Growing up an avid reader, my parents could never keep enough books on the shelves to suit my needs. I raced through things like Junie B. Jones, The Little House on the Prairie, A-Z Mysteries, Matilda, and the Magic Treehouse. Thus a tradition began, relatives would frequently pass on books or book titles they thought I should read. My collection grew with the addition of classic childhood chapter books such as The Secret Garden, Otherwise Known As Sheila the Great, Roller-skates, The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, and Just As Long As We’re Together. As I grew older, I began keeping a list of the titles relatives and friends shared with me. My list consisted of anything and everything I thought I would like based on the recommendations I had received. I would pick up the books at the library or occasionally purchase them too add to my increasing collection. I made room on my crowded shelves for books like The Hunger Games, The Book Thief, The Help, Water for Elephants, Twilight, and Life of Pi.
When I began freshman year, the recommendations hit a peak. My list was the longest I had ever seen it. Relatives finally realized I had hit the point in my life where young adult novels were applicable. Their suggestions were reflective of the things they thought I was going to encounter; high school, boys, and drama. Somewhere in the midst of the astounding list of young adult pieces, my nana reached a breakthrough. Rather than suggesting titles like The Last Song or The Fault In Our Stars, she took a different route. She passed along bone-chilling, mysterious, and captivating novels written by Stephen King. I turned page after page of Cujo, Pet Sematary, The Shining, Carrie, It, and Misery. I stayed up night after night entranced by King’s imagination and ability to capture an audience. King had easily become one of my favorite authors, however, I never imagined his work could have such an impact on my life. When I picked up a tattered copy of Needful Things my sophomore year, I never anticipated the way the book would influence my thoughts, desires, and the way I saw life itself.
Throughout many of King’s works there are the underlying themes of the darker pathologies of small town life, addiction and obsession, religious mania, class and gender inequality, and domestic abuse. I was drawn to King’s work because he does not sugarcoat the real issues. He incorporates the horrors of real life into his stories seamlessly. Needful Things ties together many of his earlier pieces, thus touching on the several themes mentioned above. I have spent majority of my life in sheltered DeWitt, where these things do not typically happen, and when they do I rarely hear about them. Moreover, my curiosity surrounding the lives of those residing in King’s novels persuaded me to continue reading his pieces. Needful Things, however, seemed to be the first novel I had read by King that I could connect with.
Entering high school, we are advised that material objects do not make you seem cooler. However, you realize you want to be the one with the hollister jeans and iPhone, because that is what everyone else has. During freshman and sophomore year, I personally was more in tune to what people thought of me. I was begging for the latest iPhone, the hollister jeans, the victoria’s secret leggings, and the ugg boots. At this time in my life, I didn’t understand the way material objects create division, dissension, and jealousy. There were no incredibly supernatural characters in Needful Things distracting me from the underlying message — King’s warning explicitly states greed and consumerism have a destructive nature. The characters thought they were only paying a small price for their desires, yet the entire town pays the price in the long run. Bad blood between Netitia Cobb and Wilma Jerzyck results in a gruesome double homicide. The entire town turns against one another when everyone begins buying weapons to protect their precious items. Additionally, children fall victim to the trap of desire as well, Brian Rusk is willing to pay the price for a baseball card. Finally, many members of the town are even willing to give their souls in order to receive the things they want the most.
Although at times far-fetched, King’s message was relatable in its entirety. Our society is too dependent on acquiring the “it” thing, and there’s always going to be a new something everybody wants. Needful Things provided me with clarity at a time in my life where I was impressionable. I was able to look past my own desires and see the bigger picture. Living, experiencing, and learning all became more important to me than any object ever could. The characters exemplified to me the horrors of a society that has forgotten the actual importance of simplicity — that could be why King didn’t include the normal amount of supernatural elements. The tale of ripping an entire town apart due to material objects was chilling enough; especially because in today’s society, something such as this is possible.
Lastly, I appreciate Needful Things because I believe it will always be applicable. Young adults could pick up the book 20, 50, or 200 years down the road and I think the same themes will still apply. There’s comfort to me in the fact that, King’s knowledge could also impact millions of future readers and influence them to look past material objects. Had it not been for Needful Things, I would have never understood the true horrors associated with consumerism and the material world.
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