Children of the Corn

“Children of the Corn,” by American horror author Stephen King, is a short story that first appeared in the March 1977 issue of Penthouse magazine and later became a part of his short story collection Night Shift, published in 1978. “Children of the Corn” follows the perspective of Burt and Vicky Robeson, a couple attempting to save their marriage by taking a cross-country road trip together. But their journey takes a frightening turn when a young boy runs into their car. Initially fearing that they have taken a child’s life, Burt and Vicky devolve into a spiral of guilt, blame, and accusations until they begin to suspect that something more sinister harmed the little boy first.

This guide references the 1978 Doubleday & Company edition of Night Shift. Citations refer to page numbers in this edition.

Content Warning: The source material contains graphic violence, death, horror themes, and domestic violence, and these are referenced in this guide.

“Children of the Corn” employs a third-person limited point of view and primarily engages with the thoughts and feelings of Burt Robeson, a veteran who is struggling with his marriage to his wife, a former prom queen married “right out of high school” (259).