And then there is the very real fear that while you’re just about to go on your long journey and your life is lying in front of you, fresh and ready to be explored, a web of roads that may lead you anywhere, a succession of crossroads that present you with endless possibilities, that you might take a wrong turn somewhere and end up in a cul-de-sac. That fear of getting it wrong. a b McGovern, Joe (May 12, 2016). " 'Stand by Me' turns 30: The blueberry pie scene gets an oral history". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 26, 2016 . Retrieved May 2, 2017. I'm not sure Mr. King would appreciate my description of how I perceive his writing, but to me it's simply magical. There's a familiarity to his stories that speaks to the reader in some sort of nostalgicy, twisted way. It stirs thoughts of our pasts, our dreams, and our nightmares. King is, well...The King!

Not that these kids had a particularly carefree youth. No, there are some struggles. But, you know, life is getting harder as you get older. Before it gets easier again. But nothing will ever be quite the same way as it had been when you were twelve years old and had all your life in front of you. But this story was even more than just capturing the essence of nostalgia. It was wholly morbid at times and an intricate exploration into one’s own inner monsters and mortality itself. I really loved the adventure aspect and the friendships. The leech scene will always be unforgettable! I even managed to catch an Easter egg! There is a little boy wearing a yellow plastic raincoat stepping in puddles mentioned. Sounds like a reference to “It” to me! I love when movies and books drop Easter eggs. It’s so much fun finding them! Independent Spirit Award for Best Film (Andrew Scheinman, Raynold Gideon, and Bruce A. Evans) [47] [48] Adapted into the 1986 classic film Stand By Me, The Body is an iconic exploration of friendship, loneliness and adventure, an unforgettable coming-of-age story by master chronicler of small-town adolescence and universal experience, Stephen King.

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Introduction 'So what's this all about, Vern?' Teddy asked. He and Chris were still playing cards; I was reaching for a detective magazine. Vern Tessio said: 'You guys want to go and see a dead body?' Everybody stopped. Gordie Lachance and his three friends are always ready for an adventure. So when a boy dies out in the forest, it's a chance to see something they have never seen in their lives: a dead body. But for the four boys, their journey will teach them as much about life as about death. As they face the dangers on their way, they begin to learn what it is to grow up — and nothing will ever be the same for them again. With the enormous success of books such as The Shining, Salem's Lot and Misery, Stephen King is one of the world's highest-earning writers. There are over 150 million copies of his novels in print and he makes two million dollars a month from his books and the films made of his books. He grew up in a poor family in Portland, Maine in the USA, but he went to university and became a teacher. However, he gave up teaching and became a full-time writer in 1973 after his first novel, Carrie. The Body is different from most of King's work. It is not a horror story, although there are a few unpleasant moments. It is based on his own childhood in Maine, and shows a softer side of his' imagination. It was filmed in 1986 as Stand by Me, with River Phoenix as Chris Chambers. You can also read Stephen King's The Breathing Method and Misery in Penguin Readers. IV The next day, the boys wade across a swamp, discovering it filled with leeches. Gordie faints after finding one in his underwear. After more hiking, the boys locate the body. The discovery traumatizes Gordie, who asks Chris why Denny had to die and cries about his father hating him. Chris comforts Gordie and asserts that his father simply does not know him.

The climax of the story and Kings ultimate moment of criticism happens when the boys encounter Roy Bowers body. The boys come face to face with their own mortality. The realize that childhood does not exempt them from death. For Chris and Gordie, this event aggravates the urgency they feel to become individuals. For Chris becoming an individual means estrangement from his family and the fatalism that a future with them represents. For Gordie, this is manifested in the recognition and mourning of various two things. Gordie finally recognizes his brother’s death as something severe and permanent. This recognition aggravates him, and his grief becomes so deep he wishes to have died in his brother’s place. The second thing Gordie realizes is how his brother’s death deepened the breach that exists between him and his parents, and for a brief moment in his despair, he begins to believe that he is truly hated by his parents. But in the end grief passes and for all of the boys, but especially for Chris and Gordie, maturity is reached through their acceptance of what it means to die and the recognition of how death can affect relationships. I don't know if its because its a great film(it is). Or if it's because I watched it around the same time, I watched movies like The Sandlot and My Girl. So in my mind I just equate them with summers in my childhood. Lussier, Germain (January 24, 2013). " 'The Kings of Summer' Review: 'Superbad' Meets 'Stand By Me' [Sundance 2013]". Slashfilm. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017 . Retrieved May 1, 2017. The Body is definitely more Coming-of-Age than Horror, and the adventure these four boys take on along with their individual family circumstances, blend together into a worthy read/listen. It solidifies the truth about the friendships of our childhood being the one's we remember the most fondly. King takes this story full-circle for the reader, which is quite unusual for a novella. The audiobook is a great listen with narrator, Frank Muller's voicing of the young characters and as the 'later in life' Gordie. a b c d Paul, Alex (July 20, 2016). "Bend Attorney Helped Drive 'Stand By Me' Train". Albany Democrat-Herald. Archived from the original on September 26, 2016 . Retrieved April 21, 2017. ; special section, pp. S3, S8.Weird,” I agreed, and for just one moment we looked in each other’s eyes and saw some of the true things that made us friends. Then we looked away again and watched Teddy and Vern throwing water at each other, screaming and laughing and calling each other pussies. a b c d e f g h i j k l Scott, Vernon (November 21, 1986). "How 'Stand By Me' Was Almost Left Standing At The Gate". Chicago Tribune. United Press International. Archived from the original on April 25, 2017 . Retrieved April 24, 2017.

Actors auditioning for roles on the Netflix show Stranger Things were asked to read lines from Stand by Me and the fourth episode was titled "The Body" in homage to the source novella.Thoughts: By far and away my biggest issue with this novella was that I didn't care for the characters. Part of this is that the novella feels a lot like a precursor to IT, and Gordon in particular feels like he's just a slight variation of Big Bill. I did feel pity for Chris and Teddy, though I couldn't tell you a single thing about Vern. The fact that it seemed so much like IT also effected my enjoyment of it, there were a lot of similarities here. The movie's success sparked a renewed interest in Ben E. King's song " Stand by Me". Initially a number four pop hit in 1961, the song re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1986, eventually peaking at number nine in December of that year. [26] The song was also reissued in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, where it topped the UK Singles Chart and Irish Singles Chart respectively for three consecutive weeks in February 1987. The movie was released in both countries the following month. Pg 2- Teddy’s Uncle makes an appearance in Skeleton Crew story, ‘Nona’ , as does Vern Tessio, and Ace Merrill Emerson, Jim (April 25, 2013). "Mud (review)". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2017 . Retrieved May 1, 2017. Kudos, Mr. King, for another wonderful piece of writing. I am happy to have stumbled upon this one and will admit that I have not seen Stand By Me in its entirety, which will soon change.