Discussion Cell

Kathyrne Killian: The main event that has occurred in Cell is that a “pulse” has been sent through everyone’s cell phones and has made everyone crazy. People that experienced the “pulse” are killing each other, themselves and causing mass destruction. The story is being told by one of the survivors, Clay, and is following his, Tom and Alice’s journey through the aftermath. As far as the story has progressed, these three are the main focus and their tales are tragic. The social issue expressed in this chapter of the novel is cell phone usage. The “pulse” was sent at 3 pm on a normal day and anyone that was on their phones were affected first, then following the mass destruction and confusion, anyone that tried to use a cell phone still experienced the same effect. I believe that King is showing that cell phones could very well be the death of society.

COMMENTS: Kathyrne,

I completely agree with you that in this novel, cell phones are clearly being shown as detrimental and the very death of society. So far I am really liking the story and finding it very interesting and it really keeps my attention. I hope you're liking it also!

- Ashley Pearson

Denver Huff: Cell starts off by introducing a happy man named Clay. After he buys a gift for his girlfriend of a year, he sits and observes the people and things around him. He notices all the people plugged into their cell phones and music devices. Soon for no reason at all these people start to become very violent. Clay soon finds himself trying to avoid all the violence around him and everyone he saw before "the pulse" was killed or killing. Even the sane ones. Now the books is him trying to get out off this situation safely.

COMMENTS:

None

Ashley Pearson: The chapter “The Pulse” in the novel “Cell,” follows the lives of Clayton Riddell, Thomas McCourt, and Alice Maxwell. At the beginning of this story, we have Clayton Riddell standing outside of a Mister Softee truck holding his portfolio. As he is standing there, the cell phone of a woman and two girls standing next to him starts to ring. They both answer their cell phones, and at 3:03 PM on the afternoon of October 1, “the pulse” began. What once started out as a normal day for Clay, has now turned into, what is anybody’s, worse nightmare. Suddenly, anybody who was on a cell phone or who had got on one since 3:03 PM, is either trying to kill themselves or kill each other. Clay eventually meets up with a man named Thomas as he is standing outside off of Boylston Street where all panic and chaos is breaking lose. Tom makes the suggestion to Clay that they try to go stay at his hotel just a few blocks away, and that’s where they meet Alice, who is being chased by a “crazy” person. Cell phones are clearly being shown as detrimental in this novel.

COMMENTS:

The story does keep your attention! It was more grotesque than I had thought it was going to be. I'm glad that you are enjoying the novel and it will keep you interested up until the last sentence. - Kathyrne Killian