MISERY - NOT AS MISERABLE AS THE FIRST

Essay by Cl0ud7High School, 11th gradeA+, March 2005

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Stephen King's novel Misery is involving, exciting, intense, highly suspenseful, and definitely gruesome. Misery was full of unexpected and atypical imagery involving such items as axes, saws, land mowers, crosses, and other gardening utensils that were used to sear human flesh. Although I have been desensitized to this kind of violence by spending my youth in front of Pay-Per-View television, I still found the grizzly amputations and lacerations unnerving. Although the novel can be a turnoff for those with weak stomachs for its portrayal of senseless violence, I found the elements of surprise and excitement to be the most appealing aspects. I especially enjoyed the ending of Misery, which provided a thrilling climax when Paul and Annie had their final confrontation ending in the defeat of "evil".

Not everything about Misery was to my liking. For example, I did not enjoy the "novel within a novel" facet of the book.

I found this distraction unnecessary and not overly useful in adding value and proved to not be constructive in furthering the main storyline. Although the chance coincidence of a number-one fan finding her idol glues this story together, it is not entirely believable. Furthermore, I believe that some aspects of provoking disgust were taken too far, as is the case when Paul Sheldon is forced to drink his own urine. My final complaint is the insufficient detail of Annie's laughing place. Descriptive aspects were omitted leaving more to be desired. Many books I read are far less interesting than Misery allowing me to place this book in the top echelon of books I've read that I consider being enjoyable.

I have seen several of Stephen King's movies such as Pet cemetery, The Shinning, Shawshank Redemption, and The Storm of the Century. Most of his work is dark, which comes...