Stephen King's Novels "Apt Pupil" and "The Body"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how King represents the theme of childhood in his fiction as a platform of discovery for growth and how this growth, in turn, shapes the child's character profoundly. The writer discusses the journey of similar aged characters in "Apt Pupil" and "The Body". In the conclusion, the paper shows that, for Stephen King, the theme of childhood is important not so much as a value itself but as a platform for growth to another stage of maturity.

From the Paper:

"One of the most common themes in literature is the growth of an individual from youth and innocence to maturity. Thus, when the theme of childhood is depicted in famous works such as Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the focus is often not so much on childhood itself but on the discoveries and experiences the main characters make that point the way towards maturity. This essay will argue that this approach to the theme of childhood can be seen in two texts from Stephen King's collection: Different Seasons. As will be seen, while in "The Body" the story focuses on a journey - told in retrospect - that symbolizes growth and an end of innocence in the primary character, in "Apt Pupil" the progress is not healthy growth but a movement towards evil and corruption."

Sample of Sources Used:

• King, Stephen. "Apt Pupil." In Different Seasons. New York: Signet, 1982, 111-292.
• King, Stephen. "The Body." In Different Seasons. New York: Signet, 1982, 293-438.
• Smith, Greg. "The Literary Equivalent of a Big Mac and Fries? Academics, Moralists and the Stephen King Phenomenon."The Midwest Quarterly. 43.4 (2002): 329-348
• Stroby, W.C. "Digging Up Stories with Stephen King."Writer's Digest. 72.3 (1992): 22-27

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