10 Most Important Features Of Stephen King's Writing

Well-loved characters have to be the single most significant aspect of King’s success. These protagonists would be fun to spend time with on their own, but they are denied this privilege. Instead, they must share the spotlight with a range of horrifying antagonists.

Randall Flagg, villain of first The Stand but later at least nine confirmed stories, is basically Satan himself. IT, or Pennywise the Dancing Clown if you prefer, manifests every characters’ very worst fears and prays on innocent children. Annie Wilkes of Misery is so terrifying because she is so very plausible but so utterly repulsive. Cujo may simply be an ill St Bernard that could be deserving of sympathy, but he becomes an entirely insurmountable object to the weakened mother and child trapped in that car.

If characters and their adventures, emotions and growth are the key to success, then this awe-inspiring range of adversaries have to be the next most important aspect. They cause fear, disgust, anger, injury and death in their own unique ways, demonstrating a staggering originality, but each is as compelling as the next.