For my fifth essay, I intend to analyze the character of Annie Wilkes. I think that it is easy to comprehend the motivations of a story's protagonist, (in this case, Paul Sheldon) but it is usually the antagonist that fascinates the reader. Annie's actions are so incongruous with her words and her sometimes childish attitude, it baffles the reader, while still hooking them in, and making them want to know more.
I think it's very possible that Annie quit developing mentally at an early age, and that, while her body continued to grow into a woman, her mind remained stuck in an immature time. Her reasoning for her actions tends toward a very childish understanding of the world, and she has a very self-centered viewpoint. Some of the things she does, she does simply because it is what she wants to do, or because she wants to have something and can make it hers. Other times, she acts in a monstrous way, and explains it away with a very childish logic; for instance, she kills babies as a nurse, to save them the trouble of the world that they'll have to deal with as they get older. This is a very simplistic reasoning, and it seems very much the product of an immature mind coupled with her obvious manic-depressive problems.
I think that it would be very fascinating to continue to study Annie in more detail. She presents such a conundrum: one cannot completely hate her, as one would a cliched evil, mustache-twirling villain. She is pitiable, while still being terrifying and formidable. I think the way that she breaks Paul Sheldon down so effectively is also a terrific point of interest for the character. She has a dominating personality, but lacks the charisma to be truly evil, until the circumstances arise for her to have a captive. She is able to dominate him almost wholly, to the point that he is gibbering when the policemen finally find Paul in his prisoner's room. And yet, I don't think she really has the mental capacity, or the wider view of the world necessary to understand the hurt she is inflicting. She is truly a marvel of a character, and I think that King outdid himself with a true-to-life villain that one can *almost* relate to.
2 comments:
I can remember reading Misery in high school and being fascinated by Annie. It isn't often that the "villain" character is so pitiable and so vicious at the same time. I have to think of how our actual justice system works and wonder would Annie be found competent to stand trial? She is clearly suffering from profound mental illness but should she be held accountable for her actions? Is there hope for rehabilitation for someone like Annie or should she just be institutionalized for her safety and everyone else's as well?
I think you picked a great character and will have plenty to work with, good luck!
Annie is deff a great character to analyze and write an essay on. So many unthinkable things occurred one could write all day! I do have to disagree with the belief she was "childlike" She was very smart. She was mentally insane but very smart. She was a bit childish in her own ways but evil through and through. Aside from the fact she was killing her patients she was very good at her job. She was head nurse in many different hospitals and you have to have to be pretty smart and on point to snag that job. I think her outlook on life was more twisted than childish but everyone takes away something different from what read. She was very easy for me to hate with no question! Interesting point of view though.
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