# A quick question about Stephen King's CARRIE (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331 "2009-06-19T20:29:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331/61 "2009-07-09T19:45:54Z")
I never got that at all, **Auntie**. I thought Sue getting her period was merely to tie up a plot point (she thought she was pregnant) and, in a way, to bring the novel full circle. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331/62 "2009-07-09T19:56:30Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I never got that at all, **Auntie**. I thought Sue getting her period was merely to tie up a plot point (she thought she was pregnant) and, in a way, to bring the novel full circle. I thought so, too. I didn’t think it was a kinetic thing. After all, Carrie had had that ability since she was little, not just since menstruating. Maybe it got stronger post period but she definitely was born with it. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331/63 "2009-07-09T20:10:34Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Could I trouble one of you good folks to remind me how Carrie ends- in the book, I mean. I have a weird, vague recollection of a bunch of technical stuff with footnotes (???)and it seems to me the end was quite boring. It was various newspaper articles and such, about the fire and the deaths of Carrie and her mother, and articles about paranormal events. One of the ‘extras’ was a letter from a woman to her sister, talking about babysitting a child (grandchild, maybe?), and seeing the child move toys with her mind, and mentioning that she (the child) had ‘the shine’ just like great-aunt Ellie. I liked that end stuff; I thought it added a little more dimension to the book. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331/64 "2009-07-09T20:19:55Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > It was various newspaper articles and such, about the fire and the deaths of Carrie and her mother, and articles about paranormal events. One of the ‘extras’ was a letter from a woman to her sister, talking about babysitting a child (grandchild, maybe?), and seeing the child move toys with her mind, and mentioning that she (the child) had ‘the shine’ just like great-aunt Ellie. > > I liked that end stuff; I thought it added a little more dimension to the book. I remember that! **AuntiePam** , Is that why you maybe thought it was implied that Sue would have powers, too? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331/65 "2009-07-09T20:54:05Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I never got that at all, **Auntie**. I thought Sue getting her period was merely to tie up a plot point (she thought she was pregnant) and, in a way, to bring the novel full circle. I thought it was her having a miscarriage. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331/66 "2009-07-09T21:24:43Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I remember that! **AuntiePam** , Is that why you maybe thought it was implied that Sue would have powers, too? Yeah. I don’t remember Sue being worried about a pregnancy at all. Pregnancy is unlikely if you haven’t started menstruating. Maybe I need to read it again. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331/67 "2009-07-09T21:30:29Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Yeah. I don’t remember Sue being worried about a pregnancy at all. Pregnancy is unlikely if you haven’t started menstruating. > > Maybe I need to read it again. Sue was menstruating, though, I thought? ETA: And I definitely remember her worrying about being pregnant with Tommy’s child. Her period was late and she was thinking about it for most of the book. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331/68 "2009-07-09T21:44:26Z")
You’re right. I just flipped through the book – Sue’s period was late. Duh me! I will take _Carrie_ off the list of King’s books with bad endings. It started with blood, makes sense for it to end with blood. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331/69 "2009-07-09T21:59:00Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > You’re right. I just flipped through the book – Sue’s period was late. Duh me! > > I will take _Carrie_ off the list of King’s books with bad endings. It started with blood, makes sense for it to end with blood. I remember him saying something about that in Danse Macabre. (I think?) It was a neat idea, for sure. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331/70 "2009-07-10T16:51:48Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > She’s like having a choice between two puppies – one cute, clean and adorable, and the other mangy and snappish. You’re gonna take the cute one but you’re gonna feel bad about it, even though the snappish one would probably bite your child and have to be put down. > > I’m very conflicted about Carrie. That’s an interesting analogy and I see your point, but I think there’s a fundamental flaw in describing Carrie as snappish. Near as I can tell, she never consciously lashed out at anyone until Prom Night. She _thought_ about pushing that jerk-ass little kid off his bike, but didn’t actually try to act on that thought. She threatened to cause another rain of stones, but as a defensive move against her abusive mother. Other than that, she had never made any even remotely aggressive move toward anyone up until they dumped the pig blood on her. It’s part of the reason people felt free to dump on her as much as they did, imo–if she were the snappish, unpredictable type it wouldn’t be nearly so easy or fun to torment her. It’s more like the choice between a cute, bouncy, playful puppy and one who is mangy and has been kicked and hit so much that it just lies curled up in the corner watching everything and shying away if you try to handle it. Except with actual puppies, a fair number of people would take the mangy, skittish one home with them because there’s nothing wrong with the little critter that can’t be fixed. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331/71 "2009-07-10T17:15:18Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > It’s more like the choice between a cute, bouncy, playful puppy and one who is mangy and has been kicked and hit so much that it just lies curled up in the corner watching everything and shying away if you try to handle it. Except with actual puppies, a fair number of people would take the mangy, skittish one home with them because there’s nothing wrong with the little critter that can’t be fixed. Yep. That’s a much better analogy. Now you’ve got me feeling sorry for her again. (And wanting to adopt a mangy puppy.) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331/72 "2009-07-10T18:46:17Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Yep. That’s a much better analogy. Now you’ve got me feeling sorry for her again. (And wanting to adopt a mangy puppy.) Here’s a good resource on [Mange](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mange). ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331/73 "2009-07-10T18:51:32Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Here’s a good resource on [Mange](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mange). I still think this [puppy with mange](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Scabies_puppy.jpg) is adorable. Never have scabies sounded so inviting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-question-about-stephen-kings-carrie-open-spoilers/500331.md?page=3)