Rose Madder question

[ginapenn]

This may seem like a silly question, so please forgive me.

Rose Madder is one of my favorite King novels. For some reason, Norman's character resonates with me. Anyway, I have a question that just floated up into my mind as I was listening to the audio version and I have no idea if it has any significance or if it's just a random detail.

In the story, Rosie has a dream about Norman pulling up in his Red Sentra. He steps out wearing a t-shirt that's a map of South Vietnam which (sometimes) reads "Homeless and Have AIDS", and tiny fingerbones for earrings. My crazy question is, why a map of South Vietnam? I wasn't sure if it was supposed to represent the city that Rosie escapes to (which was never named in the story), if it had some other reason or if it meant nothing? Dreams are usually significant, especially in books, and if there's a connection there, I can't believe I'm not making it. Or maybe I'm making too much of it.

Thoughts?

[GNTLGNT]

Just a another brush-stroke on the canvas that was Norman...a little too much Agent Orange cpcktail while serving in Vietnam might be partially responsible for his charming demeanor...in my humble opinion...

[ginapenn]

Well, I know that the cab driver was wearing the Viet Nam shirt but I wasn't sure about its significance to Norman. A detail like that must have an explanation behind it (as a writer, I know I probably would have thought that through).

[Homer403]

In Rose Madder Noram is a "Road Virus" This could be SKs view of the Vietnam War????

Well, I know that the cab driver was wearing the Viet Nam shirt but I wasn't sure about its significance to Norman. A detail like that must have an explanation behind it (as a writer, I know I probably would have thought that through).