The Magical Negroes Of Stephen King
If you focus on an artist, and you think they are worth your time and attention, then they should also be able to hold up under some fair criticism. And anyone that has read Stephen King dialogue for Black people can properly attest that it’s not the author’s strongest suit. Even aside from some of the…er…unique patois he employs, King also has a tendency to dip his quill into the inkwell of “the magical negro”—that trope in which the only (or one of the few) Black characters is enchanted with incredible powers that really only serve to better the lives and journeys of the main white characters. Think LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE. Or, better yet, think THE GREEN MILE.
This doesn’t mean these works are bad or at the King is himself racist. But it means that works like THE GREEN MILE, THE SHINING, and THE STAND (amongst others) that utilize this trope are worthy of scrutiny and dissecting to show why its deprives Black figures of any real agency.
These are just some of the many excellent points raised by Princess Weekes whose video essay defines the trope, shows how its relevant to King’s work, and what is lost by going this route versus a much more robust (and less racist tropey) direction. Weekes is clearly a fan of the books (and at least one of the movies), but it’s hard not to notice how such caricature is a detriment to an otherwise richer text.
The inclusion of THE SHINING in this discussion allows Weekes to also discuss another racistly tinged trope—the ancient Indian Burial Ground. Another annoying and hurtful and ignorant trope that shows laziness when one wants to “other” a supernatural threat (without doing any real research). I will (respectfully) disagree with the point that the burial ground in Pet Sematary could’ve just been “any burial site;” the evil awakened is mentioned many times as an ancient evil, that existed long before the colonies and predates the indigenous people themselves (in a bit of writing that actually cribs off William S. Burroughs, of all people). Though I appreciate that it’s still another in a massive pile of genre works that use the hackneyed point and the fact it’s not abundantly clear simply adds to muddying the waters. Also, this isn’t what Kubrick did with that overwrought trope in THE SHINING, though, so that’s a completely fair point deserving of critique.
If you enjoy the video, be sure to subscribe to Weekes’ YouTube channel, follow her on Twitter, and even contribute to her Patreon.