Inside the Dark Tower Series: Art, Evil and Intertextuality in the Stephen King Novels

by Patrick McAleer

Overview

Stephen King is no stranger to the realm of literary criticism, but his most fantastic, far-reaching work has aroused little academic scrutiny. This study of King's epic Dark Tower series encompasses the career of one of the world's best-selling authors and frames him as more than a "horror writer." Four categories of analysis--genre, art, evil, and intertextuality--provide a focused look at the center of King's fictional universe. This book reaches beyond popular culture treatments of the series and examines it against King's horror work, audience expectations, and the larger literary landscape.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786439775
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	01/30/2009
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Patrick McAleer co-chairs the Stephen King Area of the Popular Culture Association. He has published many articles on King and teaches English at Inver Hills Community College in the Twin Cities, Minnesota.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments     
Preface     
Introduction—The Dark Tower: A Literary Anomaly, an Experiment in Horror, or a True Mark of Literature?     

CHAPTER     
The Ending Is Only the Beginning: Genre and Its Influence on Climax     

CHAPTER     
Illustrating Imagination: The Infringement (and Evolution) of Visual Elements in the Dark Tower Series and The Gunslinger Born     

CHAPTER     
The Face of Evil: Behind the Hood and Under the Cowboy Hat     

CHAPTER     
Repetition, Integration, Immersion, and Intertextuality: A Tale of At Least Two Stories     

Conclusion—“Time is a face on the water”: or Will The Dark Tower Endure?     

Works Cited     
Index     

Editorial Reviews

I was endlessly engaged with McAleer’s in-depth study of King’s work. He offers a well-reasoned, detailed analysis.... He shines a critical light on an area of speculative fiction that might otherwise remain ignored by mainstream scholars. He brings welcome validation to an author who has forever influenced popular culture.”—Fanboy Comics.

From the Publisher