This underrated Stephen King book missed the opportunity for a Carrie connection

Firestarter is a very underrated Stephen King book that follows a young girl named Charlie, who displays pyrokinetic abilities that allow her to manipulate fire. The general details of Charlie’s powers, and her quest to protect herself from them, are plot lines that King has used before In his works – namely, in Curry. FirestarterIt’s the end May not directly relate to any of King’s other works, but it includes some thematic connections and aesthetic allusions that are quite easy to find, given some familiarity with the author’s bibliography. ;

This is likely a coincidence, as the two stories have completely different sets of characters and culminate differently, but the author could easily have tied them together with a fun easter egg. When the powers become too dangerous for Charlie to handle alone, the government seeks to use them for their own purposes. It’s a gripping thriller that manifests all the best aspects of King’s writing, including fascinating characters, an engaging story and some brilliant horror set pieces. Although Stephen King criticized this work, it is still an excellent story that has some interesting hidden connections.

Stephen King’s Firestarter missed a great opportunity for a Carrie connection

Firestarter & Carrie share many similarities

Charlie’s pyrokinesis is very similar to Carrie’s telekinesis, And their respective powers allow for a lot of parallel challenges in the two books. Both girls are ostracized by their peers as a result of their powers, and both girls cause huge problems for the local (and federal) authorities when they lose control of their abilities. They are stories about destruction, but most importantly, they present this destruction as a direct consequence of their childhood and the neglect (or love) they faced from various people in their lives.

While Firestarter Made into a big movie, it’s still not one of King’s most well-known or respected books. In fact, it often gets pushed to the side by CurryA very similar story that captures the same themes more effectively. Giving the two books a clear connection would be a smart way to ensure this Firestarter was just as popular as CurryWith audiences as a quasi-sequel rather than just a copy of the same thing.

Carrie’s ending may have explained why the government wanted Charlie’s powers

Carrie’s massacre may have been mentioned in Firestarter

Connecting Curry And Firestarter could have worked on multiple levels, but the most obvious advantage of the stories taking place in the same world is the effect it would have on first starters main antagonist. For the majority of the book, Charlie is hunted down by the government because they are looking for her powers, but King never makes it entirely clear why they want them beyond preventing an accident. If the books were connected, It would be safe to accept that curryThe end spurred the government into action Firestarter.

It is mentioned in Curry That there are more children with telekinetic abilities (and presumably pyrokinetic), so Charlie could easily have been one of them. The timelines don’t quite match up, as the government’s pursuit of Charlie takes place just before Carrie’s prom night massacre, but King could easily have fixed that with minimal rewarding. This would be a great way to expand Currys history without changing anything about the original. This is one of King’s most beloved stories, so it’s surprising that the author never made any attempt to return to this world over the years.

Firestarter & Carrie have parallels, even if they are unintentional

Firestarter & Carrie have thematic ideas in common

Even though Firestarter And Curry Not technically related, there are many parallels between the two stories Which have led to them being often compared over the years. The most obvious connection is the abilities of the girls, which both originate from their minds and are (at least somewhat) controlled by their emotions. They are both stories about self-control and the effect that relationships can have on mental states at such a young and impressionable age. However, the main difference between Curry And Firestarter is that the powers of the former protagonist stem from neglect, while Charlie is a result of love.

in many ways, Charlie is presented as what Carrie could have been If she did not suffer destruction and abuse from her mother. Although both girls get into trouble and end up killing people with their powers, the fact that Carrie’s abilities stem from trauma is an important insight into the messages behind the films. They are very different in their social commentary and character development, but they are also two sides of the same coin. King has an excellent talent for taking ideas and reworking them into new stories, which is exactly what he did with Firestarter And Curry.