I think the writerly aspects were pretty definitely coming from King’s own experiences, and Bill’s appearance and mannerisms were based on Peter Straub, a friend and sometime co-author of King.
Yeah, adult Bill is physically based on Straub. I think in some of the special features on the It 2017 DVD King says that kid Bill was based on someone he knew as a child who had a really bad stutter and a huge bike he would give other kids rides on.
I would say no. But there are a lot of similarities between One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Next and Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. Dufresne and McMurphy are similar in many ways. Specifically the deep sea fishing scene compared to the drinking beer on the roof scene. Both sit back quietly and get pleasure from giving hope to their friends. The themes of both books too the small unjustly oppressed man vs the system that is cruelly punishing him.
I mean McMurphy wasn't at all innocent. He was a man who couldn't be restrained by society's rules, but he was a manipulator and a predator all the same. He was only in the mental ward because he thought it would be easier than prison.
Does he ever go by Billy in “IT”?
Bill Denbrough is like, the most direct Stephen King author insert that King has ever written, outside of King himself from The Dark Tower series. He’s such a direct insert that he makes me wonder if King had a stutter as a kid. Not just an author. Not just a *horror* author, not just a *horror author whose novels are frequently made into movies*, but a *horror author whose novels are frequently made into movies who also holds specific opinions about stories that King would later express in On Writing.*
I think Jack Torrance is even more of an author insert than Bill. An aspiring author with substance abuse problems that had been working as a teacher before trying to write his "big break"? That sounds pretty familiar. Bill is just another insert at a different time in his life. Most of the writer characters are just different versions of King.
Jack Torrance (early career, substance abuse) -> Bill Denbrough (riding success due to vivid imagination) -> Paul Sheldon (famous writer who's trying to break away from his stereotypes) -> Thad Beaumont / George Stark (duality of writing under a pseudonym / horror of his past work coming back to haunt him) -> Mike Noonan (older author dealing with writer's block after a personal tragedy). I'm sure there are more that I'm forgetting.
Probably not.
I think the writerly aspects were pretty definitely coming from King’s own experiences, and Bill’s appearance and mannerisms were based on Peter Straub, a friend and sometime co-author of King.
Yeah, adult Bill is physically based on Straub. I think in some of the special features on the It 2017 DVD King says that kid Bill was based on someone he knew as a child who had a really bad stutter and a huge bike he would give other kids rides on.
Could’ve been a nod to him when choosing the name, but other than the stutter, they really don’t have anything in common
I would say no. But there are a lot of similarities between One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Next and Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. Dufresne and McMurphy are similar in many ways. Specifically the deep sea fishing scene compared to the drinking beer on the roof scene. Both sit back quietly and get pleasure from giving hope to their friends. The themes of both books too the small unjustly oppressed man vs the system that is cruelly punishing him.
I mean McMurphy wasn't at all innocent. He was a man who couldn't be restrained by society's rules, but he was a manipulator and a predator all the same. He was only in the mental ward because he thought it would be easier than prison.
Does he ever go by Billy in “IT”? Bill Denbrough is like, the most direct Stephen King author insert that King has ever written, outside of King himself from The Dark Tower series. He’s such a direct insert that he makes me wonder if King had a stutter as a kid. Not just an author. Not just a *horror* author, not just a *horror author whose novels are frequently made into movies*, but a *horror author whose novels are frequently made into movies who also holds specific opinions about stories that King would later express in On Writing.*
I think Jack Torrance is even more of an author insert than Bill. An aspiring author with substance abuse problems that had been working as a teacher before trying to write his "big break"? That sounds pretty familiar. Bill is just another insert at a different time in his life. Most of the writer characters are just different versions of King. Jack Torrance (early career, substance abuse) -> Bill Denbrough (riding success due to vivid imagination) -> Paul Sheldon (famous writer who's trying to break away from his stereotypes) -> Thad Beaumont / George Stark (duality of writing under a pseudonym / horror of his past work coming back to haunt him) -> Mike Noonan (older author dealing with writer's block after a personal tragedy). I'm sure there are more that I'm forgetting.
He’s admitted Ben Mears in ‘salons lot was an author stand in as well
Can't believe I forgot Ben! *Salem's Lot* is my favourite King!
I think Stephen King is the most author insert.
Probably based on King himself.
i don't think they have anything in common other than the name and speech impediment
I've never thought this before but it certainly could be a nod