Duma Key

“Any act that remakes the world is heroic.”

For Edgar, creating art is linked with bravery, because the artist takes on the tremendous task of reinterpreting the known world. In little Elizabeth’s case, with her memory wiped out, the act is even more heroic, because she is attempting to draw the world so she recognizes it.

“Yes, now just get that hamhock out of here and stick it up your face-powder.”

Edgar’s jumbled-up words to Pam asking her to leave him alone with Reba vividly illustrate his difficulty in retrieving language, as well as his growing frustration. Though the exact meaning of the sentences may not be clear, Edgar’s confusion and rage are palpable.

“‘The bad frog chased us!’ Reba cried. ‘It has TEEF!’”

This chilling line is an example of King’s masterful use of horror and suspense. Though Edgar hears his doll say these words, they make little sense to him at the time—but eventually, he’ll realize that this is what the terrified Tessie and Laura may have said when being chased to their deaths by the big boy monster. Thus, the episode is an important piece of foreshadowing, a narrative device King uses often in this novel. The peril of the situation in the line juxtaposed against the childish word “Teef” evokes deep dread.