![]() ![]() Yet, they believe that they are justified in their methods. Those working for the Institute kidnap, imprison, and torture children. In The Institute not only do adults keep children in the dark but they use their limited knowledge and lack of experience against them. King’s story subverts society’s notion of children, their role and place in society: children run away from home, they are rude, they don’t know enough about the real world or important issues, and they are egocentric. Their age, the fact that they are indeed children or underage, becomes a weapon that is used against them. ![]() The novel’s main concern however is the inhumane treatment of children: within this narrative we read of children who are used and abused, treated as commodities, and denied of their rights, freedom, and agency. ![]() While The Institute is in many ways a ‘classing King’, its story struck me for its incredibly relevant portrayal of America’s political and social climate (from Donald Trump to anti-vaxxers). Stephen King is a great storyteller and The Institute showcases many of his strengths and traits: we have an engrossing narrative, children and teenagers with psychic abilities, and an army of evil characters. The Institute is a gripping, if occasionally horrifying, read. ![]() “What we regard as Evil is capable of a fairly ubiquitous presence if only because it tends to appear in the guise of good.” - Joseph Brodsky ![]()
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