Christine

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of bullying, gender discrimination, cursing, child death, death by suicide, illness, and death.

“Brand-new, she was. Had the smell of a brand-new car, and that’s about the finest smell in the world […] Except maybe for pussy.”

LeBay’s dialogue thematically highlights The Link Between Objectification and Sexism as it refers to the car using a feminine pronoun and comparing its smell to a woman’s genitals. Stephen King repeats the phrase “except maybe for pussy” to show how Arnie’s thoughts are becoming as crude as LeBay’s.

“‘I love you, man. You know that.’ ‘Maybe you do. And I appreciate it. If you do you know it’s because there’s something else—something underneath the zits and my stupid face—’”

Though Arnie and Dennis frequently use outdated, politically incorrect rhetoric, they aren’t afraid to express their feelings for one another, subverting a common stereotype about masculinity. Moreover, Arnie’s reference to “something else” and acne is ironic given that LeBay’s spirit soon causes Arnie to quickly age, clearing up the acne on his face.

“I’ll get them! I’ll get those fucking sons of bitches I’ll get them Dennis. I’ll make them sorry I’ll make those fuckers eat it…EAT IT…EAT IT!”

Arnie’s outburst provides an early clue that LeBay is starting to possess him. King emphasizes Arnie’s anger through the absence of punctuation and by placing some words in all capital letters, suggesting that Arnie is too enraged for grammatical pauses or, in the case of “EAT IT,” for lowercase words.