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| «Word Processor of the Gods» | |
|---|---|
| by Stephen King | |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy, short story |
| Published in | Playboy (1st release), Skeleton Crew |
| Publication type | Magazine |
| Publisher | Playboy Media Corp |
| Media type | Print (Periodical) |
| Publication date | January 1983 |
«Word Processor of the Gods» is a short story by American writer Stephen King, first published in the January 1983 issue of Playboy magazine under the title «The Word Processor», and collected in King’s 1985 collection Skeleton Crew.
Plot summary[edit]
Richard Hagstrom, a middle-aged writer, is disenchanted with his tyrannical wife Lena, his disrespectful teenage son Seth, and his life in general. His teenage nephew Jonathan suddenly dies in a car accident caused by the writer’s abusive brother Roger, who was driving drunk. Roger dies in the crash, along with Jonathan’s gentle, kind mother, Belinda. From the boy’s effects, the writer is given a word processor, which Jonathan was seemingly in the process of cobbling together from a dozen different sources before he died. When the writer turns it on, the startup message displays «Happy birthday, Uncle Richard», revealing that it was intended as a birthday gift for the main character. At home, Richard discovers that the processor has the mysterious ability to affect reality, but the electronics in the patchwork machine are brittle and will not function for long.
While in the middle of testing the processor, Richard’s son returns home alongside his obnoxious band members. Overhearing his son badmouthing him, Richard deletes him, which retroactively erases his existence. His bandmates are gone, his room is empty, and every trace of him ever living there is gone. When his wife returns home, he finds she is now even fatter than when she left, the result of never having any children. After she verbally abuses him, he deletes her as well.
With the processor now rapidly deteriorating, Richard impulsively rewrites reality, making the nephew his own son, and his sister-in-law his wife, moments before the processor irreparably breaks. He turns around, finding the nephew alive once again, now calling him «Dad.»
Adaptations[edit]
«Word Processor of the Gods» was adapted for an episode of the Tales from the Darkside TV series, first broadcast November 25, 1984.
See also[edit]
- Stephen King short fiction bibliography
Всемогущий текст-процессор (Кинг)
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Всемогущий текст-процессор
Word Processor of the Gods · 1983
Краткое содержание рассказа
из цикла «Команда скелетов»
Микропересказ: Писатель получает возможность переписать свою жизнь с помощью устройства, имеющего мистические возможности.
Этот микропересказ слишком короткий: 107 зн. Оптимальный размер: 190—200 знаков.
Ричард Хагструом, писатель средних лет, разочарован своей деспотичной женой Леной, непочтительным сыном-подростком Сетом и своей жизнью в целом. Его племянник-подросток Джонатан внезапно погиб в автокатастрофе по вине брата писателя Роджера, который ехал в нетрезвом виде за рулем. Роджер погибает в авиакатастрофе вместе с нежной и доброй матерью Джонатана Белиндой. После смерти Джона выяснилось, что он готовил своему дяде на день рождения подарок — самодельный текст-процессор, который Джонатан, по-видимому, собирал вместе из десятка разных источников перед своей смертью. Когда писатель включает его, в стартовом сообщении отображается «С днем рождения, дядя Ричард», показывая, что оно было задумано как подарок на день рождения для главного героя. Дома Ричард обнаруживает, что процессор обладает таинственной способностью влиять на реальность, но электроника в машине хрупкая и не будет работать долго.
Во время тестирования процессора сын Ричарда возвращается домой. Подслушивая, как сын ругает его, Ричард удаляет его, что соответственно стирает его существование. Его комната пуста, и все следы его жизни там исчезли. Когда жена Ричарда возвращается домой, писатель обнаруживает, что теперь она еще толще, чем когда уезжала, в результате того, что у нее никогда не было детей. После того, как она оскорбляет его, он удаляет и ее.
Теперь, когда процессор быстро приходит в негодность, Ричард импульсивно переписывает реальность, делая племянника своим собственным сыном, а невестку — женой, за несколько мгновений до того, как процессор непоправимо сломается. Он оборачивается и снова находит племянника живым, который теперь называет его папой.
Epstein, Bernie
Friend of Richard Hagstrom
Hagstrom, Adelina Mabel (Lina)
Wife of Richard. Mother of Seth.
Hagstrom, Belinda
Mother of Jonathan and wife of Roger.
Hagstrom, Jonathan
Son of Roger and Belinda. Built the word processor for his uncle Richard
Hagstrom, Richard
Writer and teacher, brother of Roger.
Hagstrom, Roger
Brother of Richard and husband of Belinda.
Hagstrom, Seth
Lazy son of Richard and Lina
Nordhoff, Mr.
Helped Richard move in the word processor
Phillips, Father
Ran the local bingo
Warren, Adelina Mabel
Maiden name of Lina Hagstrom
«Word Processor of the Gods» is a short story written by Stephen King. It was original published in the January 1983 issue of Playboy, and later included in King’s own 1985 collection Skeleton Crew.
Summary
In the days when dedicated word processors were still popular, the main character, a middle-aged writer tired of his wife (a fat, bad-tempered tyrant), son (an amateur musician with an attitude problem), and life in general, gets a gift from his nephew (a teenage genius) – a custom-built word processor. Unfortunately, the nephew has recently died in a car accident (at the hands of his own evil, violent brother who was driving drunk), so the writer must figure out on his own how to use it. He discovers that, with this word processor, he can write things into existence, and also delete them – at least, as long as the rickety word processor can last. He erases his son and wife, and finally (seconds before the processor’s demise) replaces them with his nephew and the nephew’s kind, gentle mother. The story ends with the writer going inside with his new son.
Adaptations
The story was adapted into episode 1×08 of Tales from the Darkside, which aired on 25 November 1984. The episode was scripted by Michael McDowell.
Word Processor of the Gods is another short story written by Stephen King, published in his 1985 collection Skeleton Crew. It follows a man who dislikes his family and is given a magical word processor that allows him to write things into existence, and also delete.
Click on the title to read the story!