Misery door Stephen King

Book Report English

Mariska

1. Title of the book: Misery

2. Author: Stephen King

3. Give some information about the author: Stephen King is born in 1947 in Portland, Maine in the USA. He started his writing career when he was a student. He wrote a weekly column for the Main Campus. In 1971 he began teaching high school English classes and continued writing in the evenings and at weekends. His first novel, Carrie, was published in 1974. He loves writing and leaves teaching. Other books of King: Salem’s Lot, The Shining, The Shawshank, Redemption and The Green Mile. The version of Misery was one of the most popular films of 1990. Kate Bates played Annie Wilkes and James Caan played Paul Sheldon. Kate won an Oscar for playing Annie. In 2002, Stephen King stops writing because an accident makes it difficult for him to sit long. King said: ‘I’m 55 years old and have grandchildren, two dogs and I have other things to do than writing. But he says: ‘Writing is my life and an important part of myself”.

4. Outline:

5. Describe two or more characters:
Paul Sheldon:
Paul Sheldon is a world-famous writer. He is rich and has lots of fans. He writes series about Misery, who dies at the last book. He (Paul) also smokes too much. He had married twice, but both marriages had ended in a divorce. He has a lot of fans, but the fans do not love him, they love Misery (Misery dies in the last pages of the book Misery’s Child). Paul Sheldon has dark hair and blue eyes. He looks decent and he had broken his legs when Annie found him in his car.

Annie Wilkes:
Annie Wilkes is Pauls greatest fan. She is also mad and very dangerous. She found Paul in his car and she helps him with his broken legs. Annie has dark hair and brown eyes. She has old clothes and works on the farm behind her house. She has killed a lot of babies and old people, and Paul Sheldon is her next victim. But not so quick: she first wants to read Pauls next (and maybe last) book, named Misery Return which, again, will be written by Paul Sheldon himself. He can not die before his book is finished.

6. Theme of the book:
The theme of the book is horror because a lot of people are being killed. The most of these people had been killed by Annie. These massacres had taken place before Paul had entered Annie’s house. Paul thinks that he is going to be her next victim.

7. Tell something about the strong and the weak points of the book:
The strong points are:
It’s easy to follow the book. The line of the book is simple. The main characters: Paul and Annie are clear described by the author. The author writes very funny and it’s an absolute “must” for people who love horror novels.

The weak points are:
The book is long-winded because the story goes about the same thing. Some times the writer writes the same text in the next chapter again, which I have to read double. That makes it dreadful to read.

8. Is it written in a chronological order:
The book is written in a chronological order. Sometimes Paul and Annie get some recollection about something what earlier is happen.
For example: When Paul had killed Annie, he is laying in the hospital. He thinks that he sees Annie everywhere. He remembered about Annie and he was thinking about the time in Annie’s house.
For example: When Paul is with Annie. He is thinking about the time that he had lived. What did he do wrong? He kept thinking about his life. That was good for him.
Sometimes in the book there were accelerations. The writer omits some day, but when Annie gets in an angry mood, he begins to write many facts. Too many facts, to be honest.  

9. When and where did the story happen?
The story happens in 1987. The story takes place in Sidewinder, Colorado. On the farm of Annie Wilkes.

10. Opinion:
The book had been written excellent, because the writer keeps the secret secret until the last pages of the book. I love this book and to me the main characters are good explained.
For writing a horror book I recommend a quite place, because you do not write a horror book in a lovely place with funny and lovely things. No, it needs creepy things to make it horror and frightful.