Carrie White: A Victim or Evil in Stephen King’s Novel?

In Stephen King’s novel The Shining, the character of Carrie White is often portrayed as either a victim or an evil force. This essay will explore the complex nature of Carrie White and the arguments for both sides, ultimately concluding that she is more accurately described as a deeply troubled and heavily damaged victim rather than an evil individual.

Arguments for Carrie White Being Evil

Initially, the public perception of Carrie White as a villain arises primarily from her actions during the climax of the novel. She orchestrates a series of violent events, including the burning down of her school and the murder of multiple classmates and her mother. These actions certainly suggest a sinister and malevolent force at work. The first moment that provokes Carrie’s deadly rampage is a prank carried out by her classmates, with the malicious intent of humiliating her. The prank involved pouring pig’s blood on her and allowing a bucket to strike her date, resulting in a fatal accident. This incident serves as the catalyst for Carrie’s violent actions, which she claims were done in self-defense, although she did not intend to kill her mother and the gym teacher who stood up for her.

However, the manner in which Carrie lets go of her powers at the end of the novel suggests that there was more to her than just a killing machine. As she exclaims, “Water again! Water and fire! Fire and water!” while struggling with her divine powers, it indicates that she is losing control over her abilities. By the end, while she is able to stop the bullies who were coming to get her, she is unable to prevent the death of her mother, suggesting a loss of control and inner turmoil rather than an intentional act of evil.

Arguments for Carrie White Being a Victim

Supporting the argument that Carrie is a victim, we must consider the harrowing circumstances of her life. Born to a twisted and evil mother, Carrie’s existence was already riddled with challenges from an early age. Her mother, Betty Finn, is a verbally abusive and delusional woman who regularly tell her that she is going to Hell for even the smallest transgressions, including her first menstrual period. Additionally, Carrie faced overwhelming daily bullying at school, with one of the ringleaders being a known bully who orchestrated a prank that almost resulted in her death. The victims of this prank became the instigators of Carrie’s downfalls and ultimately hastened her tragic fate.

The second most important factor in Carrie's life as a victim is the lack of positive influence and support. While some individuals like Sue Snell eventually showed sympathy towards her, the pervasive culture of bullying at Carries school made it nearly impossible for her to find true friends or feel a sense of belonging. Her mother, rather than providing the support she needed, actively contributed to her suffering by instilling a sense of doom in her daily life.

The Role of Background and Environment

Carries environment and background played a crucial role in exacerbating her mental state. From a young age, she faced an unrelenting cycle of abuse and neglect. Not only did her mother push her towards a delusional belief system, but the constant harassment from her peers further eroded her sense of identity and self-worth. These external pressures make it difficult to attribute her actions to anything other than the result of traumatization and the desire for validation. By the time she is able to muster her divine powers and fight back, it’s a response to years of victimization rather than a premeditated evil act.

Moreover, the novel explores the idea that those who fight against a system of oppression often face a perilous fate. Carrie becomes the embodiment of this theme, as her actions, while justifiable in the face of such brutality, ultimately lead to her tragic demise. The story serves as a critique of the destructive cycle of abuse and violence, with Carrie becoming a monster in the process of fighting against the monstrosity around her.

Conclusion

In summary, while Carrie White’s actions in The Shining may appear to align with an evil narrative at first glance, a closer analysis of her background, the external forces that shaped her, and the internal turmoil she endured suggests that she was a deeply troubled individual caught in a system of abuse and oppression. Her fate serves as a poignant exploration of the vicious cycle of warfare in the face of adversarial environments, making her a victim rather than an evil entity.