The Boogeyman vs. Sometimes They Come Back

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While the general setting in these works is similar, 1970s New England, the main setting and secondary setting is different. "The Boogeyman” takes place in a psychiatrist’s office. The secondary setting takes place in the Billings’ family homes and the rooms where the children die. Conversely, “Sometimes They Come Back” takes place in a classroom at Harold Davis High School. The secondary setting is the dream Jim has detailing his brother’s murder. The plots are also dissimilar. The plot of “Sometimes They Come Back” moves at a steady pace. Once introduced to the main character, the reader hangs on as the horror story unfolds. The reader learns why Jim is so scared of his past. As Jim finally deals with his brother’s killers, the reader feels compelled to cheer for him. Mr. King, however, steals that feeling of “being freed” with Jim’s realization that he may never be spared from his past. The of plot “The Boogeyman” unravels by Lester going to a psychiatrist, “…to tell [his] story…To get it off [his] chest.” (“The Boogeyman, 2012, p. 111). Lester relates how his children died one by one and how he allowed it to happen by failing to acknowledge the children’s cries for help. Mr. King uses characterization differently in these tales of fiction. In “The Boogeyman”, the protagonist is Lester Billings. Lester is a static stock character. He is a 28 year old, divorced father of three. His psychiatrist notes, Lester looks haggard and old with thinning hair and a sallow complexion. Lester’s eyes held all the miserable secrets of whiskey (“The Boogeyman, 2012). Lester is a coward and weak. Unlike Lester, the protagonist in “Sometimes They Come Back” is dynamic character. Jim is a 30-something adult male. Jim is marr...

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...to keep the reader guessing is a technique that increases the fear and horror and appears is most of his tales. If you are daring enough to delve into his works, remember to leave the light on, lock all the doors and be prepared for a true fright.

Works Cited

Horror. (2014). In Merriam-Webster online. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horror
King, S. "The Boogeyman." Night Shift. New York, NY: First Anchor Books. 2012. 100-112. Print.
King, S. "The Raft." Skeleton Crew. New York, NY: Signet. 1986. 278-306. Print.
King, S. "Sometime They Come Back." Night Shift. New York, NY: First Anchor Books. 2012. 152-181. Print.
King, S. "Strawberry Spring." Night Shift. New York, NY: First Anchor Books. 2012. 182-191. Print.
Terror. (2014). In Merriam-Webster online. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terror?show=0&t=1399240204

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