# Stephen King conundrum: Would self-cannibalism save you from starvation? (Gross)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 16, 2009, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210 "2009-07-16T12:01:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/21 "2009-07-17T01:20:29Z")

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In Robert Sheckley’s story **Dimension of Miracles** \*, the sentient_Prize_ , although it occasionally eats _orithi_ and other aesthetic foods, subsists mainly on itself. When the hero, Carmody, objects that this can’t be true – eventually he’d eat all of himself, the Prize returns that, every timre he eats some of himself, there’s less to feed.

Assuming that the Prize didn’t undergo amputations trauma, and could somehow consume itself without other injury, it makes sense – to a point. There must be a certain irreducible minimum below which the organism can;t function.  
ncidentally, I don’t think King’s hero is trying to prolong his life by a reasoned use of himself as resourcews – i just think he’s hungry.

\*A novel that I and others have long suspected inspired Douglas adams’ **The Hitchiker’s Guide**.

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**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/22 "2009-07-17T15:27:33Z")

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As for the end of the story, it ends as he’s preparing to eat his amputated hand (though I can’t remember which one. I do know he made a choice between the two) and going thoroughly and completely mad.

It’s really one of King’s best short stories, isn’t it?

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**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/23 "2009-07-17T15:41:15Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> _snerk_

That’s such a great joke that I meant it. Really. It was totally planned. Stop looking at me like that.

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**Author:** ![Synaptics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Synaptics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Synaptics)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stephen-king-conundrum-would-self-cannibalism-save-you-from-starvation-gross/503210/24 "2009-07-17T15:44:44Z")

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Quite off topic. But my favorites of his were always The Long Walk, The Raft, The Mist, and Mrs. Todd’s Shortcut. I’m rather ambivalent to this story.

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