#8 - L.T.'s Theory of Pets

[Stephanie]

Another interesting title. Do you think the pets were the cause of Lulu's and L.T.'s problems? Would they have been as disgruntled with each other if their pets hadn't come between them?

Is that the only point of L.T.'s theory? (p. 343 PB)

Why does the story end with the narrator and Holly discussing L.T. and Lulubelle? What is it about their perspective that lends a greater truth to the story?

[LizzieAnn]

Lulu's disappearance and the killer on the loose nonewithstanding, this wasn't a typical King story. It was just a story of two quirky people who's marraige is over. The pets became replacements - counterpart companions if you will. A pet is a good way of keeping loneliness at bay.

I think Lulu & L.T were drifting apart and were lonely within their marriage. Accordingly, they became closer to the pets - albeit (I just love that wordl ) each other's pet. But still, a companion. It's just a funny ironic twist that it wasn't their own pets that they looked to for companionship. Then again, maybe not. Cats seem to be identified more with females, while dogs are man's best friend. So maybe that had something to do with it. He went with the female feline & she went with the masculine dog.

As to Holly & the narrator, maybe a sense of realism...a man on the street view of something that's going on or something that happened. Everyone has a story about a friend who....

[ROY99]

I just recently listened to King's LT's Theory of Pets and really enjoyed it. He says in his introduction he was trying to write something a little lighter, however, as usual, he gave it the twist when he discussed the mystery behind the wife's disappearance. I haven't checked to see how many of his books are on CD, but I loved the fact that he did a live reading of this story. I listened to Dreamcatcher and enjoyed it as well. Several times a month I drive a couple of hours and it's a nice way to catch up on reading. I would recommend LT's Theory of Pets to King readers. Don't you just love his twisted sense of humor? ROY99

[Stephanie]

While I don't often think of Stephen King as "humorous" you're right, I very much enjoy it when he allows us to see his funny side. Generally, I'm on the edge of my seat, ready to swallow my heart after it leaps up into my throat!

[Vampyre]

I bought this on CD. It was an accident, I meant to get the actual written version but it turned out to be a good mistake. Who better to read a story to you than the author, especially this author. I've always liked King's sense of humor. It's there if you look for it. I just think when he writes something he knows will care us, he also gets a laugh from it.