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Post by wireman on Aug 26, 2020 11:23:55 GMT
Today we are discussing All That You Love Will Be Carried Away by Stephen King from Everything's Eventual
This is a gloomy story with an ambiguous ending that seems more hopeful to me than maybe it’s intended to be. I liked the slow burn of this story and how slowly the pieces start coming together. At the beginning it’s hard to know what to make of the strange quotes that Alfie is thinking about. Since the story is about a potential suicide, the bleak landscape and dull features of Alfie’s hotel room do a good job of getting the reader in the right frame of mind for this tale. Even though the ending is intentionally ambiguous, I felt it ended on a good note as Alfie was in the process of talking himself out of suicide. I don’t feel he went through with it no matter what happened with the lights. I think he had already talked himself out of it by wanting to write his book. With this story, is Stephen saying that writing can bring him out of the doldrums too?
Stephen amazes me with how he can craft a story from almost any idea he has. Creating a good story with bathroom graffiti as your inspiration would seem impossible to regular mortals.
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Post by spideyman on Aug 26, 2020 14:52:51 GMT
Enjoyed this story. I don't think Alfie ended up committing suicide. Instead, I think he realized his notebook was his life, and since he could not give up the notebook, he would not give up his life. The possibilities of a "future" was within that notebook. He could write his book.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2020 15:24:40 GMT
I doubt he killed himself not only because of the notebook but because his very real concern about what his daughters friends would say to her if he did. But even if he didn't kill himself its not a happy story. The book, if written, would probably never get published (as someone remarked to publish bathroom graffiti you need a talent like SK) and that would make him more depressed. This a wellwritten story, the attmosphere of motels and interstates well captured but its far from as good as the first two stories in this book.
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Post by Wicked Esther on Aug 26, 2020 15:54:54 GMT
There are several short film adaptations of this story. I like this one:
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Post by neesy on Aug 27, 2020 5:43:40 GMT
There are several short film adaptations of this story. I like this one: Thanks for posting this! |
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Post by Wicked Esther on Aug 27, 2020 14:50:09 GMT
There are several short film adaptations of this story. I like this one: Thanks for posting this! No problem. I hope you have time to watch the whole thing. I checked out a few that were very amateur-- this one looked like someone really put some thought and effort into it. This is pretty much the way I imagine Alfie Zimmer. |
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Post by spideyman on Aug 27, 2020 18:26:58 GMT
wireman-- any plans for next week's group discussion story?? Continuing or finding an alternate??
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2020 21:26:49 GMT
wireman -- any plans for next week's group discussion story?? Continuing or finding an alternate??
here is a link: www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/MidToe.shtml |
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Post by spideyman on Aug 27, 2020 21:33:02 GMT
wireman -- any plans for next week's group discussion story?? Continuing or finding an alternate??
here is a link: www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/MidToe.shtml |
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Post by neesy on Aug 28, 2020 18:58:20 GMT
wireman -- any plans for next week's group discussion story?? Continuing or finding an alternate??
here is a link: www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/MidToe.shtmlI appreciate you providing that link - my darn library has been super slow lately - I ordered Everything's Eventual a long time ago and I'm still waiting for it to get to me.
Agree with Spidey - might be nice for a change to switch things up
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Post by Wicked Esther on Sept 1, 2020 16:06:43 GMT
Sounds good to me, too. I just read it. smilie_winke_012 Thanks for the link,@kurben |
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Post by cat on Sept 3, 2020 0:10:51 GMT
I still haven't commented on this one. It always depresses me. I do like that you guys don't think he went thru with it at the end, that makes me feel better. 😄
The description of interstate travel in Nebraska is spot on though. It is beautiful to me, since I'm from there. (The west side though, not the east side like in the story.) But most people think it is dull and boring and nothing to see. Then add in the dark nights, and snow flying around, there is even less to see. 😉
I just hope he decided life was worth it, in the end. Went home to his wife and daughter.
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Post by morgan on Sept 3, 2020 5:51:37 GMT
I want to go to the nearest rest area, bring a Sharpie, and write "Pray for all the Alfie Zimmers" in one of the stalls.
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Post by morgan on Sept 3, 2020 6:10:27 GMT
I read this story out of a 2007 paperback with a 1408 movie tie-in cover. SK gives short explanations after each entry - thoughts, inspirations, etc.
He stated that in his first draft, "things turned out okay" for Alfie. (Some publishing person convinced him to make the ending more ambiguous.) That made me feel 1,000% better about the story.
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