Man With a Belly
"Man With a Belly" | |||
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Short story by Stephen King | |||
Country | United States | ||
Language | English | ||
Genre(s) | Crime short story | ||
Publication | |||
Published in | Cavalier | ||
Publisher | Fawcett Publications | ||
Media type | |||
Publication date | 1978 | ||
Chronology | |||
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"Man With a Belly" is a short story by Stephen King. It was published in Cavalier in December 1978.[1]
Plot summary
The story opens with John Bracken, a
After a violent struggle, Bracken rapes Norma in the park, then passes on Correzente's message that he now considers "that all debts are paid and there is honor again". Norma subsequently persuades Bracken to escort her to her secret second apartment, where they have consensual sex. Afterwards, Norma sets out her hatred of Correzente. The following day, Norma offers Bracken $100,000 (equivalent to $467,000 in 2023) of her own money to impregnate her so she can trick Correzente into believing she is giving him an heir, leaving her free to gamble (and enabling her to "kill him with the truth" in the future). Bracken agrees to the deal, and 10 weeks later Norma tests positive on a pregnancy test.
Seven months later, Correzente's
Publication
One of a series of stories that King submitted to
Reception
Rocky Wood considers that the story "has some plot holes and is somewhat unsatisfying"[8] but felt that "all three main characters are conceptually interesting and the storyline bold".[9] Tyson Blue considers the story to lack "King's trademark characteristics of good storytelling and characterization".[10] Patrick McAleer suggests that the story "serves as an example of [King's] critical eye on social and cultural norms".[11] Stephen J. Spignesi notes the story as an example of King's "forays into the 'crime story' genre".[12] Michael R. Collings describes "Man With a Belly" as "a tale of murder and revenge, with over-tones of gangster society that foreshadows Thinner's Ginelli".[13]
See also
Notes
- ^ "A man with a belly" is a Sicilian idiom for a Mafia chief.[2] Michael R. Collings and David Engebretson interpret the phrase as referring to "a proud, willful man".[3]
References
- ^ StephenKing.com. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-4481-0690-5.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-930261-03-0.
- ISBN 978-0-2749-7795-6.
- ISBN 978-0-7603-7682-9.
- ISBN 978-1-4766-9010-0.
- ISBN 978-1-4766-1745-9.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-8546-8.
- ISBN 978-1-892950-59-8.
- ISBN 978-1-55742-072-5.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-8518-5.
- ISBN 978-1-5607-5018-5.
- ISBN 978-0-930261-80-1.