Quitters, Inc.
By: Stephen King
Conflict
Dr. Donatti
Morrison
Cindy Morrison
Plot Line
Rising Action: I think that the rising action happened Morrison was stuck in the office with Dr.Donatti. The story didn't start off scary, but once Morrison went to the office and began the program, I could tell something was weird about the situation. The rising action occurred when Morrison was sitting in the office with the doctor made Morrison watch the bunny get electrocuted. This was very important because they told Morrison that this is what would happen if he smoked again, Morrison wouldn't get electrocuted... his wife would. That was if he smoked ONCE, and if he smoked again it would be his wife and him together, then his son and the consequences continued.
Climax: The climax transpired when Morrison smoked for the first time after learning about the dangerous treatment. This was definitely the most intriguing part of the story because he thought no one would notice and that one breath of smoke wouldn't harm anyone even though he knew what could arise. When he returned from work after smoking, his wife wasn't there and he knew... he knew in that moment they had taken her. He immediately called the treatment center and they had indeed taken her in. When Morrison arrived at the office, he saw his wife and she was very confused. Sadly, he had to explain to his traumatized wife what had happened and that it was his fault.
Falling Action: The falling action was at the end of the climax and led to the resolution. It happened in the scene when Morrison has to explain to his wife what has happened and why she was electrocuted. After he ends the explanation, Cindy is okay and happy with the treatment. When the doctors see this happen, they make sure to inform her that if he smokes again, at the next electrocution they will cut off her pinky.
Resolution: The falling action led into the resolution because at the end of the story, the Morrisons run into Jim McCann and his wife. They chat and Morrison states that the program has worked wonders and has been great for his life. The story ends with Morrison realizing that Jim McCann's wife was missing her pinky finger. I thought this was the resolution because it really brought the entire story together in an interesting way. At the beginning Morrison and McCann see each other, than Morrison goes to the treatment, he hates the thought of the way that they "cure you" from your addiction, it works, he recommends it, he runs into McCann again at the end. The story comes full circle when Morrison realizes that the program really had worked and worked on his friend as well.
Foreshadowing
What was the theme?
What is worth more to you? Family or smoking? The concept that the thing you are obsessed with can possibly hurt your family. I liked how the story was based around smoking, because smoking is a very dangerous drug. Lung cancer is one of the big outcomes of a smoking addiction and the doctor's approach of getting the patients to quit smoking through proving a message was a good way to get the readers attention. Although this short story is fiction and can be considered a horror story, it is realistic when you ask the question would you risk your family for your own benefit?