Everything's Eventual: All That You Love Will Be Carried Away (Story 3) [ Edited ]

[Stephanie]

King does not end this story. How did you react to that?

Why did Alfie want to kill himself? What did that have to do with the "messages" that he copies from restroom walls all over the country?

Message Edited by Stephanie on 02-14-200710:16 PM

[LizzieAnn]

I hate when a story doesn't end. I still can't get past The Lady and the Tiger. The reader's perspective choses the outcome, but we never really know what the author intended. To me, that's more maddening that having the alternative ending happen.

I think Alfie was just tired of his life. But instead of trying to change and improve it, he opted for a different solution.

I thought the graffiti was a funny bit, and sad in a way too - the fact that he carried this notebook around with him as something so important, and the fact that he knew if it were found after his death, people would just think he was crazy.

[Stephanie]

Liz,

Alfie knows the notebook is a sign of his insanity - he believes (rightly) that if it's found upon his death, people will think him off-balance, and that the notebook itself is some kind of message about why he killed himself. Again, the title comes into play- in what way will all Alfie loves be carried away? He hopes to have the notebook carried away on the wind - is that all he loves? He seems to only be concerned about his family's reaction to others in regard to his suicide, not that they will actually miss him, or be sad that he is dead.

Do we think he's rational? Is anyone rational while in a suicidal state?

[TeresaF]

I’m with you Liz. I want an ending. I got really miffed at another of King’s no-ending endings a year or so ago. Strange, but I’d forgotten about that book until now. Anyhow, I took this no-ending ending better. It seemed to go with Alfie’s ambivalence. I’d still prefer an ending though.

SPOILER ALERT - NO ENDING KING STORIES: I guess it would be a tad bit of a spoiler to tell you the other King story with the no-ending ending. So, I’ll just put the link here. DO NOT click unless you really want to know. SPOILER - BEWARE - NO-ENDING:


Sorry, but for some odd reason I'm having trouble getting the link to work right. So, I'll send to Stephanie and see if she has better luck.

Message Edited by TeresaF on 02-17-200709:16 AM

[LizzieAnn]

Sure Steph, hit me with psychology - of which I know nothing.

It seems that Alfie can think rationally and irrationally - fluctuating between the two like going in and out of a door. He's rational enough to know that if the notebook is found, he'll just be considered insane - to know how that would reflect on his family - to know that he needs to destroy the book. And yet, he is contemplating taking his life - and leaving the decision as to whether or not he sees the farm's lights within the next 60 seconds. Not exactly rational behavior.

I can't help but wonder if he's built such a wall around himself that he's detached himself from everyone and everything. We don't know how whether his family feels as detached from him and what they would feel. Somehow, I don't think he knows either. He's aloof and lives in a void of his own making.

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Stephanie wrote:
Liz,

Alfie knows the notebook is a sign of his insanity - he believes (rightly) that if it's found upon his death, people will think him off-balance, and that the notebook itself is some kind of message about why he killed himself. Again, the title comes into play- in what way will all Alfie loves be carried away? He hopes to have the notebook carried away on the wind - is that all he loves? He seems to only be concerned about his family's reaction to others in regard to his suicide, not that they will actually miss him, or be sad that he is dead.

Do we think he's rational? Is anyone rational while in a suicidal state?

---

[TeresaF]

Like going in and out of a door is a good way to describe it, Liz. Alfie's remark that “They were prescription drugs, but not the sort the doctor gave you if you were feeling . . . well . . . sunny” made me think about something I read awhile ago. If I recall correctly, the doctor was saying that if someone was extremely depressed, they didn’t have the energy to harm themselves. But, if the doctor gives them anti-depressants, it might just elevate their mood so that they commit suicide, etc.

[LizzieAnn]

Really? I've never heard that before. What a conundrum that presents.

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TeresaF wrote:
Like going in and out of a door is a good way to describe it, Liz. Alfie's remark that “They were prescription drugs, but not the sort the doctor gave you if you were feeling . . . well . . . sunny” made me think about something I read awhile ago. If I recall correctly, the doctor was saying that if someone was extremely depressed, they didn’t have the energy to harm themselves. But, if the doctor gives them anti-depressants, it might just elevate their mood so that they commit suicide, etc.

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[TeresaF]

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LizzieAnn wrote:
Really? I've never heard that before. What a conundrum that presents.



Liz, couldn’t agree more. I wish I could remember where I saw that article. I’m thinking it was while waiting for the dentist -- so no telling how reliable the info or my memory.

I’ve never pictured myself making a living in the mental health field. It’s always fascinating, but answers and truths are hard to come by, at least for me. And the whole art of prescribing the right drug at the right time is down right scary. My amateur diagnosis, though, is that Alfie’s odd graffiti collecting was just another way to comfort himself. Similar to his smoking.

Just love Mr. King’s story threads. Nothing seems to go to waste.

[Sensorymoments]

I think it is indicitive of his life state. I think all that he loves, has been carried away. He doesn't feel any attachment to his life. He's already living the life of a nomad by selling things door to door , and being away from "home" for long periods at a time....I just think the monotony got to be too much for him, and since he no longer loved anything, or didn't feel he did, he had decided to just end his story....

but perhaps, stephen king didn't end his story, because niether did the character....perhaps he realized there was something he still loved ( the graffitti) ...and that if he did, all that he loved would be carried away, and someone else would be in possession of his crazy ramblings, and he didn't want that

anyhow, I really really liked this story, and interestingly enough, this story reminds me in some wierd way of my boyfriend.

[Stephanie]

Teresa and all:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?=y&EAN=9780843955842&itm=1

Here's that link that was giving Teresa trouble- enjoy!

[Stephanie]

Liz,

Sorry, didn't mean to ask you all to psychoanalyze! It's odd to me though, that someone might contemplate suicide in such a way. To have their plan all set -and he was a planner, wasn't he? -and then to leave it up to something as subjective as some lights. However, the thoughts he had about the notebook being found were completely rational.

And not ending the story? Irritating. I've never liked stories with no endings. If I have to think up an ending, I'll write the story myself!

[LizzieAnn]

Alfie seems to be a mixture of the rational & irrational. And while that can be true for many people, his degrees of rationality & irrationality seem to be greater, stronger, and further apart than most.

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Stephanie wrote:
Liz,

Sorry, didn't mean to ask you all to psychoanalyze! It's odd to me though, that someone might contemplate suicide in such a way. To have their plan all set -and he was a planner, wasn't he? -and then to leave it up to something as subjective as some lights. However, the thoughts he had about the notebook being found were completely rational.

And not ending the story? Irritating. I've never liked stories with no endings. If I have to think up an ending, I'll write the story myself!

---

[Sensorymoments]

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Stephanie wrote:
Liz,

Sorry, didn't mean to ask you all to psychoanalyze! It's odd to me though, that someone might contemplate suicide in such a way. To have their plan all set -and he was a planner, wasn't he? -and then to leave it up to something as subjective as some lights. However, the thoughts he had about the notebook being found were completely rational.

And not ending the story? Irritating. I've never liked stories with no endings. If I have to think up an ending, I'll write the story myself!

---

I think if you were to ask a psychologist about the reason for this would be because most people who get to the point of suicide or contemplate suicide, have sometimes contemplated it for a long time, and have it all planned out. this may sound kind of morbid but my boyfriend had done that in his teen years, it was somewhat of an obsession...he had his song picked out, he knew how he was going to do it, and where, in fact the day I met him was supposed to be the day....but ...I was kind of like his graffiti notebook....he would miss out on all the new experiances...and perhaps that is the point of it all.

I think the fact that the character would go to such lengths, is also meant to show some kind of mental instability, that yes, he's not quite normal, and doesn't fit in with everyone, and also to show the motonotony and boring life he was leading.

[TeresaF]

Stephanie, thanks for helping with the link. Sorry it's a bit belated. I had to go to Las Vegas for a few days, and, well, um, I didn't get much internet time or reading time.

[Stephanie]

Teresa,

Las Vegas doesn't sound like TOO much of a chore...

I'm glad I could help, I think what was happening was there was a space in your link - I deleted the space, and it worked just fine.

[TeresaF]

Yes, Las Vegas was a chore, Stephanie, but you can bet I was thinking of you guys the whole time. For the short story reader who wants some “new crime tales of gambling and desperation,” may I suggest Murder in Vegas, edited by Michael Connelly.

Message Edited by TeresaF on 02-23-200704:43 PM