The first novel published by iconic horror writer Stephen King was entitled Carrie and appeared in 1974. It followed harrowing events experienced by the title character, Carrie White, a shy high school girl from Chamberlain, Maine. The book's experimental use of horrifying details that foregrounded sex and violence caused it to become one of the most frequently banned books in US secondary schools during the 80s and 90s. King had previously authored other novels, but Carrie was his first publication, a work that, according to the author, began as a short story motivated by a challenge to demonstrate his ability to construct a powerful female character as opposed to a macho masculine one. The result was Carrie, a …

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Citation: Meyer, Michael J.. "Carrie". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 February 2010 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=12626, accessed 25 November 2024.]

12626 Carrie 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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