The Science of Stephen King

While science is abundant in The Dark Half, there is also fascinating folklore. This includes that of the psychopomp. Represented by sparrows in the novel, a psychopomp is a symbol or deity of crossing over, usually from life to death. Varying in form in different cultures, the psychopomp may be an angel, like in Islam, or come in the form of deceased family members, as in Filipino culture, where they are believed to stand at the end of the bed of the dying, waiting to usher them to the afterlife.

In Emily Dickinson’s iconic poem “I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died “(1896) a common housefly stands in as the psychopomp as the narrator struggles in the last moments of their life;

“There interposed a Fly—

With Blue—uncertain—stumbling Buzz—

Between the light—and me—

And then the Windows failed—and then

I could not see to see—”

Psychopomps are not always the connection between life and death. In Jungian philosophy, they are represented by a wise man, woman, or even animal, and they are there to assist you between consciousness and unconsciousness. This archetype could appear in dreams, or perhaps as a spiritual guide as you seek harmony in your mind. It is also important to note that humans can choose to be psychopomps themselves, as explained at psychopomps.org:

There is also a growing number of people who are once again learning how to fulfill the sacred role of the psychopomp. Some choose to offer their assistance in conjunction with their function as a hospice worker, or as a midwife to the dying. Others prefer to focus more on helping those who may be trapped in the spirit realms, and go by such titles as soul rescuer, death walker, spiritual guide, or shaman. There are also individuals who quietly offer aid to those in transition as they go about their routine jobs in hospitals, nursing homes, and other such locations.

The most well-known cultural icon of the psychopomp is the Grim Reaper, a nonjudgmental bringer of death who ferries the dying to wherever he or she is meant to go. Although the foreboding reaper with scythe in hand brings fear to whomever may see him, swarms of seemingly harmless birds, whether crows, sparrows, or others, are often seen as a similar bridge between our two worlds. The significance of the sparrows is explained to Thad by fellow professor Rawlie DeLesseps in his connection to George Stark, his inexplicably living twin. The sparrows have returned because Stark has come to the world where he does not belong, and must be brought back. Remember, Thad begins to hear the sparrows when his creative writing takes hold in youth, and again the insistent sound of wings and caws come when he tries to symbolically “kill” his alter-ego, signifying times of transition.

The reader finds out later in the book that when Thad goes under the knife as a child to remove the pesky tumor that has been causing his headaches and auditory hallucinations of sparrows, a swarm of real birds attacks the hospital as though directed by Alfred Hitchcock himself. Not only does the sound return to Thad as the novel continues and the bond between him and his dead twin strengthens, but at the climax of the novel sparrows cover the entirety of the Beaumont vacation home, killing George Stark and injuring the others with their sharp beaks and talons. The sparrows do their work, ushering the twin who was never meant to live back to the afterlife one painful peck at a time. Imagine if they carried small scythes like their Grim Reaper counterpart—even Stark would have to admit that would make a cute (though deadly) picture!

SECTION THREE

The 1990s

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Needful Things

Because of the vivid world Stephen King has created for his constant readers, there is much to know about Castle Rock. One of his three most famous fictional towns in Maine, along with Jerusalem’s Lot, and Derry, Castle Rock is a charming town of less than two thousand residents. It is about forty minutes from the state capitol, and is surrounded by the lush forests and lakes that vacationers have come to expect in Maine.

In the business district of Castle Rock, you may have a slice of pie at Nan’s Lunchette, or perhaps stop in for yarn at You Sew and Sew. However, as we’ve come to love King’s Maine, there is more than meets the eye. Castle Rock is the home to a murderous dog named Cujo, as well as the foreboding edifice of Shawshank Prison. So, when an antique shop named Needful Things announces its grand opening, both the residents, as well as the readers, know there is something special unfolding.

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