Stephen King is one of the world’s best selling authors. Selling 350 million copies since his first book “Carrie”, his gripping story lines bring the reader in and have them wanting more. By adding realistic aspects to his stories like town names, historical events for the time period, and going in on a character’s past amplifies the realness aspect of the story. The hidden inner meanings through his plots questions what the narrative is truly about. Stephen King with his artistic use of symbolism in his novels, separates him from other novelist in the horror/supernatural genre.
King uses the symbolism of the weak being the strongest often through children, since society has a stigma that they’re less because they haven 't lived a long time.
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The symbolism in the Green mile, points the novel to having a further meaning connecting to the Bible. John Coffey who is the main character is a symbol for Jesus Christ. Both of the men have the initials J.C., have the power of healing, and were unfairly executed. The guard Paul Edgecomb has a dream about John being crucified along with two other men who are thieves (Book 5, Chapter 9). Furthering the connection between the two since Jesus was crucified. When John has healed someone, a swarm of flies expel from his mouth, which represents the disease (evil) leaving the person’s body. In the Bible this is called Beelzebub, which is another name for Satan (Matthew 10:25; Matthew 12:24, 27; Mark 3:22). Beelzebub directly translates to “the lord of the flies”, in the Bible flies are evil and are symbol for Satan (Exodus 8:21-31, Psalm 78:45). The healing of Melinda Moores represents the “Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac” scene from the bible. The bedroom where she is confined to her bed, is described to smell awful. Melinda is compared to someone who is “possessed” because she uses profane language and is different from her normal self. John then disseminates the flies on to Percy Wetmore, who has a dark soul because he torments the other guards and prisoners. The man Jesus healed is actually possessed, he called himself “Legion” because “for many demons had entered him” (Luke 8:26-39). Jesus also disseminates the demons on to another, but he chooses pigs because they already have no soul. The Warden Hal Moores Melinda’s symbolizes Judas. He signed the execution note after John had just cured his wife of cancer after he promised to not do that. Like Judas he was a traitor because he made a promise but failed to maintain it. William Wharton represents the Devil, when introduced he was described as a “demon”. He gave himself the nickname “Wild Bill” which how big the ego he has for himself. Satan is also known for giving himself nicknames and being narcissistic. He