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Stephen KingA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
In his foreword to the paperback edition, Stephen King provides background on the geography of northwestern Maine and the history of the solar eclipse he discusses in the book. King describes two small towns—Sharbot and Little Tall Island—that were linked by a total eclipse in 1963. Furthermore, King notes that during this eclipse “two people who would never meet sensed each other” (xvii). These two individuals are Dolores Claiborne, the protagonist of the novel, and Jessie Mahout Burlingame, whose story is told in King’s later novel Gerald’s Game.
Framed as a transcript of Dolores Claiborne’s testimony, the novel begins with Dolores explaining that she understands her rights and is there to provide a statement to the police regarding the death of Vera Donovan, her employer. From the start, Dolores asserts that she did not kill Vera, but readily admits that she killed her husband, Joe St. George. Dolores shares the history of her work for Vera Donovan, which began in the 1950s with summer housekeeping and progressed to full-time housekeeping and serving as a “paid companion” after the death of Joe. As Vera suffered a number of strokes, she began to rely more fully on Dolores, and the younger woman moved into Vera’s house in 1982.
By Stephen King
11.22.63
11.22.63
Stephen King
1408
1408
Stephen King
Bag of Bones
Bag of Bones
Stephen King
Billy Summers
Billy Summers
Stephen King
Carrie
Carrie
Stephen King
Children of the Corn
Children of the Corn
Stephen King
Cujo
Cujo
Stephen King
Different Seasons
Different Seasons
Stephen King
Doctor Sleep
Doctor Sleep
Stephen King
Duma Key
Duma Key
Stephen King
Elevation
Elevation: A Novel
Stephen King
End of Watch
End of Watch
Stephen King
Fairy Tale
Fairy Tale
Stephen King
Finders Keepers
Finders Keepers
Stephen King
Firestarter
Firestarter
Stephen King
From a Buick 8
From a Buick 8
Stephen King
Full Dark, No Stars
Full Dark, No Stars
Stephen King
Gerald's Game
Gerald's Game
Stephen King
Gwendy's Button Box
Gwendy's Button Box
Stephen King, Richard Chizmar
Holly
Holly
Stephen King
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