A Culture Of King

With a sequel to The Shining set to appear almost 34 years after the original was released, it is worth asking if there is still an interest in the original book.  Actually, if any King book has entered the American cultural psyche, it's The Shining!

Notice how often things are compared to The Shining.  For instance, get this recent line from an article titled "Meal Delivery Brings Food, Company To Shut In"
The local Smart & Final with its aisles and aisles of food, shopping carts and shoppers holds for her the kind of terror offered up by the Overlook Hotel in Stephen King's "The Shining."
Now, what does an article about food to shut ins have to do with The Shining?  It's not exactly the most natural connection!  But the book is so deeply embedded in our thinking that the author could not help but use it as a hook for her story.

Of course, the books popularity is deeply linked to the Kubrick film. But there's more to it than just the film!  America's love the story itself.  That's why they still flock to special tours at the Stanley Hotel.  (Check out this article, titled Ghost Hunt At The Stanley Hotel.)  I mean, if they were just drawn to the movie, there would be no interest int he hotel, since the movie did not use it as a shooting location.  The Stanley is connected to the book!  The novel itself has become an American classic.

The Simpsons have famously spoofed King more than once.  One my favorites was when they poked fun at The Shining in The Shinning.

Sometimes a book becomes more than a book.  In fact, people who have never read the book are familiar with themes, characters or lines from the book.  The story becomes a shared experience.  what is it about The Shining that so deeply touches Americans?

Other King books that are part of our collective experience:
1. Carrie. 
2. Cujo.  Just the name has entered American vocabulary to mean "Crazy Mean Evil Demon Possessed Dog."
3. The Stand. 
Another King book to enter the collective American culture is The Stand. Get his opener by Shane McGlaun about scientifically created bird flu:
If this sounds a bit like something out of a horror novel, it’s because this sounds a lot like what starts the evens of the horror classic from Stephen King called The Stand. Apparently, researchers working on bird flu have created a strain of the bird flu virus that is lethal and easily spread through the air. Some fear that the mutated strain might be used as a bio weapon. (article Here)

In Politics:
Speaking of cultural references, King is sometimes referenced simply because he is so well known.  The Bangor Daily News recently published an opinion article by Carroll Conley, arguing against gambling expansion.  (article here)  She launches her article by discussing King's "Storm Of The Century" and how the town sold their souls. 

Get this, after giving several paragraphs to this analogy, she then writes, "Now, I’ve not read a lot of King. . ."  !  What?  She's not read much King, but she's building this entire article based on Storm Of The Century.  Why?  Not because she's a Stephen King fan, but because King is a common point of reference.  Even Conley, the executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine, thinks King is safe common ground.  So she uses a parable from King. . . because she can't think of any Biblical analogies where people sell out and lose their soul!  Like, maybe, the entire system of anti-Christ!  But if she said that, she would sound like a religious weirdo.  So the better bet was to use the parable from the world of Stephen King.  Or, put another way: You sound cray if you say "the devil is in this!"  But not so crazy if you say, "this is a lot like a Stephen King story."  But what's in the Stephen King story?  The devil!  (did you track with all that?)

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