Gender and Stephen Kings Christine - Essay Example

Gender and Stephen King’s Christine Not only within the United States but elsewhere throughout the world motor vehicles are oftentimes referred to in the female gender. Regardless of the semantics of language and/or grammar rules concerning masculine and feminine, carmakers have encouraged this; seeing it as a motivating factor in encouraging men to purchase cars. Due to the fact that socio-economics of the past several decades as indicated a situation in which men are primarily responsible for making decisions concerning vehicles, this has proven to be an effective and widely promoted interpretation of a genderless object in terms of representing gendered qualities. In terms of the novel in question, Christine, the reader is represented with a clear and identifiable case in which Stephen King represents the car as being a female. This is of course carried on throughout the entire novel as the car is referred to in the feminine pronoun throughout. Yes, rather than inferring that Stephen King has merely succumbed to a clever marketing ploy and/or a cultural norm, the reader should instead consider the fact that the overall representation and understanding that Stephen King sought to present within the novel would not have worked had the car named Christopher instead of Christine. As a function of attempting to prove this point, the following analysis will indicate some of the key reasons for why the narrative and plot line would not have coalesced with a car that could have been referred to by a male pronoun throughout the entire book. One of the first and most compelling reasons why Stephen King would not have been able to represent the car in the same way had he referred to it as being a gendered male has to do with the way in which the beguiling influence of the car is represented. Although it is not the purpose of this analysis to indicate whether or not gender stereotypes are correct, incorrect, or should broadly be redefined, it is more or less understood by most individuals that literature has oftentimes portrayed females in terms of their beguiling influence upon men (King 34). Within the modern era, this has mostly been directed towards the degree and extent to which women’s sex appeal can blind man and caused them to behave in a manner that they might not otherwise behave. In terms of past understanding, this beguiling influence relates to many mystical and religious undertones that would require a dissertation length response to fully capture and engage. Nevertheless, it is without question that had the car been represented as a male throughout the entire novel, it would not have had the ability to capture the attention of Arnie and influence him in the way that it did. Moreover, Stephen King utilized the beguiling and sex appeal that the car inherently represented as a means of reflecting the way in which the supernatural force that possess the car was able to manipulate and otherwise befuddle a young man that was enraptured and enthralled with the unique level of beauty and exotic nature that the car portrayed. Time and time again throughout the novel, the means by which the car was able to influence Arnie was represented. This is of course in direct contrast to the way in which Dennis was unable to influence them; despite trying to convince them that the car was not right for him, could potentially be legal, and was ultimately a poor choice. Once again, rather than allowing a contrast between a best friend as a mechanism to define the plot and underscore the dialogue, Stephen King instead chose to illustrate a situation in which a female, represented by Christine, was slowly but surely manipulating the pliable and mentally receptive Arnie; in favor of his long friendship with Dennis. Had the car been represented as a man, although this potential could have existed, the overall degree and extent to which the believability of the plot could have been engaged within the mind of the reader would have significantly been reduced. A further element that must be considered has to do with the issue of love. Whereas it is true that the current dynamic is one that is a great deal more receptive to homosexuality and homosexual rights, the point in time in which the novel was published, 1983, was necessarily much more conservative and would not have landed itself as effectively to an interpretation of a car represented in the male gender and an individual young man having nothing short of an exclusive relationship based upon love and adoration. As Arnie falls prey to the beguiling influence that Christine is able to have over him, the degree and extent to which he is able to make logical and board decisions drops commensurately (Lewis 221). As almost all psychologists note, the ability to accurately gauge one’s intentions and emotions during the “in love” experience is dramatically lower as compared to the way in which individuals able to regulate their own thought patterns and actions when they are not in love. Whereas it is ultimately true that the car could have been represented within the male gender, Stephen King likely understood that the overall audience for the book would be significantly reduced and the potential for engaging with societal understanding and norms of behavior would also be reduced. In favor of representing the book to the broadest demographic possible and ultimately seeing that it was a success, Stephen King no doubt determined that the most actionable and effective course of action would be to portray the car in the female gender; much the same way in which traditional understanding involving cars had been engaged for decades. In keeping with the theme of gender and the means by which Stephen King indicated that the car was female, the analyst should adequately note that if the car were represented as a male, there would not be a competitive level of affection or interest exhibited between the love triangle that developed; namely that between Christine, Arnie, and Leigh. Whereas it is inherently true that there was an additional love triangle that existed between Dennis, Arnie, and Leigh, the first love triangle was a clear choice for Arnie of whether to chose Christine or whether to choose Leigh. Another relevant consideration in terms of the gender of the automobile has to do with the fact that Arnie was ultimately risking expulsion from his own home as a direct result of the relationship he had developed with Christine. In much the same way that many high schoolers, specifically males, face a situation in which their parents may not agree with their choice of dating, Arnie experienced a situation in which the strife within his family was reaching a breaking point as a direct result of the fact that he was spending a commensurately large amount of his time with Christine and it was clear and apparent to others within the family that this was a toxic relationship. By removing Christine to the airport parking lot as a means of providing a level of family peace and stability, Stephen King was able to illustrate the way in which parental guidance might seek to remove a young individual within the throes of love to a different geography as a means of allowing them to cool off and to gain their head. Obviously, the ploy in question was not successful as Arnie soon returned to the car and was doing all within his power to fix the damage that had been done (Schopp 69). Essentially, the one track mind that Arnie represents is so indicative of a hormonal teenage male that the author which outlined his approach to the issue significantly constrained had he chosen to represent Christine as a male. From the information that has thus far been presented, it is clear and apparent that Stephen King could have effectively represented the car within the male gender. However, the means by which understanding, societal acceptance, and comparisons could be made with the way in which a hormonal teenage male may at as compared to the way in which Arnie acted with relation to his car would not have so readily been understood. As a function of this, the reader can clearly and adequately realize why Stephen King chose to take this particular response and further ascertained that this was not done as a result of the fact that the author was somehow a misogynist. Instead, it was merely utilized due to the fact that this was the most effective mechanism by which the relationship could be defined and understood by the average reader. In retrospect, a different approach could likely be taken within the current era; due partially to the fact that a greater level of liberalization towards homosexuality and homosexual rights has now been effected – at least as compared to 1983. Nevertheless, the approach indicated remains an effective and imaginative way of personification that Stephen King was able to employ to the highest level and degree as a means of giving the car an insidious attitude that threatened to beguile or destroy all around her. Works Cited King, Stephen. Christine. New York: Penguin, 1983. Print. Lewis, Kimberly. "Slugs, Sex, And Stephen King--Latest Challenges To Materials." American Libraries 25.3 (1994): 221. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Oct. 2014. Schopp, Andrew. "From Misogyny To Homophobia And Back Again: The Play Of Erotic Triangles In Stephen King's Christine."Extrapolation (Kent State University Press) 38.1 (1997): 66-78. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Oct. 2014. Read More