It - Let's Discuss! *SPOILERS*

[Odetta]

great! thx for the info!

[mate211]

Now i read Needful things after i completed that im gonna read Everythings's Eventual.
I havet to buy It after them Its quite cheap for meI still have to buy Salem's Lot, Cujo, Dark Half.My friends say this isnt normal for 1 guy
I hope i ll have enough time for the books.I hate school nowboring,and too hard

[bluelph24]

When i read Insomnia, i could've sworn there was a reference to Pennywise (aside from the most known one). i mena an actual sighting. here's the quote

Spoiler:

He saw no little bald doctors, but shortly after fife-thirty he observed a startling shaft of purple light erupt from a manhole cover in the middle of Harris Avenue; It rose into the sky like the special effect in a Cecil B. DeMille Bible Epic for perhaps three minutes, then simply winked out. He also saw a huge bird that looked like a prehistoric hawk go floating between the chimneys of the old dairy building around the corner of howard street...

i mean, who else could that light be, and i think the bird reference is too close to be considered coincidence as well

[Odetta]

I kind of feel like anytime a sewer or manhole, etc... is mentioned in a King book it refers to Pennywise, anyhow.

[KaleKatt]

I read It for the second time last year. The first time I had read it, I, too, didn't know what to make of the sex scene. I thought it was unnecessary. But as JQ The Gunslinger and obscurejude said, the sex scene has both to do with a loss of innocence, or rather a move into adulthood (which, for many of us, sex is the deciding factor) as well as a closeness that only sex can bring. They could not escape the neither the sewer if they were still ‘innocent’. The entire novel is a parallel between the Losers as children, innocent and believing, and adults, experienced. What makes this remarkable is that the Losers are still able to recall Pennywise as adults. Like the novel suggests, adults stop believing. Mike is their only link to Derry, to their childhood. Something is said, then, about he haunted town of Derry. By having in the sewer, Mike should have been able to escape and forget Pennywise like the rest of them. The fact that he stays, and remembers, says something about Derry as a town.

[flaggwalkstheline]

I hope that within the next few years SK writes a story about patrick danville saving the lives of 2 men on the way to the tower in 2012 (presumable before he gets taken by dandelo) it could possibly also resolve the question of "Pennywise Lives!" as dreamcatcher puts it

[obscurejude]

I read It for the second time last year. The first time I had read it, I, too, didn't know what to make of the sex scene. I thought it was unnecessary. But as JQ The Gunslinger and obscurejude said, the sex scene has both to do with a loss of innocence, or rather a move into adulthood (which, for many of us, sex is the deciding factor) as well as a closeness that only sex can bring. They could not escape the neither the sewer if they were still ‘innocent’. The entire novel is a parallel between the Losers as children, innocent and believing, and adults, experienced. What makes this remarkable is that the Losers are still able to recall Pennywise as adults. Like the novel suggests, adults stop believing. Mike is their only link to Derry, to their childhood. Something is said, then, about he haunted town of Derry. By having in the sewer, Mike should have been able to escape and forget Pennywise like the rest of them. The fact that he stays, and remembers, says something about Derry as a town.

I just wanted to say props for reading the rest of the thread. Welcome to the site, and I look forward to reading more of your thoughts.

[Ka-Shume]

Just finished it for the first time yesterday, my second SK book outside of the Dark Tower (first one being Insomnia). It was FANTASTIC I thought. Not to beat a dead horse but I had the same mixed feelings of the sex scene that are mentioned here, I at first thought it was unnecessary-- just a reason for Sai King to talk about pee pee's and vajay jays, but it was useful in that their bond was spent and needed reforged. Sex was the only option at the time.

At every mention of the Turtle I got all giddy inside, and when Bill was having a conversation with it I about jizzed my pants. We got to see one Guardian get blasted and now we get to have a convo with another! I loved it. Gonna read Desperation next, wish me luck.

[Jean]

I hope you'll love Desperation (it being one of my favorite books, I still have to concede that It is better... but desperation is great in its own dark way)

[theyspunaweb]

Oh my gosh it is taking me forever to get through this book. I'm on...843 (the 4th interlude or something) and I cannot wait to finsih. Originally it was taking me so long to read and maybe it is cause it's an older Stephen King, I'm not sure, but now that I'm nearing the end I am reading faster and more excited for the finale.

I haven't reached the rape scene or sex whatever, but I kind of get the just of what will happen. Kinda weirded out I guess that I know something's coming (With Bev?)...

I need to finish this book so I can move on and understand why so many of you hold it so dear in the King collection. It's been good so far, way better than the movie. I didn't even finsih that all the way (fell asleep).

[Brice]

No, it's not rape nor is it plain old sex...think more of a kiddie gang bang.

[JQ The Gunslinger]

Im currently on a 2nd re read of IT. I now fold down pages everytime there is a quote I like or I think is pretty clever/epic. Im on page 800 and i have at least 15 folded down pages. There is so many amazing lines King comes up with. The man is god

[theyspunaweb]

No, it's not rape nor is it plain old sex...think more of a kiddie gang bang.

I thought that might have been what I had heard too...but believed I was probably just thinking of the scene from Bag of Bones when it came into my head. I sort of get what is gonna happen/going on with previous analysis of it from this thread but...If all of the kids in the Losers club bang Beverly, I don't know if I will feel comfortable believing in any of them and their morals any longer (the boys). Or even be able to like their charecters at all.

I guess I will have to wait and see!

[theyspunaweb]

I finally finished! I can't remember how long it took me to read but I did it. I have to say that I did enjoy it, but not as much as I think I had hoped too. It was a good book, but I don't think it will in the end be one of my favorites by king. I think the gang bang thing was just...gross. I don't understand how Beverly would have the idea suddenly come over her, in order to make them all connected again/get out of the pipes. It's gross to think about 11 year olds doing that anyway...maybe it was the way that king described it as flying with birds chirping yet it hurt.

The ending was alright. I guess the best thing I got out of this was the charecters themselves because in the beginning I couldn't tell all of the names apart, but after a while there was no mistaking each charecter. Maybe that's why I felt so wrong morally when they all got it on in the sewer. And Bill a little bit too for cheating on Audra (even if it is about Passion and coming home and revisiting your childhood), I know his charecter felt bad, but I still didn't like it.

[glm]

Does anyone know any influences on the book It?

[pathoftheturtle]

Well, Floating Dragon by Peter Straub, for one.

Could you expand a bit on what kind of info you're looking for?

[flaggwalkstheline]

There really arent many horror stories quite like it
Lovecraft is an obvious influence and I'm gonna guess Charles Dickens....

[Tvmorbid]

I read that King said that the old 'Troll Under The Bridge' idea really sparked the story off. Apparently he was walking over a stone bridge and it came to his mind. Amazing what can influence you eh?

[smcicr]

Ok,

So this is going to be a bit of a ramble as it's not really properly complete in my head yet (so bear with me please!) I originally posted this in the IT part of the Tower Connections but it was kindly suggested that it might get some more attention here - so here goes

I'm re-reading IT at the moment, my first SK book and the one that got me started. I haven't read it since reading (and re-reading) the DT series and something just popped out at me.

The concept of twins is pretty standard as far as I'm concerned in the DT (Eddie / Cuthbert is the one that comes to mind first but I'm sure there are others referenced).

On that basis I started wondering if any of the Loser's Club twinned across somehow (I actually wondered if they all did but think that might be a bit of a reach) and the ones that seem the most obvious are Richie and Bill. They seem to me very much like Cuthbert and Roland. Bill being the unspoken leader and Richie with his wild mouth that just can't help itself...

I was toying with this idea when I reached a section where Richie likens Bill to JFK (don't have the book to hand but can find the page details later), now JFK is mentioned in the DT - Odetta considers him the last gunslinger (or does she hear / mishear that as part of a radio announcement when she's not properly concentrating - I think in the car with Andrew being driven back to her apartment after the protest in the South where they lock them in the cells). There is further discussion - even including Roland iirc - about JFK through the books (DT).

So, for me, while Bill is not technically a gunslinger I wonder if he could be considered a 'potential' to pinch a term from Buffy (much as Eddie and Odetta / Detta and Jake were when Roland drew them). I don't think there is any doubt that Bill, and indeed the other Losers are agents of the White.

Either way, it just made me feel that there was definitely something to be considered in the whole twin thing (Bill + Richie / Roland + Cuthbert).

I'd be fascinated to hear what others thought (even if it's to tell me I'm talking rubbish !

Thanks for reading

[Jean]

I personally wouldn't go that far; in both cases King describes ka-tets, and every ka-tet has a dinh. I am afraid that's the only similarity between Bill and Roland that I can see; they are both obsessed, to an extent (though the extent differs greatly), but here a question arises whether it is a feature they share, or just something intrinsic to any ka-tet dinh.

As far as Richie/Cuthbert are concerned, they definitely belong to the same human type (so does Larry Underwood), but I am not sure it is ground enough for suspecting them of being twins.

Maybe I am only opposed to your theory because I would much prefer the world to consist of many different people and ka-tets rather than be reducible to one, however great.

[smcicr]

I take your point - and similarly I would rather have the world be made up of different people.

I think the Dinh thing is probably right and I will continue to think carefully as I go through IT. Given his singular (pardon the pun) importance I don't think Roland could ever have a true twin (or twinner - I'm not even going to go there - i just dipped into that thread!) but I would say that being a twin doesn't mean you have to be the same person. SK's character in the DT books says that Eddie and Cuthbert are twins and I consider them to be unique individuals but with some striking similarities.

It's kind of on that 'overlapping' basis that I see Richie / Eddie / Cuthbert.

The other thing (and this could also perhaps be covered off under Dinh'ish qualities) is that I've already noted at least one of the Losers say they'd lay down their lives for Bill (Eddie K) - maybe he's the only one to do so (not finished the re-read yet) but that is the sort of unconditional love / loyalty that Roland often muses to himself about (as in what he has done to engender this in others).

So for the moment I'm going to consider at least some of the Loser's as 'potentials' and Richie as some form of overlap with the spirit (etc) of Cuthbert / Eddie D

Thanks for the reply!

[Solar]

I don't have much to add to this thread, but I just wanted to pop in and say that reading through it has been very informative and has inspired me to finally reread IT after about 10 years (as soon as I finish Duma Key).

[glm]

Well, Floating Dragon by Peter Straub, for one.

Could you expand a bit on what kind of info you're looking for?

Stories that influenced Stephen King to write the book It.

[lowdown]

i read IT when i was 16 i think and i re read it in my 20's but im gonna go back to it after i finsh the last DT book ....probaly a week from now .....i was reading ebooks for 5 and 6 but for the last one i had to go to the library and get it.......it only seems right

[TheCrisisKing]

Who feels Pennywise will return in another novel. It has been often referenced that Pennywise survived or at least an egg did. Who think King can do it?