Brooke Martin
In the 1976 film adaptation of Stephen King's horror novel, Carrie, Margaret White, the abusive and religiously fanatical mother of the titular character, fills her house with thousands of lit candles. This occurs after Carrie has unleashed her telekinetic powers at the prom, killing almost everyone there. The candles serve as a chilling backdrop to the film's climax, in which Margaret, driven by her delusional beliefs, attempts to murder her daughter, believing her to be possessed by Satan.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Candles | Lit by Margaret White, Carrie's mother, all over the house |
| --- | Used to set the mood and create a sense of suspense |
| --- | Symbolize Margaret's delusional and unstable religious fanaticism |
| --- | Foreshadow the violent and bloody events to come |
| --- | Carrie is covered in blood from the events at the prom |
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What You'll Learn
- The candles are lit by Margaret White, Carrie's mother, after Carrie unleashes her powers at the prom
- Margaret believes Carrie is a witch and recalls Exodus 22:18 (Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live)
- Margaret stabs Carrie in the back with a butcher knife, intending to kill the sin
- The candles are present in the house when Margaret tells Carrie about the night she was conceived
- The candles go out when Margaret throws her drink in Carrie's face
The candles are lit by Margaret White, Carrie's mother, after Carrie unleashes her powers at the prom
The candles in Carrie are a significant symbol, representing Margaret White's extreme religious fanaticism and her belief that her daughter, Carrie, is possessed by evil and must be purified.
After Carrie unleashes her telekinetic powers at the prom, destroying the high school and everything else in the town, Margaret, a deeply religious and delusional woman, becomes convinced that her daughter is a witch. This belief is reinforced by her interpretation of Exodus 22:18, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live", which she takes as a commandment to kill Carrie. As Carrie returns home, Margaret fills the house with thousands of lit candles, creating a sinister and ritualistic atmosphere. The candles symbolise Margaret's descent into madness and her conviction that she must perform a purification ritual to save her daughter's soul.
The candles also serve as a stark contrast to the blood that covers Carrie after the violent events of the prom. As Carrie enters the house, the candles illuminate her blood-soaked appearance, emphasising the horror and tragedy of the moment.
Furthermore, the candles can be seen as a representation of Margaret's attempt to create a sacred space for her deadly act of purification. By filling the house with candles, Margaret is not only symbolically cleansing the space but also creating an eerie and otherworldly atmosphere that reflects her disturbed mental state.
The lighting of the candles is a prelude to Margaret's attempt on Carrie's life, as she stabs her daughter in the back while leading her in the Lord's Prayer. Ultimately, the candles become a macabre backdrop to the final confrontation between mother and daughter, where both are driven by their powers and a twisted sense of righteousness.
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Margaret believes Carrie is a witch and recalls Exodus 22:18 (Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live)
Margaret White, the mother of Carrie White, is a fictional character created by American author Stephen King in his first published horror novel, Carrie (1974). She is the main antagonist of the story and has an abusive relationship with her daughter, Carrie. Margaret is a delusional and mentally unstable religious fanatic who believes that almost everything is a sin to God, especially anything related to female anatomy or sexual intercourse. She enforces her strict religious beliefs on Carrie, forbidding her from having friends, taking an interest in celebrities or fashion, listening to music, sleeping with a pillow, or taking showers.
Upon learning of Carrie's telekinetic abilities, Margaret becomes convinced that her daughter is a witch and recalls Exodus 22:18 ("Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live"), which she interprets as a commandment to kill Carrie to purify her from sin. This belief is further reinforced by Margaret's view that Carrie's powers are a result of the sinful circumstances of her conception. Margaret believes that she became pregnant with Carrie through marital rape, an act she both hated and enjoyed, reinforcing her perception of sin and corruption.
As Carrie returns home after unleashing her powers at the prom, Margaret has lit thousands of candles throughout the house. She tells Carrie about the night she was conceived, reinforcing the idea of sin and impurity. Driven by her interpretation of Exodus 22:18, Margaret stabs her daughter in the back, fully intending to kill her. However, Carrie uses her telekinetic powers to fight back, resulting in a chilling confrontation between mother and daughter.
The candles in the scene hold symbolic significance, representing Margaret's fanaticism and her attempt to purify Carrie through religious ritual. The flickering flames also foreshadow the impending violence and the fiery destruction that Carrie will bring upon her home and the entire town. Ultimately, the candles create an eerie atmosphere, highlighting the intense and unstable relationship between Margaret and Carrie.
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Margaret stabs Carrie in the back with a butcher knife, intending to kill the sin
Margaret stabs Carrie in the back with a butcher knife, intending to "kill the sin". This is a reference to Margaret's deeply held religious beliefs, which cause her to see sin everywhere, especially in relation to female anatomy and sexual intercourse. She believes that her daughter Carrie is a witch and recalls Exodus 22:18 ("Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live"), which she interprets as a command to kill Carrie to purify her.
Margaret's abusive behaviour towards Carrie is driven by these beliefs. She beats her, slaps her, and locks her in a "prayer" closet, sometimes for days at a time without food, water, or bathroom breaks. Margaret also imposes her beliefs on Carrie, forbidding her from having friends, listening to music, sleeping with a pillow, or taking showers.
When Carrie gets her first period, Margaret refuses to discuss menstruation with her, causing Carrie to believe she is dying. Margaret refers to menstruation as the "Curse of Blood" and claims it is the result of Carrie's sexual sin. This is despite the fact that Margaret herself had premarital sex with her husband, Ralph White, which she deeply regretted and tried to induce a miscarriage afterward.
The candles in the story also tie into Margaret's religious fanaticism. When Carrie returns home after the prom, Margaret has lit thousands of candles all over the house. She tells Carrie about the night she was conceived by marital rape, then stabs her in the back while leading her in the Lord's Prayer, convinced that Satan has taken control of her daughter.
The candles in this scene may symbolize Margaret's religious fervour and her attempt to purify Carrie through violence and death. The blood that covers Carrie after she is stabbed may also be seen as a symbolic cleansing, as it occurs after Margaret's attempt to "kill the sin" in her daughter.
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The candles are present in the house when Margaret tells Carrie about the night she was conceived
In the story of Carrie, Margaret White is an abusive, delusional, and mentally unstable religious fanatic who believes that almost everything is a sin to God, especially when related to female anatomy or sexual intercourse. She is the main antagonist in the story and has an extremely toxic relationship with her daughter, Carrie.
After Carrie returns home from the prom, where she has unleashed her telekinetic powers, she finds her mother, Margaret, has lit thousands of candles all over the house. Margaret then tells Carrie about the night she was conceived through marital rape and attempts to kill her, stabbing her in the back with a butcher knife.
The candles in Carrie's house could represent a few different things. Firstly, they could symbolize Margaret's religious fanaticism and her belief that Carrie is a witch and a sin that must be purified. The candles may be seen as a way for Margaret to "cleanse" the house and herself after Carrie's display of powers, which Margaret views as evil and sinful.
Additionally, the candles could represent the tension and danger present in the scene. The house filled with candles creates an eerie and ominous atmosphere, foreshadowing the violent confrontation between Margaret and Carrie. The candles may also symbolize Margaret's mental instability and the darkness that resides within her, as she paces in the kitchen with a butcher knife before confronting her daughter.
The candles may also be seen as a stark contrast to the darkness that Carrie feels within herself after the events at the prom. Covered in blood and having caused destruction and death, Carrie returns home to a house filled with light, representing the complexity of their relationship and the conflicting emotions within both characters.
The presence of the candles in the house during this pivotal scene between Margaret and Carrie highlights the complex dynamics of their relationship and the underlying themes of religion, sin, and mental instability within the story.
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The candles go out when Margaret throws her drink in Carrie's face
In the 1976 film adaptation of Stephen King's novel, Carrie, Margaret throws her drink in Carrie's face when the latter tells her about the prom. This act of aggression symbolically represents the tumultuous relationship between the two characters, with Margaret's drink extinguishing the two candles and casting the room into darkness.
The candles in Carrie's house are lit after she returns home from the prom, where she has unleashed her telekinetic powers, killing almost everyone. The candles are part of a ritualistic setting, as Margaret, driven by her religious fanaticism, believes Carrie to be possessed by Satan and in need of purification.
The candles, in this context, represent Margaret's delusional and unstable state of mind, as well as her warped interpretation of religion. They also foreshadow the violent confrontation that is to come, as Margaret intends to stab her daughter to death.
The extinguishing of the candles by Margaret's drink, therefore, serves as a pivotal moment in the narrative. It symbolises the culmination of Margaret's abusive and controlling behaviour towards Carrie, which has been building throughout the story. The darkness that follows reflects the moral ambiguity and emotional turmoil that defines their relationship.
This scene also foreshadows the eventual outcome of their confrontation. The candles going out suggests a loss of innocence and hope, mirroring the tragic end that awaits both characters.
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Frequently asked questions
The candles in Carrie represent Margaret's delusional and fanatical religious beliefs.
Margaret White is Carrie's mother and the main antagonist of the story.
Margaret has lit thousands of candles all over the house. She tells Carrie about the night she was conceived and tries to kill her.
Carrie, covered in blood from the events at the prom, comes home and finds the rooms filled with lighted candles. She washes the blood away and bursts into tears.
Yes, in one scene, Carrie tells Margaret about the prom, and Margaret throws her drink in Carrie's face, extinguishing two candles and darkening the room.
