Masculinity as an open wound in Stephen Kings fiction

Abstract

This thesis examines the portrayal of masculinity as an unsolvable problem, or an open wound, in Stephen Kings The Shining, Pet Sematary, Rose Madder, Blaze, and Doctor Sleep. It uses theories from social and cultural studies to discuss masculinity in relation to responsibility and evil, examining textual correlations between traditional manhood and immorality. It also explores the assumptions and prejudices behind social and sexual relationships men have with women and other men in Kings fiction, focusing on the exclusion of femininity and non-traditional masculinities. Finally, it argues that communication, responsibility, and reparation fail as solutions to problems of masculinity, which tends to remain an open wound in Stephen Kings fiction.