Part One of AnDread’s discussion with Erin C. Hendricks about Stephen King’s Misery (1987). We discuss physical disability and chronic pain, PTSD, abuse and disability, and themes of writing and reading.
Text across top: Now a spectacular new film from Columbia Pictures!
Middle: #1 Bestseller! Stephen King
Author of The Dark Half
Misery
Lower right corner: Paul Sheldon used to write for a living. [Now] he’s writing to [stay alive].
- Intro
- Erin’s connection to horror as pain-reliever – flight or fight response distracts from pain
- General thoughts on disability in horror – villains and innocents
- Misery overview 21:13
- 1987 psychological horror novel by Stephen King, one of his first novels without a supernatural or paranormal element
- Winner of 1st Bram Stoker Award for Novel in 1987
- Adapted into a film directed by Rob Reiner in 1990
- Synopsis: Paul Sheldon, author of a series of popular romance novels about Misery Chastain, is rescued from a car accident by Annie Wilkes, a former nurse who also turns out to be Sheldon’s “Number 1 fan.” Paul’s legs are severely damaged and Annie, who lives on a rural farm, tends to his needs. However, when Annie reads the latest Misery novel and finds out that he killed off her beloved character, she forces him to write a new Misery novel that brings Misery back to life, all the while terrorizing Paul to keep him compliant while he struggles to figure out a means of escape.
- Misery Discussion 27:00
- Overall thoughts
- Novel straightforward horror, film more horror/thriller
- Three levels of fear: terror, horror, disgust
- Title
- Misery as character
- Paul’s misery
- Annie’s misery
- Misery = pain that seems pointless but can save your life
- Pain vs. suffering – immediate experience vs. impact of that experience
- Paul’s physical disabilities and chronic pain
- Paul more flawed as character in book vs. Paul of film
- Realism of experiences with injury and pain
- Drawn from King’s childhood experiences
- Sympathy drawn from vivid depictions of pain
- Hard to describe pain – done through metaphor (in/out of tide, living in a thunderhead)
- Newly acquired physical disability – reaction of horror, identity shift; fear of being devalued for limitations of what one can produce
- Pieces of self lost, literally and through small indignities
- Paul’s PTSD and Caregiver Abuse / Abusive Relationships 1:06:43
- Annie: mental disability or psychopathy? 1:30:15
- Mad conflated with bad – psychosis conflated with psychopathy
- Mental illness & impairment of choice vs. intentionally abusive/manipulative behavior
- Annie is crazy to make her scarier
- Annie takes no responsibility for her actions nor shows any interest in change
- Themes of writing, authorship, readership 2:08:35
- Guest plugs
- FACEBOOK: Erin C. Hendricks
- RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network) is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. https://www.rainn.org/
- They have a confidential, free, 24/7 hotline: 800-656-HOPE
- End Abuse of People with Disabilities website: https://www.endabusepwd.org/
- (855) 274-8222 (Toll Free); cvs@vera.org
- Plugs and Wrap-Up 2:37:57
- WEBSITE: freaksandpsychospodcast.com. Please subscribe, rate, and review
- EMAIL: freaksandpsychospodcast@gmail.com
- VOICEMAIL: 614-721-1011
- TWITTER: @FreaksPsychos and @AnDreadtheBlind
- LETTERBOXD: Andread. Disability in Horror list
- DARK MARK, creator of the show’s intro and outro music
- Twitter: @mark underscore longfield
- Letterboxd: Darkmark
- NEXT EPISODE: Part 2 of our Misery discussion touching on addiction and the film adaptation!
- If you find yourself wishing that you were normal, just remember: The Freaks Shall Inherit the Earth.
There will be a transcript for this show in the future. Please contact freaksandpsychospodcast@gmail.com for any accessibility concerns.
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