet. I can only assume by the name of the book and the front cover (an evil looking cat) that eventually Church dies on that very road, although having read Stephen King’s other literature I am very curious about the other roles the road or the sematary will play in the coming chapters. At this point, I can only guess but perhaps we can talk about it next time I see you. I believe I’ll be meeting with you again soon for my brothers birthday, but until then I send my regards.
Ethan