Pet Sematary

Article written by Emma Baldwin

B.A. in English, B.F.A. in Fine Art, and B.A. in Art Histories from East Carolina University.

King’s ‘Pet Sematary’ was published in 1983 and is regarded as one of the author’s early successes. Since it was published, the book has been adapted into two films, one in 2019. Famously, Stephen King noted that this novel is one of the few that scared him the most.

Key Facts about Pet Sematary

• Title: Pet Sematary
• When written: late 1970s
• Published: November 14th, 1983
• Literary Period: Contemporary fiction
• Genre: Horror
• Point-of-view: Third-person limited
• Setting: a small town in Maine
• Climax: When Gage is resurrected
• Antagonist: Gage William Creed, the cemetery itself

Stephen King and Pet Sematary

Stephen King is one of the most prolific and influential authors of all time. His works have been adapted into films, plays, and television series. He has sold over 350 million copies of his books, making him one of the best-selling authors in history. He is also well-known for his horror and suspense fiction, as well as his exploration of the darker side of human nature.

King was born in Portland, Maine, in 1947 and has lived in the state ever since. He attended the University of Maine at Orono and graduated with a degree in English in 1970. After graduation, he became a high school teacher while writing short stories and novels. His first novel, Carrie, was published in 1974 and became an immediate success. This was followed by a series of other successful books, such as ‘The Shining,’ ‘Pet Sematary,’ and ‘It.’

King’s influence on literature and culture is undeniable. He has won numerous awards for his writing, including the National Book Award for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters and the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement. He continues to be a powerful force in literature, inspiring generations of readers with his thought-provoking stories.

Stephen King was serving as the writer in residence at the University of Maine when he wrote the story of ‘Pet Sematary.’ When speaking about the novel, he cited his surroundings as the primary source of inspiration. His residence was near a large road, he noted, where he saw more than one pet get hit by a car.

One of his child’s pets was killed on the same road, and King used that as a piece of inspiration to craft the basic premise of ‘Pet Sematary.’ One of the first plot elements of note occurs when the characters’ cat, Church, is killed by a truck. This is followed soon after by the death of the family’s child in the same manner. After resurrecting the cat in the mysterious pet cemetery, the family decides to take their son there as well.

King completed the first draft of the novel in 1979. 

Books Related to Pet Sematary

Stephen King’s 1983 novel ‘Pet Sematary’ is considered one of the most important and influential horror novels of all time. It has spawned numerous adaptations and spin-offs that have kept it in the public eye over the years, including the 2019 film adaptation directed by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer.

Outside of King’s own works, there are several other books related to ‘Pet Sematary’ that have been written by other authors. One of the more popular ones is Neil Gaiman’s ‘The Graveyard Book,’ which tells the story of a boy who is adopted by a graveyard after his family is killed.

Other less obviously connected novels include Victor LaValle’s ‘The Ballad of Black Tom’ (which was inspired by a story by H.P. Lovecraft) dives into similar concepts of death and resurrection. Similarly, Mary SanGiovanni’s ‘The Hollower’ takes readers on a journey into an ancient evil that lurks beneath a small town. Readers might also be interested in exploring some other Stephen King classics, including ‘The Shining,’ ‘Carrie,’ and ‘The Stand.’

Legacy of Pet Sematary