Misery Journal #3: Journal Of A Serial Killer

I’m loving the book.  I’ve assumed I had a good grasp on Misery because the movie was so very faithful.  Fans could not ask for a better adaptation of the book. That said, no screen adaptation could reproduce what King has done on the page.

Writing:

“Over the years Paul had grown more and more resigned to the fact that he could not read stories as he had when he was a kid; by becoming a writer of them himself, he had condemned himself to a life of dissection.” – Misery, p.151

When you do something often, it can become difficult to enjoy the art itself.  Misery touches on a period in Paul’s life when he found it difficult to enjoy other people’s writing without being a critic.  Makes sense – dancers each think they can do better than the person on stage; writers can be tempted to think they can write a better book than another writer.  Even preachers can struggle to listen to someone else preach, because they sit there thinking, “I wouldn’t have done that with  that text. . .” or “I would have said that much better.”

It is a sad thought – because a person perticipates in a form of art, they can reach a point where they no longer enjoy other people’s finished product.  I wonder if movie directors find it difficult to watch movies; or if cooks have trouble eating someone elses food.  Don’t laugh, just watch food network.

Journal Of A Serial Killer

Misery is nerve racking throughout; but mid novel, King really ups the anti.  While Annie is out, Paul leaves his room.  First, obviously, he wants to see if there is a way to escape the house.  Second, he needs to steal food and meds, since Annie is not there to care for him.  What Paul finds on his journey through Annie’s house is at first just flat out disgusting.  Annie loves food, and does not love cleaning.  So her house is pretty trashed.

As Paul explores, he finds something deeply disturbing: A journal.  It is full of news paper clippings, neatly organized in chronlogical order.  They include articles about Annie’s family – her father and husband – and their deaths.  Paul discovers the entire scrap book is a book of death!

Annie, a Nurse, is a serial killer.  She killed her family, killed old people in the hospital, and then moved on to kill babies.  At one point, Paul has the body count at thirty.

• Here are some of the headings he thumbs through: 
• Five Die In Apartment House Fire
• Bakersfield Accountant Dies In Freak Fall
• USC Student Dies In Freak Fall
• Head Maternity Nurse Questioned In Infant Deaths
• Three More Infant Deaths In Boulder Hospital

As Paul goes through the notebook, the reader begins to sense his dread.  He is trapped in the home of a serial killer.  I love the way this turns the tables!  Usually it is a woman who is helplessly left in the clutches of a man, tied up or blindfolded so she cannot escape.  But King has a man, bound to a wheelchair – in excruciating pain – at the mercy of a very wicked and sick woman.

I was wondering if it is realistic for a serial killer to keep such neat, clean notes of their crimes.  Actually, I think it’s very realistic!  Criminals seem to have a need to document and remember their crimes.  Ted Bundy revisited his crime scenes.  The book is a way for Annie to keep her victims near her.

Whining:

I’ve been reading Misery as I also press through several frustrations . . . like my computer going to Blue screen.  It’s fixed, but I lost a sermon – which represents 10-15 hours of work.  I’ve been telling everyone that the lost sermon is the “greatest sermon ever.”  After all, no one will ever know, right?!  Reproducing a sermon already written is impossible.  Have to just assume God had another plan and struggle with the text again.

And, as I fight with a computer – I’m listening to Misery.  How appropriate!