Christine

The characters refer to LeBay’s car as “she” and “Christine,” reflecting The Link Between Objectification and Sexism. Research the use of female names for cars, ships, and other machines. How did this trend emerge, and why does it persist? How else is this history reflected in Christine?

Some characters believe that Arnie was destined to buy LeBay’s car. How does this element of the novel develop the trope of the “chosen one”?

Compare Christine with another work by Stephen King that this guide doesn’t reference. What are the similarities and differences in the main characters?

Watch the movie adaptation of Christine, and compare the film to the novel. How did John Carpenter incorporate rock music? How did he establish Christine’s inimical symbolism? How did he change the story, and why might he have done so?

Aside from the primary horror, the novel incorporates comedic and philosophical elements. How do these contrasting tonal aspects add layers to the story and challenge expectations about the horror genre?

Twentieth-century essayist and novelist Joan Didion writes about cars in “Bureaucrats”—an essay from her collection The White Album (1979). Compare Didion’s essay with Christine. How does Didion depiction of driving link to King’s?

Almost every chapter begins with lyrics from a rock song. Choose three chapters and analyze how the lyrics inform or reflect the specific chapter and the overall story. How do they replicate or contrast the novel’s atmosphere and its depiction of cars?

How is Leigh central to the story? When does King present her as an object, and how does he humanize her? Include textual evidence, and comment on the effectiveness of each characterization.