How to put readers into the mind of a character
Analysis of "Misery" by Stephen King
📖 Misery is a classic suspense novel by Stephen King.
✍️ I studied Misery and discovered techniques you can apply to your own writing.
My analysis is broken into four posts:
Part 1: How to put readers into the mind of a character
Part 2: The unorthodox chapter design of Misery
Here is Part 1:
Misery faces two potential narrative challenges:
There are really only two characters
It mainly takes place in one room
In the hands of a lesser writer, these would be roadblocks to a successful story.
But Stephen King makes them work— the novel is thrilling from beginning to end.
He does it by putting readers into the mind of the main character, Paul Sheldon.
As the story unfolds, readers feel like they’re also in Paul’s situation.
Here’s how to put readers into the mind of a character:
Stephen King introduces Paul Sheldon by referencing what he hears:
The reader isn’t given a name or any insight into who’s perspective the story is being told from. Instead, King focuses on what the main character is experiencing.
The opening pages provide further detail into Paul’s mind by referencing:
Other sounds he hears
The pain he feels in his feet
Childhood memories associated with the pain (the beach)
Paul’s internal monologue, written in italics
The reader becomes accustomed to the main character’s mindset before any significant plot details are revealed. The opening jumps from normal prose to Paul’s italicized interal monologue as he fades in and out of consciousness.
It’s later explained how and why Paul has been held captive in a secluded house in Colorado by his “number one fan.”
By the time all the details are revealed, multiple pages have already been dedicated to putting readers into the mind of Paul.
And they feel his pain.
Continue reading my Misery analysis:
Part 1: How to put readers into the mind of a character
Part 2: The unorthodox chapter design of Misery
Analyses are available only to C.S.M. Fiction paid subscribers. Thank you for your support.
