A thought on inspiration.

[Canis]

Hey guys!

So I was re-reading Cujo over today and was thinking about what a shame it was King couldn't remember writing much of due to be drunk / on drugs for a lot of it.
As I was thinking this I got right to the part where Rabies really starts to kick on a Cujo and noticed something.

Did anyone think that there are similarities between being hungover (Which King likely would have been for some of the writing period!) and some of the symptoms of Rabies described in Cujo? Whilst not hugely influential and just a thought, I couldn't help but feel that King may have wrote some of the misery of being drunk and hungover into poor old Cujo coming down with rabies.

What do you guys think?

[GNTLGNT]

It's a possible parallel, and one I hadn't thought of...nice catch, coz I know when I've been hung over-I NEVER feel like "good dog"...

[omm poppa mow mow]

I remember this movie...maybe it starred that big guy, what's his face? ...Kennedy...he was also in that Cool Hand Luke w/ole blue eyes, what's his name? George...yeah, George Kennedy...and seems like he'd been bit by a rabid...something...coon or skunk maybe...and he had his pals chain him up in the back yard.

...seems like when you come on rabid, you get thirsty...I recall that much from the movie...thus spoke George Kennedy, verily.

So...what? Like, he was drunk 24/7? I've seen some guys operate smoothly, alcoholics...you wouldn't think it, that they'd be...whatever, wasted way on this that and the other.

What was the question? Similarities between hungover and drunk and rabies? Well, blue funk covers a multitude of sins, I believe, so yeah, there's similarities.

Cujo was still a good dog.

[Canis]

Yeah, it wasn't his fault.
And I always get the BADDOG feeling on the very rare occaision I get hungover too.
There also the description of Cujo staggering around and being compared to a drunk - I really think King's alcoholic period may have a fair bit to do with this novel! Shame he can't remember.

[vickita]

Maybe si, maybe no.
The largest part of the idea came to him when he took his motorcycle to a shop out in the middle of nowhere to be repaired. There, he encountered a large dog, the setting for the book, and inspiration.

[PatInTheHat]

Hmm, and ya know oddly enough, I first read Cujo waayyy back when I often pee'd in my yard (more often than not, I suspect..hey, twas a mighty big "yard"), I mean I didn't hike my leg or anything, but still...kinda spooky idnit?

[Canis]

Hahahah, I think we may have all done that at a certain age.

Vickita, do you know when / where he said that?
Oddly I've had a similar experience; at my nearest fuel station / garage there is a Huge St. Bernard living the the house next to it! Though he's a real big softie, I thought it was cool how similar it was.

[Moderator]

You can find the inspiration for many of his works in the Library section on the main part of the site. The one for Cujo is here.

[Canis]

Woah, thanks!
Awesome, I need to check out that section.

[Speedygi81]

Any writer knows that inspiration comes from many places at once, and is usually composed of many things as well.