'Salem's Lot

Critics of ’Salem’s Lot have called attention to the roles of women in the story. Do the women in Ben’s life serve any function in the story beyond dying? If not, what is their significance?

Is Susan a weak character? Does she make bad choices, or is she an innocent bystander?

How do vampires like Dracula or Kurt Barlow differ from the vampires in Twilight, True Blood, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer? What do you think is the significance of those differences?

Do you agree with Matt Burke’s assessment that small towns like ’salem’s Lot simmer with evils great and small underneath the idyllic surface? Do small towns have a different moral quality from cities? How might the story have been different if it were set in a big city?

The author says that when he was toying with the idea of a vampire story, he wondered aloud how Count Dracula would fare if he found himself in New York City. His wife replied that he would almost instantly be run over by a taxi. Putting that aside, how might the story have been different if it were set in a big city?

Father Callahan in particular wrestles with the nature of evil. Does Evil exist as a force outside of humans, or are we our own worst enemies? Explain.

King describes ’Salem’s Lot as his favorite among his own books. Would you consider it his best work? Why or why not?

Stephen King has remarked that belief in the supernatural and the paranormal is very freeing. Would you agree? Why or why not?