Is Pennywise in Full Dark, No Stars?

[Falseprohet]

My question is about the book Full Dark, No Stars. In the story A Fair Extension Stephen King alludes to the fact the dealer Elvid may be Pennywise the clown from IT. If King killed him off, how is he appearing in Derry in 2010? And an even better question does Stephen King have plans to do anything else? A sequel perhaps? Remember Pennywise goes into hibernation for 27-28 years, if you do the math he's scheduled to wake up in 2014...Is IT Back?

Joseph DeMarco

[Moderator]

Steve doesn't have any plans to do a sequel involving Pennywise. As he put it, he's done with clowns.
I'd have to go back to double-check, but I think you may be reading more into a Pennywise connection to Fair Extension/Elvid than was intended.

[RandomMan]

I kinda got that feel too....and if not IT, something very similar. What ever the intent...very COOL sai King!!! For me was the best story in the book.

[GNTLGNT]

I never got the "Killer Klown" vibe from Elvid, Derry or no Derry...to me, he was just a great re-interpretation of the Devil and bargains made with same...

[sknut70]

he felt more like the Leeland Gaunt of Needful things to me

[Falseprohet]

I don't think I am reading into anything, if you read carefully, you will see what I mean

#1 The story A Fair Extension takes place in Derry (There is even a reference to the Barrens)
#2 Several times in the story Stephen mentions how Elvid mouth has too many teeth or his teeth become sharp
#3 Elvid seems to change shape and grow much like Pennywise
#4 Elvid also has that power like Pennywise to change reality like how there was plenty of traffic but none of it seemed to be going down the road
#5 And perhaps the most revealing is Stephen King describes Elvid (he looked like a clown with no make-up)

[Moderator]

You make good points. I'll ask Steve but based on what I've heard him say, I believe it was his intention that this character was the devil (in spite of the character's protestations to the contrary,) not Pennywise. Elvid is an anagram for devil. Steve mentioned that usually the kicker in a story about a deal with the devil is that people don't get away with it, there's always some twist at the end where the devil didn't really come through on the promise, and he wanted to do a story in which the person did.

[SusanNorton]

Thanks, Ms. Mod! It was a great story, I finished it last night. It was chilling, wasn't it, how pleased Streeter was by the tragedies that struck his "friend's" family. No remorse at all. It reminded me of "Rosemary's Baby."

[Moderator]

I know! I have to agree with Steve that most of us would have to admit to feeling (even if just fleetingly) satisfied on occasion about someone else's misfortune but then feel guilty about it. Kept thinking, wait for it, it's going to come and my mouth may have literally dropped when I got to the end and it wasn't there.

[boogerb53]

You make good points. I'll ask Steve but based on what I've heard him say, I believe it was his intention that this character was the devil (in spite of the character's protestations to the contrary,) not Pennywise. Elvid is an anagram for devil. Steve mentioned that usually the kicker in a story about a deal with the devil is that people don't get away with it, there's always some twist at the end where the devil didn't really come through on the promise, and he wanted to do a story in which the person did.

That was exactly my impression Marsha. I saw right away that the name thing. I thought that story was darkly hilarious! I kept expecting the main character to feel remorse and beg the devil to go stop.

[~Ally~]

I also wondered about the possible Pennywise connection for exactly the same reasons Falseprohet stated. I worked out what "Elvid" was but surmised he could maybe be another incarnation of Pennywise, we know he is capable of changing his appearance easily. I love Pennywise though so maybe just want to believe it was him.

This story left me feeling frustrated and disgusted. I started feeling empathy for Streeter and could comprehend him wanting to save himself, and maybe not fully understanding the consequences of his "trade." Yet he enjoyed/took great pleasure in what happened to his friend and his family. Not once did he show remorse for his part in it, and I really wanted to see him get his comeuppance. I disliked his character immensely...oouuu nasty man! Great job SK. :y:

[randallFlaggfan1]

That was exactly my impression Marsha. I saw right away that the name thing. I thought that story was darkly hilarious! I kept expecting the main character to feel remorse and beg the devil to go stop.



With Fair Extention, I really did not know what to expect. But the outcome of it blew me away. How could ANYONE just back and do nothing, when he knew perfectly well that he was responsible?

[king family fan]

Thanks guys your opinions clear up some of the things I was wondering about myself.

[randallFlaggfan1]

King fan- now you've got me curious: what specifically were you wondering about..?

[bobledrew]

Keep in mind, the title is FULL DARK. These are stories about the worst of us, or the worst in us. In "1922", Wilfred kills his wife of greed, and reaps a nasty price.; in "Big Driver", Tess discovers just what she can be capable of in her search for revenge, and just how she can feel redemption for it; and "A good marriage" is about the acceptance of the murder of Bob Anderson by his wife Darcy. It's about the breaking of taboos by people, and how sometimes their "sins" are punished and others, not. It's a disturbing book in that the conventions of morality are stripped away, that sometimes we do evil things and are punished, that sometimes people who haven't sinned suffer, and that sometimes those of us who think we are good will commit an evil act more or less out of the blue.

[Slimmer]

The character I thought of most was the character from Morality very similar particularly the changing of shape

[randallFlaggfan1]

The character I thought of most was the character from Morality very similar particularly the changing of shape

I don't recall any similarities between Morality and Fair Extension.... Which character in Morality?

[JellybeanJay]

he felt more like the Leeland Gaunt of Needful things to me

I agree, I picture Leland Gault and Elvid the same. Could it be that Leland came around again?

[tashabunny]

I've always assumed it was the devil, with the name Elvid and all.

[randallFlaggfan1]

Steve doesn't have any plans to do a sequel involving Pennywise. As he put it, he's done with clowns.
I'd have to go back to double-check, but I think you may be reading more into a Pennywise connection to Fair Extension/Elvid than was intended.

Greetings, Ms. Mod!:biggrin2:

It seems like we've had this discussion before, unless I'm mistaken..?

[aKINGreader4ever]

Hey All:smile2:,

I never got the Pennywise feel, even though it did take place in Derry. It kinda reminded me of Al Pacino's character in The Devil's Advocate:devil:. When I noticed the name ELVID(DEVIL) all that went through my mind was that movie, and as Sknut-70 put it- I can also see a little leland Gaunt/Needful Things. Mostly the first movie that went through my mind was The Devils Advocate.
THX,
-K-

[Jack Roman]

I agree! Elvid seemed a lot like Mr. Guant to me. Mr. Guant knows best. Maybe a set up for Needful Things sequel

[Alexandra19]

Hi !
I don't think Pennywise hangs around FDNS, but from a lot of threads here, It seems to travel a lot (last time I checked, someone spotted him in Salem's Lot I think).
As long as It's not hiding in my own watercourse, let's hope at least It's having fun !

[Lina]

I have never thought of Pennywise until I read this thread. Very interesting idea. And such a good facts presented... It could have been true, why not?:laugh: But mostly, I tend to think he was like Mr. Guant, or, more probably, just another version of the devil.

[king4aday]

He was just the plain old Devil for me although I can't help but enjoy the comparisons you've made to Penneywise.