Comparing Thomas Jefferson And Stephen King's Writing

Have you ever looked at a horror novel and thought, who in their right mind would want to read that? Reading or having an interest in the horror genre does not mean someone is crazy, or not in their ‘right mind’. However, one of the nation’s most well known presidents, Thomas Jefferson would have to disagree. In a letter from Jefferson to Nathaniel Burrell, he stated that the people of this country should not be reading novels in general. Jefferson thought that fiction itself produced unnecessary thoughts in people’s minds. He also believed that people should only spend their time reading things that are backed by science, or things that can be explained with knowledge and reasoning. So, when it comes to the modern day horror genre, Jefferson

In Jefferson’s eyes he viewed fiction writers as people who were simply writing to make money. While Stephen King does make a living off of writing books, money is not at the forefront of his mind. The real driving force for king is his obsession with writing. He has said it himself in interviews such as this one with Rolling Stone magazine, about how much time he spends writing; “I'll write every day for maybe six months and get a draft of something – and then I make myself stop completely for 10 days or 12 days in order to let everything settle”(Greene). King also mentioned in the interview that when he is not writing he takes walks outside or wanders about his home;“during that time off, I drive my wife crazy. She says, "Get out of my way, get out of the house, go do something – paint a birdhouse,

Unfortunately, most people today have either dealt with or have seen/known someone who has struggled with addiction. The characters from King’s novels, like Dan (Daniel) Torrance, help people to feel as though they are not alone. In one of the scenes from the novel Doctor Sleep, Dan is pining for a drink; “There were times like tonight, times where he felt worthless, and the booze seemed like all he deserved. At times like that he felt very close to his father” (King). There is also another scene in the book where Dan is struggling to stay ‘on the wagon’. In this scene, Dan has recently left a liquor store a few days after attending an AA meeting. While Dan never drinks from the bottle that he bought, he sits and stares at the bottle and contemplates taking just one teeny, tiny sip. As he sits there holding the bottle, he is constantly opening and closing the cap until finally he decides that it is not worth it (King). This scene, although it may not seem that impactful to a former President like Jefferson, it can have a huge influence on someone who has or is going through an alcohol addiction. The fact that Dan Torrance makes the decision to not take a drink, and to continue going to his scheduled AA meeting that he loathes, can inspire a reader to seek the help that they need. Or, the scene could also inspire someone who is going through the