10 Surprisingly Wholesome Stephen King Moments | ScreenRant
When one thinks of the works of Stephen King, the images of haunted hotels, psychic kids, and killer clowns are probably the first images that come to mind. And how could they not? The author has been dubbed the Master of Horror since the '70s, and he still hasn't lost his edge.
That said, it's easy to forget that horror isn't the only thing King writes. His horror scenes are brilliant and it's what garnered him acclaim, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a soft side. Even amidst the gruesome and grim, King can create some wholesome moments, as well.
10 Carrie Making Her Dress (Carrie)
Despite the carnage that unfolds minutes later, the brief scene of Carrie White sewing her own pink prom dress offers a moment of levity amidst the horrors of high school hell that the poor gal has endured. After everything she's been through, why shouldn't she have something that's all hers?
Granted, this scene makes the chaos that follows all the more shocking. All her hard work, pain, and struggles are brought to a head in the following scene, but the reprieve is more than necessary.
9 Arnie And Dennis (Christine)
Arnie and Dennis were breaking down barriers they might not have known about when this John Carpenter classic debuted. In many high school settings, the cliche is for the nerdy character to be constantly ridiculed by the jock. Not for these two.
The almost brotherly relationship between the geeky Arnie and football-star Dennis is remarkable, to say the least, especially considering the animosity seen in King's other takes on the trope.
8 January Embers (It)
If there was ever any doubt that King was a master wordsmith, this poem written by Ben from the Losers Club is an absolute gem hidden beneath the horror that is It. Despite it being from a kid's point of view, Ben is remarkably gentle and verbose while declaring his love for Beverley.
"Your hair is winter fire / My heart burns there too" might just be the most romantic exchange in any of King's work. Maybe he should take up something more loving than lethal in the future?
7 Jack Saving His Son (The Shining)
To be completely clear, this scene does not happen in the famous flick by Kubrick, but it is a stand-out moment featured in the ending of the original novel. In a moment of clarity during his raging possession in the Overlook Hotel, Jack overcomes the evil forces enough to allow Danny time to escape.
Although it's brief, it's a moment in the novel that allows Jack's true character to pull through and proves he was able to overcome his demons, both literal and figurative, in the end.
6 Dan Getting Sober (Doctor Sleep)
Similar to his father before him, Dan Torrance wrestles with alcohol addiction during the events of Doctor Sleep. The difference between Dan and Jack Torrance is that he is able to overcome the addiction in the end and change for the better.
Drug and alcohol use is a prominent theme in many of Stephen King's books, but seeing Dan learn from the struggles of his father and his own shortcomings is a powerful image that weighs heavy in the original novel.
5 Andy Dufresne’s Freedom (The Shawshank Redemption)
To take a quote from Red, Andy Dufresne crawled through a river of filth and came out clean on the other side. There has probably never been a more powerful image of one's struggle to success than this iconic scene from The Shawshank Redemption.
The scene in the rain alone is perhaps the single, most prominent image from the entire production. Easily one of the writer's best non-horror entries, The Shawshank Redemption is a magnificent account of the struggle and resiliance of the human spirit.
4 Mother Abigail (The Stand)
Mother Abigail from King's epic, The Stand, deserves a spot all her own for two main reasons. First, she serves as the mystical beacon of hope in a post-apocalyptic world. Second, she turns a Stephen King trope completely on its head.
Unlike other religious characters in Stephen King's works, this woman of God actually lives up to the title and reputation. When compared to characters like Issac and his corn cult or even the two ministers in Needful Things, Mother Abigail carries the hope, love, and faith that a true prophet of God should show.
3 Roland And Jake’s Friendship (The Gunslinger)
The driving force of the first entry in King's phenomenal Dark Tower series is the friendship between Roland, the titular Gunslinger, and Jake, a boy torn from his dimension into that of the Dark Tower. The unlikely pair's adventures across the Wasteland serve as the series's backbone, and it can be outright touching at times.
Roland and Jake are as good of a duo as Indy and Shortround and watching their friendship develop against the backdrop of a strange netherworld is certainly a refreshing plot point.
2 The Boys' Journey (Stand By Me)
Speaking of friendships, few films/stories better encompass the coming-of-age narrative than Stand By Me. Gordy, Chris, Teddy, and Vern have one of the thickest friendships in any of King's stories and they might even give the Loser's Club a little competition.
What separates these friends from their Derry Maine counterparts is how grounded and lifelike they are on both the page and the screen. Their conversations on life, culture, and their world feel 100 percent genuine and never scripted. This is truly a standout brand of character work from the author.
1 John Coffey (The Green Mile)
If there was ever a more heartbreaking and wholesome character in any of Stephen King's work, it's the tragic saga of John Coffey. This gentle giant being persecuted for a crime he didn't commit has the biggest heart and perhaps the most sympathetic arc out of any other Stephen King creation.
His healing touch, his sweet and simple demeanor, and his outright embodiment of innocence are almost intoxicating. But that just makes it all the more crushing when he meets his tragic fate.
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