Stephen King has
been hailed as a writer of the late 20th
century Everyman, yet his representations of
women remain debatable. These essays not
only explore his portrayal of female
characters, they illuminate Stephen King's
own psychology and that of our culture's
fears, anxieties, and feminine obsessions.
The various works examined include Carrie,
Gerald's Game, Rose Madder, Holloween,
Friday the 13th, Dolores Claiborne, It,
Christine, and Misery. The essays progress
through various discussions of female power
versus male authority, the association of
female with evil, and the King's monster
imagery associated with the mother-figure
characters. Written by various scholars and
professors, these essays offer rare insight
into the treatment of the female characters
of Stephen King's imagination
