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Misery (novel)
First edition cover | |
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Author | Stephen King |
Genre | Psychological horror, thriller |
Publisher | Viking |
Publication date | June 8, 1987 |
What mental disorder does Annie have in Misery?
[3] Basing his conclusions on Annie's portrayal in both the original Stephen King novel and the film adaptation, Meloy diagnoses Annie with bipolar disorder that includes possible schizotypal and obsessive-compulsive features.
How many books are in the Misery series?
Misery Chastain is a fictional character in a successful series of romance novels, created by author Paul Sheldon. The books about Misery are set in Victorian-era England, and Annie Wilkes claims there are eight of them.
Was Misery based on a book?
Misery is a 1990 American psychological thriller film directed by Rob Reiner, based on Stephen King's 1987 novel of the same name, starring James Caan, Kathy Bates, Lauren Bacall, Richard Farnsworth, and Frances Sternhagen.
Is Misery's Child a real book?
Misery's Child was written by Paul Sheldon and detailed the death of Misery Chastain, the main protagonist of his Misery novels.
What is Stephen King's scariest novel?
Pretty much everyone names Pet Sematary as King's scariest (including the author himself). Part of it is the primal nature of the scares, centered on loved ones coming back from death wrong.
Is Misery book appropriate for a 13 year old?
I'm 14 and loved Misery! The only factor that would keep tweens and teens from reading this book is the language and its overall disturbing plot. I think a 12-year-old could wait to read it, but mature 13 year-olds and older could handle this book.
How is Castle Rock connected to Misery?
Well, this is the big one, of course. In season two of Castle Rock, Lizzy Caplan plays Annie Wilkes, a version of the same character from Stephen King's 1987 novel Misery and the 1990 Rob Reiner film of the same name, which won Kathy Bates an Oscar.
Is Misery accurate to the book?
Despite the fact that there are a fair few differences that allow us to explore the process of making a novel into big-screen material, Misery is actually often seen as one of the most faithful King adaptations.
What were the pills in Misery?
Even before the car crash that puts him in Annie Wilkes's hands and leads to his subsequent addiction to the painkiller Novril, Paul is already an addict; Annie is only substituting his drug of choice. And then she substitutes it a second time, by bringing him the typewriter.
Does Annie Wilkes have a mental illness?
Both the novel and the film portray her as extremely paranoid, and also suggest that she may have borderline personality disorder. In the novel, she has day-long bouts with depression, during which she is seen maiming herself; Sheldon also finds evidence that she gorges herself on vast quantities of food.
Does Annie cut off Paul's foot?
Book: Annie cuts off Paul's foot with an axe and cauterizes the stump with a blowtorch, after she discovers he has been getting out of his room while she's gone. She also cuts off his thumb later in the novel.
What does the typewriter symbolize in Misery?
“To save time is to lengthen life,” says the proverb adopted for the Remington typewriter seal. Typewriting thus imagined represents a promise to stave off death. And in a way, the typewriters in Misery and The Shining do just that: they forestall death for as long as the typing continues.
Is there a Misery Part 2?
Part 2, "Misery," begins with chapter 1, which is also Paul's first attempt at "Misery's Return." The first few pages recap the end of "Misery's Child," during which Misery dies in childbirth.
Is Misery 1990 based on a true story?
Although the events of "Misery" aren't ripped from any real-life ordeal, the book itself (which King listed as one of his favorites during an interview on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert") does appear to have been spawned from the writer's personal demons.
Is there a sequel to Misery?
Paul Sheldon is the author of the best-selling series of Victorian era romance novels featuring the character Misery Chastain, which he privately disdains. He has thus written the final installment, Misery's Child, in which Misery is killed off.
Is Misery worth reading?
If you're a fan of King's writing and want a good, tense, knuckle-biter of a story. Misery is the book for you. Even if you're not a constant reader, I would honestly recommend this book as a great chance to see why he is the KING of horror.
What is the movie Misery about?
Misery is a 1990 American psychological horror thriller film directed by Rob Reiner, based on Stephen King 's 1987 novel of the same name, starring James Caan, Kathy Bates, Lauren Bacall, Richard Farnsworth, and Frances Sternhagen about an obsessive fan who holds an author captive and forces him to write a story.
When was Misery released?
(August 2020) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Nelson Entertainment and its parent company, New Line Home Video first released Misery on VHS on July 11, 1991, and New Line re-released it in 1992, after Nelson went defunct.
What does Annie discover about Misery?
Soon after, Annie reads the latest Misery novel, discovers that Misery dies at the end of the book, and flies into a rage. She reveals to Paul that nobody knows where he is and locks him in his room.
What happened to Paul in Misery?
Paul regains consciousness and finds himself bedridden with broken legs and a dislocated shoulder. Annie claims to be his "number one fan" and talks at length about him and his novels. Out of gratitude, Paul lets Annie read his new manuscript. While feeding him, she is angered by the profanity in his new work, but she apologizes. Soon after, Annie reads the latest Misery novel, discovers that Misery dies at the end of the book, and flies into a rage, revealing to Paul that nobody knows where he is.
What does Annie tell Paul to do when he finds Paul drugged?
When he finds Paul drugged in the basement, Annie fatally shoots Buster with a shotgun; she tells Paul that they must die together. He agrees, on the condition that he must finish the novel in order to "give Misery back to the world.". He conceals a can of lighter fluid in his pocket.
Why did Paul write Misery?
Paul replies that he wrote the novel for himself as a way to help deal with the horrors of his captivity. Marcia asks if he would consider a non-fiction book about his captivity, but Paul—who suffers psychological trauma from the experience—declines. Paul then sees Annie approaching him, only to realize that he is hallucinating. In actuality, the figure he sees is a waitress, who tells Paul that she is his number one fan, causing Paul to meekly reply "That's very sweet of you."
What happened to Annie when she burned her manuscript?
As Annie rushes to save it, Paul strikes her with the typewriter and they engage in a violent struggle, with Paul stuffing her mouth full of the burned novel in retaliation, and suffering a gunshot wound to the shoulder from Annie's revolver. Paul manages to trip Annie, causing her to hit her head on the typewriter. Paul crawls out of the room, but Annie suddenly attacks him once again. Paul grabs a metal doorstop and viciously bashes her in the face, finally killing her.
Who wrote the book Misery?
Misery was originally intended to be published as a Richard Bachman book, but while King was writing it the public discovered Bachman's true identity, and so Misery was instead published under his real name.
Who is the author of Misery's Child?
Plot. Famed novelist Paul Sheldon is the author of a highly successful series of historical romance novels involving a character called Misery Chastain. His latest novel, Misery's Child, ended with the death of Misery in childbirth. Paul wants to branch out to other genres, hence his "killing off" of Misery, and has just finished the manuscript ...
What does Annie tell Paul to do?
Annie tells Paul he'll have to go back to the drawing board and do better. Upon presenting Paul with the typewriter, Paul suggests that Annie supply him with different paper.
What drug did Paul get hooked on?
Both of Paul's legs are broken in several places, so he is bedridden and incapacitated and and hooked on Novril, an addictive, morphine-based drug that Annie has a large supply of. Annie claims she is his 'number one fan' and talks a lot about him and his novels.
What trait did Paul introduce to Misery?
Paul struggles with the concept of resurrecting a dead character until he has an epiphany; he is able to introduce a new trait into Misery herself, one that Annie had inspired: Misery had been allergic to bee stings and had gone into anaphylactic shock and could be saved from her grave. Annie happily approves and becomes very excited.
What knife did Paul steal?
Paul realizes the gravity of his situation has changed drastically and he steals a kitchen knife and plans to kill Annie with it. Annie discovers he was out, finds the knife, and cuts off one of his feet with an axe, cauterizing the wound with a blowtorch.
When was Misery by Stephen King published?
The book was released by Viking on June 8, 1987.
Who interrupted Misery's return?
Paul feverishly finishes Misery's Return in a matter of days, being interrupted only by two troopers, local police officers, and "gawkers" interested in Annie's infamous stream of death that follows her. Paul keeps his promise to Annie and makes no attempt to signal them.
Where does Misery Chastain take place?
Paul is the author of the Misery Chastain novel series, which take place in Victorian-era England. Paul believes that these novels are little more than dime-store romances, despite their success and the fortune they've brought him.
Why does Annie leave Paul in the room?
After a few days, Paul begins to realize that Annie is dangerously obsessed with him and his Misery novels. Annie reads Misery's Child and his enraged that Paul would kill off her favorite character. She leaves him locked in the room without food or water or the means to relieve himself cleanly, hoping he'll die while she's gone. Paul is also left without Novril and lies helpless in excruciating pain, unwilling to drop out of the bed for fear of injuring himself further.
How does Annie stop Paul from getting out of the house?
To stop him from getting out again, she chops his right foot off with an axe and cauterizes the wound with a blowtorch. Paul almost dies from the shock and, once he recovers, is cowed and seeks to finish Misery's Return. Another argument with Annie about the typewriter and it's missing keys sets her off and she cuts off his left thumb with an electric carving knife.
What does Paul promise Annie?
Paul keeps his promise to Annie and makes no attempt to signal them. Paul enacts his plan on the day he finishes his novel and asks Annie for a cigarette and a match to celebrate. She agrees and allows him one cigarette and one match.
Why did Paul refuse to make a copy of the manuscript?
Paul had refused to make a copy of the manuscript because he fears it will bring bad luck. After he does, she forces him to write a new novel, bringing Misery back to life.
What happens to Paul after Misery's Return?
They reach an unspoken agreement that once the novel is finished, she will kill Paul and then herself. Paul feverishly finishes Misery's Return in a matter of days, being interrupted only by two troopers, local police officers, and "gawkers" interested in Annie's infamous stream of death that follows her.
What is the book Misery about?
Written in 1987, Stephen King's psychological horror novel Misery tells the story of Paul Sheldon, a best-selling American author of a series of romance novels set in the nineteenth century, featuring the protagonist Misery Chastain. Paul finds himself in a "situation where he was not just writing for his supper but for his life" (122) when his self-proclaimed "number-one fan" (6), a middle-aged, former nurse named Annie Wilkes, rescues him from a car accident during a snow storm in Colorado. Annie's fandom, though, turns out to be a dangerous obsession. Paul fights for his life as Annie's mania turns more perilous and Paul races to finish the novel Annie has forced him to write, Misery's Return.
How many pages did Misery die in?
Misery "died five pages from the end of Misery's Child ," the last novel in the Misery series (15). Drunk on celebratory champagne and caught off-guard by a storm, Paul crashes his Camaro while reaching for his cigarettes.
What does Annie do when she finds out that Misery has died?
Her anger causes her to throw a soup bowl against a wall, shattering it. After cleaning it up later, Annie forces Paul to use soapy water to swallow his Novril. When Annie finishes reading Misery's Child and discovers Misery has died, she becomes so upset that she leaves Paul alone for days.
What age did Paul discover Annie murdered?
During this time, Paul ventures out of his room and discovers a scrapbook, filled with newspaper clippings from Annie's life. Paul discovers that Annie began murdering people at the age of eleven. During her career as a nurse, Annie murdered dozens of elderly people and infants.
What happened to Paul after Misery's Return?
After finishing Misery's Return, Paul burns the manuscript in front of a horrified Annie, and then brings his Royal typewriter down on her back, breaking it. After severely injuring Annie, Paul crawls out of his room, locks the door behind him and hides in the bathroom.
Where does Misery take place?
Misery begins just after Paul's car accident when Annie pulls him out of his car and drives him to her house, a remote farm outside the fictional Sidewinder, Colorado. Paul suffers severe leg injuries, which Annie sets crudely and treats with "a pain-killer with a heavy codeine base called Novril" (9).
Where is Paul at the end of Misery's Return?
At the novel's end, Paul is back in New York City, meeting with his editor about Misery's Return. Though Paul's publisher has ordered "an unprecedented first printing of a million copies" (344), Paul can't relax. He's replaced Novril with alcohol and still has major pains in his legs.
When was Misery by Stephen King made into a movie?
The popular novel Misery by Stephen King was adapted for a film in 1990, but the filmmakers made some changes from the book. Another entry to the exceptionally long list of Stephen King adaptations turned into exceptionally good films; Misery is one of his darkest works.
What do we learn about Misery?
This includes his own sense of gratefulness and hatred towards the character and her creation of his success and stilted career, as well as a lot of information about the actual plot of the book-within-a-book. The film doesn’t really go into any of this.
What happened to Annie and Paul in the book?
A key scene from the book shows one of the only characters to appear aside from Paul and Annie being brutally murdered . He is a state trooper on the hunt for Paul himself, and when she realizes he knows Paul is in the house, she stabs him and runs him over with a lawnmower in an incredibly graphic scene.
What does Annie do against Paul?
In her rage against the ending of Paul’s book, Annie takes the ultimate action against it . She forces him to burn the entire manuscript. Now, this isn’t a world in which Paul has a backup saved to the Cloud; this is a manuscript written out once and once only on a typewriter.
Where is the King book set?
While both the film and book are set in Colorado, the actual place in which the book is set is Sidewinder, a fictional town common to many stories in the King universe.
Is Misery a King adaptation?
Despite the fact that there are a fair few differences that allow us to explore the process of making a novel into big-screen material, Misery is actually often seen as one of the most faithful King adaptations.
Did Paul burn his manuscript?
As the book version of Paul didn’t actually burn his manuscript when Annie made him, he ended up getting out of the house will a completed book still in his possession. With his tormenter dead, he was able to publish the book in which Misery dies. It ends up being a global phenomenon and a best seller.
How long is the Misery study guide?
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What are the names of the two police officers who save Paul?
When a pair of police officers—one short, one tall—finally save Paul, he calls them David and Goliath. Both of them save him from the goddess's vengeance.
What is Paul's life like in Annie's house?
At first, Paul is literally helpless as a baby, his life preserved by Annie’s nursing knowledge and great physical strength. Trapped in Annie’s house, he compares himself to a bird from Africa he saw in a zoo when he was young, tragically far from home, never to be freed. However, the balance of power between Sheldon and Wilkes shifts, in part as Paul gains physical strength (he lifts the heavy typewriter for secret exercise), but primarily because of his writer’s ability to spin a story that captivates his captor.
