The representation of childhood trauma in Stephen King's Novels

Abstract

Child abuse is one of the major themes in Stephen King's Novels. The verbal and physical abuse from the children's parents creates a profound sense of fear. This fear is the emotional reaction everyone has to perceived danger. This sense of fear and abuse leads to childhood trauma which is a critical factor in the formation of serious disorders in both phases the childhood and adulthood. King's fiction demonstrates an obvious concern about parenthood. His fiction mirrors the dark spots of the father/ mother and child relationship of the American lifestyle in the period of baby boomers which is approximately in the 1950s and the 1960s. In most of his novels about children, he gives his readers an implied message to be more clement to their children because the constant fear feeling affects the children physically, spiritually and mentally. This research is going to focus on the writer's literary work, Carrie and It, and how do these children protagonists react to the abuse of their surroundings and how it affects their personalities. In Carrie, trauma appears through social isolation and abusive parenting, leading to psychological devastation. In It, the children experience maltreatment, family violence, and distress, which bond them against an evil force. Stephen King uses trauma not only as a source of fear but also as a way to discuss human helplessness, memory, and resilience. His works suggest that unsettled childhood agony can have permanent consequences, yet opposing trauma may also lead to strength and survival. Therefore, childhood trauma remains an essential literary and psychological aspect of King’s fiction.