Considering the millions of words devoted to analyzing Stephen King’s novel Carrie in light of the abundance of religious imagery and the seemingly unlikely coincidental naming of a major character, it is actually surprising how rarely one comes across an interpretation that almost begs to be examined. Quite a large percentage of those millions of words of analysis delve into the symbolism of blood throughout the novel and connection between Carrie White’s telekinetic powers manifesting so soon after her first menstruation. The universal agreement seems to be the story is about a repressed young girl blossoming into womanhood with a vengeance.
There is another interesting perspective, however. Rather than focusing on the blood per se, consider who is always there in concert with the blood, using it to taunt poor Carrie. From the rain of tampons in the locker room shower to the shower of pig’s blood at the prom, Carrie’s blossoming into maturity is always accompanied by her torturous nemesis, Christine Hargensen. Christine always seems to be around whenever anything bad happens to Carrie when she’s away from home.
Carrie’s mother is also there, of course, always whispering into her ear (or shouting into her terrified face) with the reminder that the powers which lay mostly dormant and mostly untapped are the work of her father: "You spawn of the devil.” It becomes a motif, a recurring refrain Carries hears throughout her life: “it's you devilspawn witch imp of the devil it's you doing it.” And after enough time of hearing the same thing over and over, who wouldn’t start to believe it. After all, mothers don’t like to their daughters.
Carrie’s momma had also warned her daughter, on more than one occasion. “Momma had told her there was Something. The Something was dangerous, ancient, unutterably evil. It could make you Feeble. Watch, Momma said. It comes at night. It will make you think of the evil that goes on in parking lots and roadhouses.”
The one thing which that description does not apply to throughout most of the book is…Carrie White. Carrie does not seem dangerous. Or unutterably evil. Nothing about Carrie screams out loudly of the shenanigans going on in backseats and roadhouse restrooms. Carrie is an innocent. Even after the blood comes in the locker room, Carrie remains innocent. She is good and her goodness is made all the more striking by virtue of the portrait of Carrie which is painted by her mother in her hysterical prayers:
"help this sinning woman beside me here see the sin of her days and ways. Show her that if she had remained sinless the Curse of Blood never would have come on her. She may have committed the Sin of Lustful Thoughts. She may have been listening to rock ‘n roll music on the radio. She may have been tempted by the Antichrist.”
Of course, it goes without saying that checking off that list of sins, Carrie’s pen could mark an X next to “None of the Above.” Carrie never fell prey to even normal teenage lust. She never cranked the volume up when the Ramones blared through the radio speakers. She wasn’t even tempted by the Antichrist.
She is, however, sorely tempted by Chris. Again and again. It is the hateful bullying of Chris which acts as the primary agency that brings Carrie’s powers to the surface. The ashtray on the principal’s desk and the kid on the bike are manifested as objects of that power, but it was not menstruation which made brought it to the surface. Chris Hargensen always seems to be there; always seems to have been there. Long before the blood arrived. Carrie can’t seem to turn around without stumbling over Chris Hargensen:
“The catcall came first from Chris Hargensen.”
“Chris Hargensen called up after school from the Kelly Fruit Company downtown and asked her if she knew that pig poop was spelled C-A-R-R-I-E.”
“She can’t get away with it! I’m going to get her! See if I don’t!”
“We should have taken those rags and stuffed them down her throat.”
Chris Hargensen is a nice person. She is not good. And she is bad to not just Carrie. Carrie just happens to be the weakest so she bears the brunt of the evil which explodes forth from Chris. Chris is so beyond redemption that she actually believes she is the victim. Even after her powerful father tries to use his influence to undo the damage Chris has done and get back into the prom, Chris believes she is Carrie’s victim. Chris is beyond evil. Chris is the sinning woman that Carrie’s momma should be praying for. Chris is the Something unutterably evil who stinks of parking lots and roadhouses and not only has the power to make Carrie feeble, but constantly tries to use that power. Carrie’s powers rise to the surface precisely because Chris is so monstrous, and yes those powers are wrought for evil purposes. But Carrie is not the evil in this story. Carrie is not the monster; she is Carrie the good Christian girl.
