|
|
Post by edwardjohn on Aug 12, 2020 20:04:01 GMT
Perhaps Gary was stung by the bee and had a reaction, and imagined the whole thing?
|
|
|
|
Post by edwardjohn on Aug 12, 2020 20:05:38 GMT
If Autopsy was a very good story this is a great one. And as i see it it is not Randall flagg or something like that. This is the devil. I think proof of that lies in SK own comments that what inspired was a friend of his description of someone who he was convinced was the devil( (the red eyes etc). Its very convincing, the devil says all the things that scares a child the most and says it in a way that makes him believe it. Your mother is dead and so on. The devil is, after all, known as a master in lying. This is the most credible meet with the devil story i read. And i dont find it strange that he didn't tell just as i dont found it strange that the children in it Didn't tell. Somethings a child don't tell his parents. Also we must remember the story is set in 1914 when kids garys age were not just kids but also workers on the family farm. We cant really compare gary to a nine year old of today.
One interesting thing in the comments king wrote is that he didn't think it was a godd story and that he was totally flabbergasted by surprise when it won short story of the year. I also became very interested in the short story by Hawthorne that was one of the inspirations (written as a hommage to that story according to King) and in kings opinion one of the 10 best short stories written by an american ever. Made me wanna read that story that should be so much better in his opinion. |
|
|
|
Post by edwardjohn on Aug 12, 2020 20:07:34 GMT
Like the idea of reading the inspiration story next week.
Thoughts: The story brought about great images and metaphors. Being older than most of the board, the debilities of older age hit home. The comparison of his body to a child's sandcastle soon to be washed away by the incoming tide. Wow.!
Being set in 1914, agree children of that era are not the children of this time. Fear to tell a parent, absolutely. Haunting memory of meeting the devil, and only 9.
Also agree this was the "devil". Not Flagg or other SK character.
Have always appreciated SK's open ended ending. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2020 20:08:03 GMT
We are discussing The Man In The Black Suit by Stephen King from the book Everything's Eventual
Here is a pdf link for the story if you don't have the book
I found a PDF link by Googling but I did not see one in your post (weird) - was the Devil behind it? 
This was a very good story - I enjoyed reading it
@kurben - I agree with your comments - you certainly have a way with words even if English is not your mother tongue
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2020 20:26:12 GMT
If Autopsy was a very good story this is a great one. And as i see it it is not Randall flagg or something like that. This is the devil. I think proof of that lies in SK own comments that what inspired was a friend of his description of someone who he was convinced was the devil( (the red eyes etc). Its very convincing, the devil says all the things that scares a child the most and says it in a way that makes him believe it. Your mother is dead and so on. The devil is, after all, known as a master in lying. This is the most credible meet with the devil story i read. And i dont find it strange that he didn't tell just as i dont found it strange that the children in it Didn't tell. Somethings a child don't tell his parents. Also we must remember the story is set in 1914 when kids garys age were not just kids but also workers on the family farm. We cant really compare gary to a nine year old of today.
One interesting thing in the comments king wrote is that he didn't think it was a godd story and that he was totally flabbergasted by surprise when it won short story of the year. I also became very interested in the short story by Hawthorne that was one of the inspirations (written as a hommage to that story according to King) and in kings opinion one of the 10 best short stories written by an american ever. Made me wanna read that story that should be so much better in his opinion. |
|
|
|
Post by spideyman on Aug 12, 2020 20:33:00 GMT
Like the idea of reading the inspiration story next week.
Thoughts: The story brought about great images and metaphors. Being older than most of the board, the debilities of older age hit home. The comparison of his body to a child's sandcastle soon to be washed away by the incoming tide. Wow.!
Being set in 1914, agree children of that era are not the children of this time. Fear to tell a parent, absolutely. Haunting memory of meeting the devil, and only 9.
Also agree this was the "devil". Not Flagg or other SK character.
Have always appreciated SK's open ended ending. Mother Abigail does make an interesting distinction when describing him: “He ain't Satan,” she said, “but he and Satan know of each other and have kept their councils together of old.” also for @kurben |
|
|
|
Post by edwardjohn on Aug 12, 2020 20:33:55 GMT
Am I mistaking who Randall Flagg is? I always thought that he was the Devil. |
|
|
|
Post by edwardjohn on Aug 12, 2020 20:34:48 GMT
Do you think of Flagg as some kind of Demon? I found the theory that he was an alien from out width the boundaries of The Dark Tower to be interesting, and that he is the same species as Pennywise. Mother Abigail does make an interesting distinction when describing him: “He ain't Satan,” she said, “but he and Satan know of each other and have kept their councils together of old.” also for @kurben |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2020 20:36:42 GMT
Do you think of Flagg as some kind of Demon? I found the theory that he was an alien from out width the boundaries of The Dark Tower to be interesting, and that he is the same species as Pennywise. Mother Abigail does make an interesting distinction when describing him: “He ain't Satan,” she said, “but he and Satan know of each other and have kept their councils together of old.” also for @kurben Thank you, Spidey, didn't remember Mother Abigail making that observation but i think its spot on!! |
|
|
|
Post by edwardjohn on Aug 12, 2020 20:41:03 GMT
This is unrelated, but isn't Randall Flagg said to also be John Farson in The Wizard in Glass? But that is later retconned I believe in The Song of Susannah.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2020 20:42:40 GMT
Mother Abigail does make an interesting distinction when describing him: “He ain't Satan,” she said, “but he and Satan know of each other and have kept their councils together of old.” also for @kurben |
|
|
|
Post by cat on Aug 12, 2020 21:52:06 GMT
I think Gary didn't want to tell his dad because he thought he would sound crazy. The same thing happened when his dad wouldn't acknowledge to Gary what he thought when he saw the dead grass. I think they both thought it sounded crazy but they both knew it wasn't.
 , at that age I'm sure most kids wouldn't care if anyone thought they were crazy. Kids now may not give a hoot about people thinking they are crazy. But in the era of this story, kids were different. They worked hard and helped put food on the table. Goofing around is one thing, but I think kids from that time period learned more, did more and were entirely more respectful. And, Gary would not want to bring extra worry or heartache to his parents, when they were all still grieving his brother. |
|
|
|
Post by edwardjohn on Aug 12, 2020 21:58:52 GMT
That would suggest that The Crimson King is the Devil.
Also Stephen King: It'S aLL CoNnEcTed.  |
|
|
|
Post by cat on Aug 12, 2020 22:02:54 GMT
I love this story. It has been a favorite since the very first time I read it. It is just one of those good, it was a normal day until _____ happened kind of stories. And it's scary!
The Man made me think of the Low-Men, or someone from The Dark Tower world...
"Are we well-met, fisherboy?"
This quote just made me giggle. To be 35 again! 😄
"She's old, she's thirty-five,...."
And this quote gave me the shivers.
"She made the most wonderfully awful noises," the man in the black suit said reflectively,...."She wept." He paused, then added: "She wept as she died, isn't that sweet?"
|
|
|
|
Post by wireman on Aug 13, 2020 15:29:52 GMT
Are we reading Young Goodman Brown next week?
|
|
|
|
Post by spideyman on Aug 13, 2020 15:30:48 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by wireman on Aug 13, 2020 15:35:20 GMT
Sounds good to me.
Young Goodman Brown next Wed.
|
|
, at that age I'm sure most kids wouldn't care if anyone thought they were crazy. 