Margaret White
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Margaret White is a fictional character created by Stephen King. She was one of the main characters of his first published novel, Carrie. She was the religiously fanatic mother of Carrie White, who harnessed the terrifying power of telekinesis.
In every adaptation and portrayal of Margaret, she is shown as a devout, bordering on fanatic, Christian. Her overbearing methods are a large factor in her daughter Carrie’s awkwardness, due to her deep beliefs that render almost everything sinful. These beliefs lead to the mental and sometimes physical abuse of Carrie, as well as self-inflicted pain on herself when trying to persuade Carrie to agree with her beliefs. She felt compelled to kill her daughter at several points, sometimes thinking of her as the devil, considering Carrie was conceived from marital rape. Margaret’s husband Ralph White, apparently another devout Christian, is dead or has left her, depending on the version.
Contents |
[edit] Novel
Margaret White |
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| Gender: | Female |
|---|---|
| Status: | Dead |
| Personality: | Heavily religious, paranoid, angry |
| Family: | Ralph White (husband; deceased), Carrie White (daughter; deceased) |
| Town/City based in: | Chamberlain, Maine |
In the novel, Margaret was described as being a heavyset woman with white hair, pulled back in a tight bun. She had rimless bifocals, and was usually cloaked in black. She was considered a rather ugly woman. Born Margaret Brigham, her father was killed in a shootout, and she began attending a fundamentalist church group. She hated her mother and stepfather, believing that they were living in sin.
In 1960, she met her soon-to-be husband, Ralph White. They married two years later, and the both of them believed it to be sinful to ever have sex, even once married. However, one night, after having come back from a bar, Ralph and she had sex in a bizarre form of marital rape that Margaret both hated and loved at the same time. This resulted in the conception of Carrie. However, Margaret was widowed before Carrie could be born, when Ralph was killed while working at a construction site.
Margaret gave birth to Carrie while in her house, without any medical assistance. From then on, she began to scold her daughter for just about anything, believing many things to be sinful. This deeply affected Carrie throughout the years, putting great strain on her. If Margaret believed that Carrie has sinned, she threw her in a specially decorated closet to pray for forgiveness (for example, when Carrie had her first period at the age of 17).
When Carrie was asked to the prom by Tommy Ross, Margaret attempted to stop her from going, but Carrie insisted on trying to fit in, not wanting to be funny anymore. Margaret threw tea in her face, and slapped her, trying to force her to her closet. Carrie instead stopped her mother’s hand in mid-air as she wound up for a second strike. Once Carrie made her own dress, Margaret insisted that they should burn it and pray for forgiveness (She insisted that the color of the dress was red, although it was actually burgundy), but was instead slid out of the room by her daughter’s “unholy” powers.
Margaret meets her fate after waiting for Carrie to come home from the prom. While waiting, she loses all contact with reality, grabbing a knife and sharpening it to hide beneath the folds of her dress. Once Carrie arrives home, having telekinetically destroyed the high school after falling victim to a cruel prank, both are surprised that they each intend to kill the other. Margaret makes the first move, attempting to stab Carrie in the back after telling her how she was conceived. Carrie moves in time, and the knife is planted up to the hilt in her shoulder instead. Carrie proceeds to slow down her mother’s heart — "You gave me darkness instead of love, Momma; now I'm going to give you darkness, so you can join whatever god lives there" — while Margaret attempts to read out the Lord’s Prayer. Margaret's heart comes to a complete stop, and she dies.
[edit] 1976 film
In the original film adaptation by Brian De Palma, Margaret is portrayed by Piper Laurie. The film version of Margaret White is considerably more attractive than as depicted in the novel. Though in her early 40s, she is still slim, her hair is wavy and shoulder length and is worn in a somewhat flattering style.
Her past history was not explored as it was in the novel and her husband Ralph was only mentioned briefly. However, it is revealed in the 1999 sequel The Rage: Carrie 2 that her husband had been alive long enough after apparently leaving Margaret to conceive another child with another woman.
When Tommy Ross asks Carrie to the prom, Margaret forbids it, but Carrie finally fights back on prom night; when Margaret tries to prevent her from going, Carrie throws her against the bed. At that point, Margaret snaps, and once Carrie leaves, she begins lighting dozens of candles, and waits for her daughter’s return, hiding a knife away. Carrie comes home after the Prom massacre and washes herself in the tub before putting on a nightgown. She is greeted by Margaret, who waits behind the bathroom door for Carrie to step out. After Carrie nestles her head on Margaret’s shoulder, Margaret begins telling her about the night when she was conceived. Finally, she picks up a hidden knife, lifts it up high, and stabs Carrie in the back. She follows Carrie slowly through the house as she attempts to crawl away. Margaret, with a delirious smile on her face, makes a motion with the knife that resembles a cross. Carrie crawls into a corner and attempts to open the closet door, just when Margaret raises her knife once more. Before she can strike though, Carrie uses her telekinetic power to send a knife from the kitchen flying into the room, impaling Margaret’s right hand to the wooden post of a door frame, making her drop her own knife. Several more knives and other kitchen utensils shoot through the air, pinning her other hand to the opposite post, and lodging themselves in her torso and chest. The last knife is sent spinning through the air, right into Margaret’s heart. Margaret dies crucified to the door frame.
[edit] 1988 musical
In 1988, the property was adapted into a musical co-produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Margaret was initially portrayed by Broadway star Barbara Cook. Cook withdrew after three weeks of performances and was replaced when the show transferred to Broadway by Betty Buckley, who had appeared in the original film as Carrie's gym teacher.[1] Her songs include "And Eve Was Weak," Evening Prayers" and "I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance" (duets with Linzi Hateley as Carrie) and the solo "When There's No One." In the song "I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance," after Carrie informs her that Tommy has invited her to the prom, Margaret sings of her own past with boys and with Carrie's father in particular. "I recall how your father came to me that night, with the smell of smoke and gin and lust in his eyes," implying the marital rape described in the novel.
Margaret stabs Carrie on a "white-on-white staircase to heaven" during the song "Carrie (reprise)" in a moment described by one scholar as "the sort of moment Florenz Ziegfeld might have come up with had a lunatic asked him to stage a Grand Guignol version of his Follies."[2] Carrie uses her powers to stop Margaret's heart before dying herself.
Buckley recorded the song "When There's No One" for her 1999 album Betty Buckley's Broadway.[3]
[edit] 2002 television movie
In the 2002 made-for-TV adaptation, Margaret is portrayed by Patricia Clarkson. The television portrayal of Margaret was similar to the original novel, with the exception of appearance. She was shown as having brown hair, a pale complexion, and a small frame. She’s also slightly less passionate than the other portrayals, and isn’t constantly cloaked in black.
Her past is not explored, as in the original film, and her husband isn’t mentioned, but is assumed dead.
When Tommy Ross asks her daughter to go to the prom with him, Margaret shoots down the thought of it right away at dinner. Carrie refuses to give up, resulting in Margaret tossing her tea in Carrie’s face. As she attempts to storm out, Carrie closes the door, and slams the table up onto its side to block the other door, preventing her mother from leaving the room. Carrie then tells Margaret that things are going to change for the better.
Come prom night, Margaret tries once again to prevent her daughter from going to the prom, but is instead sent sliding right out the door by her daughter. Margaret then leaves the house, and spies on her daughter as she leaves in a limo with Tommy, heading for the prom.
Following Carrie's return from the massacre, Margaret steps into the bathroom while Carrie is still in the bathtub. She asks Carrie to recite the "bedtime prayer", but plunges her head underwater. She attempts to drown her daughter, and believes she has succeeded when Carrie stops resisting. Suddenly, Carrie grabs onto her mother's arm and opens her eyes. She slows down her mother's heart, and eventually brings it to a complete stop.
[edit] References
- ^ Skal, David J. (1993). The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror. Penguin Books, 366-7. ISBN 0140240020.
- ^ Skal p. 369-70
- ^ Betty Buckley on record. Betty Buckley: The Official Website. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
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