1. The Dark Tower Series
1.1. The Gunslinger
2. Guidelines
2.1. Anything goes!
2.2. No criticism or flaming allowed
2.3. The Wilder The Better
2.4. Quantity is Quality
2.5. Set a Time Limit
3. Biography
3.1. Stephen King
3.1.1. One of the most famous and successful horror writers of all time.
3.1.2. Sold his first novel, Carrie, in 1973
3.1.2.1. A huge success which allowed him to become a full-time writer
3.1.2.1.1. Salem's Lot, The Shining, Firestarter, Cujo, and IT, followed
3.2. Stephen King: The Writer's Voice - Writer's Edit
3.2.1. Substance addiction
3.2.1.1. The Shining, Misery, and The Tommyknockers were written while under the influence of alcohol and cocaine addictions
3.2.1.1.1. Their content speaks out against these demons.
3.2.1.2. Late 70's and 1980's
3.2.1.2.1. Alcohol came when he found success
3.2.1.2.2. Mid 80's, cocaine
3.2.2. Near-fatal accident
3.2.2.1. Duma Key
3.2.2.1.1. Reflects on recovery from the accident
3.2.3. Sobriety
3.2.3.1. Doctor Sleep and Revival
3.2.3.1.1. Reflect on recovery from alcohol addiction
3.2.3.2. Sober since 1987
3.2.4. Sometimes wrote under a pseudonym
3.2.4.1. Richard Bachman
3.2.4.1.1. Amplifies the importance of voice and connection
3.2.4.1.2. Announced Bachman had died of "cancer of the pseudonym"
3.2.4.1.3. Isolates these novels from the rest
3.2.5. Dedicated and Structured writing process
3.2.5.1. Forces himself to write every day
3.2.5.1.1. +/- 10 pages/day, +/- 2,000 words
3.2.5.2. No more than 3 months to write the first draft so the characters don't go stale.
3.2.5.3. Routine
3.2.5.3.1. Wakes up
3.2.5.3.2. "Don't wait for the muse. Your job is to make sure the muse knows where you're going to be every day from nine 'til noon...If he does know, I assure you that sooner or later he'll start showing up."
3.2.6. Inspiration
3.2.6.1. Love of old pulp novels he found amongst his father's things
3.2.6.1.1. Inspired Salem's Lot and Carrie
3.2.6.2. 40 cent paperbacks and horror films
3.2.6.3. Liked being scared as a child
3.2.7. Walter Moseley praised him as having an "almost instinctual understanding of the fears that form the psyche of America's working class" when he awarded him the National Book Award in 2003
3.2.7.1. Frequently praised for his realism
3.2.8. Works often intermingle
3.2.8.1. The Dark Tower Series dips in and out of many of his other novels
3.2.8.2. Many are set in Derry, Maine where he lives
3.2.9. Often writes himself into his novels
3.3. Awards and Nominations
3.3.1. StephenKing.com - Awards
4. Introduction
4.1. Thesis
4.1.1. King
4.1.2. The Gunslinger of The Dark Tower Series
4.1.3. Symbolism
4.2. Relies on heavy symbolism to achieve his purpose
4.3. strong, but obscure foreshadowing
4.4. Addiction and recovery
4.4.1. Alcohol and cocaine
4.4.2. The Dark Tower symbolism?
4.5. Writes short stories and novels
4.5.1. Particularly horror and thrillers
4.6. Answers questions with more questions
5. Analysis
5.1. Could this be an 8 novel-long embodiment of his addiction and recovery? And possibly relapse?
5.2. Symbolism
5.2.1. The Dark Tower
5.2.1.1. Could be addiction
5.2.1.1.1. The perpetual chase of the final "fix"
5.2.1.2. Could be a sinful desire
5.2.1.2.1. Lust
5.2.1.2.2. Gluttony
5.2.1.3. Could be death
5.2.1.3.1. The final resting place
5.2.1.4. Could be a figment of insanity /obsession
5.2.1.4.1. Driven by drugs or alcohol?
5.2.2. Matricide
5.2.2.1. The ultimate sin
5.2.2.1.1. The death of compassion and forgiveness
5.2.3. The Falcon David
5.2.3.1. Strength
5.2.3.2. Speed
5.2.3.3. Agility
5.2.3.4. Predatory
5.2.3.5. No compassion
5.2.3.6. David and Goliath
5.2.3.6.1. Small but lethal
5.2.3.6.2. The victory of the underdog
5.2.3.6.3. Brains versus brawn
5.2.4. The boy Jake
5.2.4.1. The sacrificial son
5.2.4.1.1. Roland lets Jake fall
5.2.4.2. Innocence
5.2.4.2.1. Jake is innocent, a sharp contrast to Roland
5.2.4.3. Temptation
5.2.4.3.1. Temptation to stray from a sworn path
5.2.4.4. Love
5.2.4.4.1. Weakness
5.2.4.4.2. Strength
5.2.4.5. Family
5.2.4.5.1. A replacement for the long dead family
5.2.4.6. Responsibility
5.2.4.6.1. Children demand responsibility
5.2.5. The raven Zoltan
5.2.5.1. "death to you and the horse you rode in on."
5.2.5.2. Darkness
5.2.5.2.1. Black
5.2.5.3. Death
5.2.5.4. Vulgarity
5.2.5.5. Scavenger
5.2.5.5.1. Eats the eyes of the mule
5.2.6. Tull
5.2.6.1. Hatred
5.2.6.1.1. Completely unjustified
5.2.6.2. Blind faith in radical religion
5.2.6.2.1. Can lead to death
5.2.7. The revolvers
5.2.7.1. Deadly
5.2.7.1.1. The "widow makers"
5.2.7.2. Protection
5.2.7.2.1. Justice bringing
5.2.7.3. Inanimate
5.2.7.3.1. "I do not kill with my guns, I kill with my heart"
5.2.8. The man in black
5.2.8.1. Mysterious
5.2.8.2. Mischievous
5.2.8.2.1. "Titters"
5.2.8.2.2. Taunting
5.2.8.3. Sin
5.2.8.3.1. Lust
5.2.8.4. Tests human nature
5.2.8.4.1. Presents extremely difficult decisions
5.2.9. Court
5.2.9.1. The teacher
5.2.9.1.1. The way of the gunslinger
5.2.9.2. Strength
5.2.9.2.1. Rarely, if ever, beaten
5.2.9.3. The test of manhood
5.2.9.3.1. The stick that must be taken
5.2.10. The Gunslinger
5.2.10.1. "Romantic" nature
5.2.10.2. Obsession with the Dark Tower
5.2.10.2.1. Will do anything/kill anyone to obtain this goal
5.2.10.2.2. All actions are driven by this desire
5.2.10.2.3. Nothing stands in the way of the tower
5.2.10.3. Ruthless
5.2.10.3.1. Conditions himself not to feel pain, whether emotional or physical
5.2.10.4. Loving
5.2.10.4.1. Lost love with his fallen family and friends, but begins to regain it with the coming of Jake
6. Conclusion
6.1. StephenKing.com - About the Author
6.1.1. Stephen King is still alive
6.1.1.1. Resides in his Bangor and Center Lovell homes, and Florida in the winter