Carrie (novel)

Carrie is a horror novel by Stephen King, first published in 1974. It was King's first published novel and launched his career as a prominent horror author.

The novel tells the story of Carrie White, a shy and friendless teenage girl living in Chamberlain, Maine. Carrie is an outcast, bullied and ostracized by her classmates due to her awkwardness, poverty, and her overbearing, religiously fanatical mother, Margaret White.

Throughout the novel, Carrie struggles with her emerging telekinetic powers. These powers manifest as a result of the stress and trauma she endures, particularly surrounding the onset of her first menstruation.

The climax of the novel occurs during Carrie's senior prom. Initially, she experiences a moment of acceptance and happiness after being voted prom queen. However, this is quickly shattered when Chris Hargensen, one of her primary tormentors, rigs the election and dumps a bucket of pig's blood on Carrie in front of the entire student body.

Enraged and humiliated, Carrie unleashes the full extent of her telekinetic abilities, unleashing a wave of destruction and death upon the prom, destroying the school, and killing many of her classmates and teachers.

After the prom massacre, Carrie returns home, where she confronts her mother. In a final, desperate attempt to "save" Carrie, Margaret attacks her. Carrie ultimately kills her mother.

The novel concludes with Carrie's death. She is mortally wounded by Sue Snell, a student who had previously felt guilty for participating in the bullying of Carrie, and is then found and killed by Tommy Ross's brother, as the carrie's telekenetic power diminishes.

Carrie explores themes of bullying, religious fanaticism, social isolation, revenge, and the destructive potential of suppressed emotions. The novel is presented as a collection of excerpts from fictitious books, articles, and interviews, providing a fragmented and multi-faceted perspective on the events surrounding Carrie White.