What's up with the telekinesis?

[Ophelia]

'Afternoon, everyone. I'm new here. I've been reading SK now for a year or so. Pathetic, I know-- but my parents had me watching the movies from a very young age and I was therefore terrified of all things King until I read On Writing. It was such an engaging book, it had me searching or more of his writing. I was pleasantly surprised by how good the stories are, and how downright hilarious he can be in the midst of all the action and even the scary stuff. (Da-da-chum, anyone?)

I just finished Song of Susannah this morning. I had a couple of thoughts--

First, it struck me as Roland and Eddie went in search of Stephen King that the writer must have committed some sort of cardinal literary sin, writing himself right into the story. But then again, it's his story and he can do whatever he wants with it. Also, with the hyper-realism/time ambiguity/surrealism as the DT series has going on, I should really expect just about anything. I had to wonder how much of the Stephen King stuff that appeared in the book was truly autobiographical (chickens, the obsession with the color red--same as in Duma Key) and how much was fictional. Even in fiction (or the most convincing of lies, even) there is a smattering of truth.

(Rhetorical question-- And why is it that I always search within fiction for smatterings of truth about the authors?)

Second, what was up with the random act of telekinesis in the same scene? Stevie is freaking out, and the toaster levitates and a knife flies and lands stuck in a wall. That hasn't appeared anywhere else in the series that I'm aware of. Does it have some significance, or was it just an "oh, what the heck, put that in there" moment?

Thanks in advance. :)

Peace,
Ophie

[the_last_gunslinger]

First, it struck me as Roland and Eddie went in search of Stephen King that the writer must have committed some sort of cardinal literary sin, writing himself right into the story. But then again, it's his story and he can do whatever he wants with it.

That's what I thought when I first read this. But then I remembered the opening of Huckleberry Finn

"You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but that ain't no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain and he told the truth, mainly."

I doubt many people would say that Twain committed a literary sin by inserting himself into what's considered one of the greatest books in American history.

[Ophelia]

I doubt many people would say that Twain committed a literary sin by inserting himself into what's considered one of the greatest books in American history.

True enough. My friend calls this "breaking down the fourth wall." I liked the scene with dear old Stevie. It did give me pause though. Then I had to once again suspend my desire to read the book in the old-fashioned linear sense. In a book that pulls from random whens and whos and wheres, there's no reason the author can't be pulled into the story too. :)

[Lencho_of_the_Apes]

Telekinetic "knife-throwing" is a big part of his first-published novel, Carrie. I don't know if that's significant to you...

We all float down here.

[the_last_gunslinger]

True enough. My friend calls this "breaking down the fourth wall." I liked the scene with dear old Stevie. It did give me pause though. Then I had to once again suspend my desire to read the book in the old-fashioned linear sense. In a book that pulls from random whens and whos and wheres, there's no reason the author can't be pulled into the story too. :)

I hold similar sentiments. The only thing I didn't like about it was that it seemed to create an uncountable number of plot holes and it left me with a ton of questions.

[Ophelia]

Telekinetic "knife-throwing" is a big part of his first-published novel, Carrie. I don't know if that's significant to you...

We all float down here.

I had completely forgotten about that, Lencho. *slaps forehead* I get it now. Thanks!

[Sean of gilead]

the telekenesis to me seemed to be the same thing that happened when the eave hit Roland and Eddie when they were in the car

[Velswab]

Cry pardon if I speak wrong, sai Apes,
but is not 'We all float down here'... ah yes! IT! of course.
lol for a moment It reminded me of Brian Lumley, something Brian wrote...

Back on point:

A. Stephen King is a superb talent, and may do as he please.
B. Not just telekinesis, but many extrasensory perception tools,
are just that, Real World Real Life True as Dirt TOOLS!
C. I have not ever witnessed telekinesis, nor teleportation or doorway conjuration between worlds, nor scrying, or many other ESP skills,
but I have
D. experienced and am honing telepathic communion(better than communication it is), precognition, and perhaps a bit of other esotericness which is best left in my own mind for the time being, not to be weird or shock-seeking or anything.

in fact,
Reading ten Stephen King, 9 Philip K. Dick, a few H.P. Lovecraft, Fitzgerald, Faulkner, Hemmingway, Kerouac, RobertShea/Anton Wilson and many other works in less than 10 months will do this to a person... develop these ideas! ;)

So, its all good!

[thymeoperator]

i also found myself wondering how much of his 'autobiographical' bit was fact and how much was made up for the book.

[Ophelia]

Cry pardon if I speak wrong, sai Apes,
but is not 'We all float down here'... ah yes! IT! of course.
lol for a moment It reminded me of Brian Lumley, something Brian wrote...

Back on point:

A. Stephen King is a superb talent, and may do as he please.
B. Not just telekinesis, but many extrasensory perception tools,
are just that, Real World Real Life True as Dirt TOOLS!
C. I have not ever witnessed telekinesis, nor teleportation or doorway conjuration between worlds, nor scrying, or many other ESP skills,
but I have
D. experienced and am honing telepathic communion(better than communication it is), precognition, and perhaps a bit of other esotericness which is best left in my own mind for the time being, not to be weird or shock-seeking or anything.

in fact,
Reading ten Stephen King, 9 Philip K. Dick, a few H.P. Lovecraft, Fitzgerald, Faulkner, Hemmingway, Kerouac, RobertShea/Anton Wilson and many other works in less than 10 months will do this to a person... develop these ideas! ;)

So, its all good!
Man, you read fast.

I am doubtful of telekinesis and teleportation. From experience, I think that some sort of precognition and some sort of telepathic or spiritual communication are possible.


i also found myself wondering how much of his 'autobiographical' bit was fact and how much was made up for the book.

In SK's notes on the book, he said that so much of it is fictionalized, and not to try to look him up by his walking route or any other means, but to respect his privacy.

[thymeoperator]

i hadn't even thought of the 'stalking' angle to that! i just wondered about the chicken business, yeah. thanks for answering that.

[Wanderer From Ys]

True enough. My friend calls this "breaking down the fourth wall."

Funny, that's exactly how I put it. I had a hard time suspending my disbelief.