King, even with all the horror and dark imaginings, is – at his very core- an optimist. But – unlike most of his counterparts – he never ever becomes “institutionalized” – and that, to me, is King’s main interest in the story. What happens to free will, and thinking for oneself? Andy Dufresne knows he cannot beat the system. What happens to hope when a man becomes an “institutional man”. It’s not just the story of “hope springs eternal” that is so moving – it’s the characters King introduces to us … the way he describes prison life, not just from a phyical standpoint but – way more important – from the psychological standpoint. He’s great there as well – but in my opinion, he is at the top of his game (and anyone else’s game) with “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption” – the now well-known (thanks for the movie) story of Andy Dufresne – wrongly accused murderer and accountant – who spends decades of his life in jail – decades – digging a secret tunnel out, using his Rita Hayworth poster as a cover-up. It’s just how King describes stuff … it’s the way he can rise goosebumps on my flesh without ever having a zombie emerge, or an evil dog, or monsters in the sewers. And not to be a snot, but whatever – wouldn’t be the first time – I prefer the written story. Shawshank Redemption will be watched by generations to come, long after the rest of us are dust. The first story in the collection comes under the heading “Hope Springs Eternal” – and that is, most definitely, the them of “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption” – adapted into the film Shawshank Redemption, probably the most successful (in terms of long-lasting impact) of all of the adaptations of King’s work. None of them are “horror” stories, although there is most certainly psychological horror at times. Each novella represents a different season, and some of these stories pack such a huge punch. Different Seasons (Signet) by Stephen KingĪ book of four novellas, Different Seasons contains some of my favorite of all of Stephen King’s writing (and I’m a huge fan).

Stephen king's four seasons