Questions About The Dead Zone

by Stephen King (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (16)

SmarterLilac Yeah, yeah, It is fine. And very relevant to a whole swath of major social issues affecting the psychology of an entire generation.

So is The Dead Zone…moreYeah, yeah, It is fine. And very relevant to a whole swath of major social issues affecting the psychology of an entire generation.

So is The Dead Zone. In a big way. Really a transgenerational condemnation of how our parents (and grandparents) effed up our society and what it would take if anyone wanted to (or could) avoid the worst. But I don't think about this novel as mere social commentary, (even the important, non-sentimental kind) but as a brutally insightful discussion of the burden of Knowing, either as a psychic, a prophet, a scientist, an historian or anyone else, that Bad Things are coming and You are the sole obstacle in their way. It is a heavy and hard responsibility to carry, and very few will be able to wield it well. Even John Smith, though he makes the right choice (just barely) finds his 'luck' run out eventually. And what of those who remain? The other characters have all chosen to try to save society in other ways--but we know how well conventional approaches worked out for the Boomers, don't we?

Pennywise? Has nothing on Frank Dodd. What Bill, Beverly, et al experience? Has never moved me the way John Smith's last stand(s) did.

What's past is prologue. The Dead Zone is every bit as important to 2016 readers as it ever was. (less)

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Rhis book was the first book of Stephen King that I read. It was a unforgetable experience for me and I got a lot oh nightmares (I was only 15 years old), but I would do it every time again :-)

Dawson Bizarre.
Odd.
Weird.
Creepy.…moreBizarre.
Odd.
Weird.
Creepy.(less)

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is this book scary?

Holly No, I wouldn't call it scary. Not in the sense that a monster creeps out to get someone or anything like that. Maybe scary in that, even though it was…moreNo, I wouldn't call it scary. Not in the sense that a monster creeps out to get someone or anything like that. Maybe scary in that, even though it was written in 1979, it has relatable bad guys that might just make you twitchy because there are so many people out there like that right now.(less)

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I have been reading The Dead Zone and there seem to be a lot of political references. I want to know if it is necessary to understand the political history of America, in order to understand the story? (I am not an American, hence I do not know much about American politics)

April Pitts Hi Heshan,

Great question! Yes, I think that a basic knowledge of U.S. political history (and possibly of American civil religion) is helpful here. Wit…moreHi Heshan,

Great question! Yes, I think that a basic knowledge of U.S. political history (and possibly of American civil religion) is helpful here. Without this knowledge, it may be difficult for readers to understand the novel's larger points about American democracy and how we (U.S. citizens) select our leaders.

So, if you haven't done so already, then it might be helpful to find out what major social and political events were going on in U.S. culture around the time the novel was written.

Good luck!

(less)

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Is Greg Stillson another incarnate of Randall Flagg? When Reading it, it sounds like him.

Jose Levesque I think he's just an incarnation of Donald Trump.…moreI think he's just an incarnation of Donald Trump.(less)

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