Does Stephen King’s Carrie Hold Up?
Horror, humiliation, and revenge. Just a few words to sum up our discussion of Carrie.
May 15, 2026
2 hr 28 min
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288 of 292

May 15, 2026
Does Stephen King’s Carrie Hold Up?
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2:28:32This episodeDoes Stephen King’s Carrie Hold Up?
Summary
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This week we’re diving deep into Stephen King’s iconic novel Carrie which, as it turns out, ended up being Matt’s FIRST real horror novel EVER. We talk about why King’s writing is so easily digestible, and how Carrie feels strangely modern despite being written over 50 years ago. We pick apart the book’s uniquely fragmented structure, and how it actually kind of resembles… modern scroll-based apps?
Next we dissect the iconic prom scene and figure out why it might be one of the most perfect “killer app” images ever created in fiction. But what exactly is it that makes this scene so iconic, and more importantly, how did it shape Stephen King into the horror icon he is today?
From there we get into Carrie’s horrifying home life, her mother’s religious fanaticism, and why the book’s version of Margaret White is much more interesting (and far more frightening) than most adaptations. We also pick apart the various Carrie movies, including the bizarre TV adaptation, and some truly catastrophic CGI choices.
We round things out with a thorough examination of the story’s astonishing moral complexity. Is Carrie’s revenge satisfying…or deeply tragic? We talk about proportional justice, why some readers celebrate the destruction at the end, and the uncomfortable trend of treating mass revenge fantasies as empowering.
Big thanks to our patrons, and we’ll see you next week!
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Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor
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