(WARNING: FULL SPOILERS FOR THE NOVEL AND SERIES, 11/22/63, FOLLOW)
I cannot even recount how many times I have recommended the novel 11/22/63 to someone. It struck me in such a way, that I had truly felt that it was I who was sent back into the early 1960s and asked to spend a few years in the past. When I first heard of Hulu's adaptation of the novel in September 2014, I eagerly awaited further announcements, casting details, and most of all, the release date. The series premiered this year in February and just wrapped up last week. I will admit that like any book lover, I was constantly repeating a line that Miss Sadie Dunhill says in the first episode of the series, "the book's always better." However, the finale of 11.22.63 struck that same string inside of me, and plucked harder on that string than the words of the novel were able to. The changes that I had been so particular about had finally made sense to me, and successfully brought about what the story is truly about. Despite the misleading title of both the novel and the series, this is not a story about saving the 35th President of the United States; it is much more than that. At it's heart, 11.22.63 is a love story.
During the first few episodes, I was frustrated with some of the decisions made in Hulu's adaptation because I felt that not only were some of the scenes so memorable in the novel (Jake's first few actions when he appears in 1958 and his time in Derry) but also played a part in the idea of the past repeating itself. Take for instance when Richie from the Ditchie and Bevvie from the Levee are dancing to Glenn Miller's 'In the Mood,' the theme song in the novel for Jake and Sadie's love (136-145). (Sadly, the song was not included in the adaptation because of it's rhythm, but I appreciated Jake and Sadie dancing to 'Little Brown Jug', another Miller tune.) There were so many scenes that demonstrated this idea, and their exclusions did not make sense at the time, but now that the series has finished, they certainly do. 11.22.63 is about the past repeating itself, but in a different way than the novel. In the novel, history just repeats itself over again in different forms. The series takes this approach as well, but it's not history that is caught in a loop, it becomes the time-traveler himself, Jake, Al, or the Yellow Card Man, who finds the past acting obdurate. The Yellow Card Man warns Jake in the final episode that by continuing to pursue his love interest, Sadie, he creates his own loop, because by being in a relationship with her, she is always destined to die. I preferred this idea of being caught in a loop over the strings of time featured in the novel. King's approach seemed a little too technical, while the adaptation's was more believable and allowed the true story to shine.
I only wish that the series had presented more of the tender moments, not only between Jake and Sadie, but between Jake and the people of Jodie. The entire scene where Jake and Sadie chaperoned the dance seemed too rushed and their dance felt too much like a tease of what could have been because of Jake's sudden departure. His time as an English teacher and his relationship with Deke, Miz Mimi, and the students was not highlighted as well as it could have been, and during this time the Kennedy story began to overshadow what the story is truly about. In the novel, Jake fell in love with Sadie and the town of Jodie. He was admired by the students and teachers for his ability to bring out the best in the students and as he states in the novel, he loved them all and continues to love them when he returns to the present (616). His brilliance as a mentor and teacher is featured in a memorable production of Of Mice and Men, where Jake nurtures the talent of Mike Coslaw, a football star, whose portrayal of Lennie delivers an emotional response from every character in the audience. Miz Mimi tells Jake that “What you did with Mike Coslaw—what you did for Mike Coslaw—was the most amazing and wonderful thing I’ve ever seen” (329). He deeply cares for Mike (325) and claims that seeing him develop his talent is the best thing about teaching, and that there is no other feeling on Earth like it (322). In the series, his relationship with his students, passion for teaching, and his abilities as a teacher are never fully explored.
He embraces life and the people in Jodie. While describing the town, Jake states: “And Jodie was good—good for me. In Derry I was an outsider, but Jodie was home [...] Home is watching the moon rise over the open, sleeping land and having someone you can call to the window, so you can look together. Home is where you dance with others, and dancing is life” (398-399). Jake finds love with the community of Jodie in the novel. This is where the series tends to be a little weak because it does not capture the same essence of Jake's passion for Jodie. Although there is a comment referring to the play, I just wish there was one more episode that just featured Jodie as Jodie. King created an amazing town and memorable residents and they are portrayed very well in the series, but they should have been given more time to show that Jake is losing both Sadie and the people of Jodie. When Mike visits Jake's home because he is so nervous about the play, Jake claims "it was when I stopped living in the past and just started living" (318). Jake is essentially a man out of place in the 21st century and a man out of place in the 1960's, but he finds his true home with the people of Jodie.
The series features two poems. One is shown in episode 4, The Eyes of Texas, when Jake leaves it as a note in Sadie's mailbox at school. This poem is W.B. Yeats' "When You Are Old". A more fitting poem could not have been used to fit the relationship between Jake and Sadie:
I cannot even recount how many times I have recommended the novel 11/22/63 to someone. It struck me in such a way, that I had truly felt that it was I who was sent back into the early 1960s and asked to spend a few years in the past. When I first heard of Hulu's adaptation of the novel in September 2014, I eagerly awaited further announcements, casting details, and most of all, the release date. The series premiered this year in February and just wrapped up last week. I will admit that like any book lover, I was constantly repeating a line that Miss Sadie Dunhill says in the first episode of the series, "the book's always better." However, the finale of 11.22.63 struck that same string inside of me, and plucked harder on that string than the words of the novel were able to. The changes that I had been so particular about had finally made sense to me, and successfully brought about what the story is truly about. Despite the misleading title of both the novel and the series, this is not a story about saving the 35th President of the United States; it is much more than that. At it's heart, 11.22.63 is a love story.
During the first few episodes, I was frustrated with some of the decisions made in Hulu's adaptation because I felt that not only were some of the scenes so memorable in the novel (Jake's first few actions when he appears in 1958 and his time in Derry) but also played a part in the idea of the past repeating itself. Take for instance when Richie from the Ditchie and Bevvie from the Levee are dancing to Glenn Miller's 'In the Mood,' the theme song in the novel for Jake and Sadie's love (136-145). (Sadly, the song was not included in the adaptation because of it's rhythm, but I appreciated Jake and Sadie dancing to 'Little Brown Jug', another Miller tune.) There were so many scenes that demonstrated this idea, and their exclusions did not make sense at the time, but now that the series has finished, they certainly do. 11.22.63 is about the past repeating itself, but in a different way than the novel. In the novel, history just repeats itself over again in different forms. The series takes this approach as well, but it's not history that is caught in a loop, it becomes the time-traveler himself, Jake, Al, or the Yellow Card Man, who finds the past acting obdurate. The Yellow Card Man warns Jake in the final episode that by continuing to pursue his love interest, Sadie, he creates his own loop, because by being in a relationship with her, she is always destined to die. I preferred this idea of being caught in a loop over the strings of time featured in the novel. King's approach seemed a little too technical, while the adaptation's was more believable and allowed the true story to shine.
I only wish that the series had presented more of the tender moments, not only between Jake and Sadie, but between Jake and the people of Jodie. The entire scene where Jake and Sadie chaperoned the dance seemed too rushed and their dance felt too much like a tease of what could have been because of Jake's sudden departure. His time as an English teacher and his relationship with Deke, Miz Mimi, and the students was not highlighted as well as it could have been, and during this time the Kennedy story began to overshadow what the story is truly about. In the novel, Jake fell in love with Sadie and the town of Jodie. He was admired by the students and teachers for his ability to bring out the best in the students and as he states in the novel, he loved them all and continues to love them when he returns to the present (616). His brilliance as a mentor and teacher is featured in a memorable production of Of Mice and Men, where Jake nurtures the talent of Mike Coslaw, a football star, whose portrayal of Lennie delivers an emotional response from every character in the audience. Miz Mimi tells Jake that “What you did with Mike Coslaw—what you did for Mike Coslaw—was the most amazing and wonderful thing I’ve ever seen” (329). He deeply cares for Mike (325) and claims that seeing him develop his talent is the best thing about teaching, and that there is no other feeling on Earth like it (322). In the series, his relationship with his students, passion for teaching, and his abilities as a teacher are never fully explored.
He embraces life and the people in Jodie. While describing the town, Jake states: “And Jodie was good—good for me. In Derry I was an outsider, but Jodie was home [...] Home is watching the moon rise over the open, sleeping land and having someone you can call to the window, so you can look together. Home is where you dance with others, and dancing is life” (398-399). Jake finds love with the community of Jodie in the novel. This is where the series tends to be a little weak because it does not capture the same essence of Jake's passion for Jodie. Although there is a comment referring to the play, I just wish there was one more episode that just featured Jodie as Jodie. King created an amazing town and memorable residents and they are portrayed very well in the series, but they should have been given more time to show that Jake is losing both Sadie and the people of Jodie. When Mike visits Jake's home because he is so nervous about the play, Jake claims "it was when I stopped living in the past and just started living" (318). Jake is essentially a man out of place in the 21st century and a man out of place in the 1960's, but he finds his true home with the people of Jodie.
The series features two poems. One is shown in episode 4, The Eyes of Texas, when Jake leaves it as a note in Sadie's mailbox at school. This poem is W.B. Yeats' "When You Are Old". A more fitting poem could not have been used to fit the relationship between Jake and Sadie:
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
The second stanza stands out in relation to 11.22.63: "How many loved your moments of glad grace, / And loved your beauty with love false or true." During the last episode, the adoration and love people have for Sadie is displayed as she is proclaimed Texas Woman of the Year. Everyone gathered at the ceremony is there for her, and she repeats a beautiful line from the novel: "We never know which lives we influence, or when, or why" (454). She had grown to become an inspiration for so many people and brought happiness to each of their lives. As for "love false or true," her marriage with Johnny Clayton was a love that was not true. Jake "loved the pilgrim soul" in her and "loved the sorrows of [her] changing face." Jake loves Sadie in the 21st century the same way that he loves her in the 60's. He is concerned about her happiness and he is willing to sacrifice his own happiness because he loves her that much. His love for her is prominently featured during the series when he returns to that first day in 1960 and realizes that Sadie is in Lisbon at this time as well. The Yellow Card Man tells Jake that he has created his own loop and that he cannot prevent the death of Sadie if he chooses to be with her. Jake desperately pleas and begs The Yellow Card Man in one of the most emotional moments of the entire series and states that it will be different this time because he will not save the Dunning family or J.F.K. This explicitly makes it clear that at its heart, 11.22.63 is in fact a love story. He claims that they are meant to be together and sadly watches her beautiful face ride off into a life without him. Her face has changed considerably, through age and an attack by her ex-husband, Johnny Clayton. She is left significantly scarred, but the slash upon her face does not change Jake's love for her: "If there is love, smallpox scars are as pretty as dimples. I'll love your face no matter what it looks like. Because it's yours" (580). He believes she is a wonder. And the final stanza demonstrates the tragic love that they experience because Jake leaves the 1960's and paces upon the mountains of time by returning to the 21st century. He hides his face amid a crowd of stars during Sadie's celebration since he is surrounded by all of those whose lives have been affected by Miss Dunhill. His face can also refer to his love because that is what is truly hidden for the sake of her life and her happiness.
The other poem that is read by the older Sadie at the 2016 Jodie Jubilee is an original by Stephen King that was written for the series:
The other poem that is read by the older Sadie at the 2016 Jodie Jubilee is an original by Stephen King that was written for the series:
We did not ask for this room or this music;
We were invited in.
Therefore, because the dark surrounds us,
Let us turn our faces to the light.
Let us endure hardship,
To be grateful for plenty.
We have been given pain to be astounded by joy.
We have been given life to deny death.
We did not ask for this room or this music,
But because we are here,
Let us dance
We were invited in.
Therefore, because the dark surrounds us,
Let us turn our faces to the light.
Let us endure hardship,
To be grateful for plenty.
We have been given pain to be astounded by joy.
We have been given life to deny death.
We did not ask for this room or this music,
But because we are here,
Let us dance
This beautiful poem needs no further analysis. This poem defines Jake's experience throughout the series and a reminder that a great experience in life is "like all sweet dreams, it will be brief...but brevity makes sweetness, doesn't it?" (841). King reinforces the theme of "dancing is life" in the final line of the poem, and after the poem is read, Jake and Sadie have their final dance. I was initially disappointed when 'In the Mood' was not the song that was played at the dance in episode 3 and wondered how effective the final scene was going to be. Well, I must admit, the ending of the series was incredible. When Sadie enters the bungalow in episode 4, the song that is playing is Sam Cooke's 'Nothing Can Change This Love' and the two of them dance. Cooke's song was the perfect inclusion because the King of Soul's lyrics perfectly describe the love they shared and Jake's everlasting love for her. Her appearance, time, or age cannot change the way he loves her. In the concluding moments of the series, Jake requests that the song is played and proceeds to dance with Sadie, who is now a much older woman. Jake smiles the same way as he did when he first danced to the song with Sadie. This dance was one of the most beautiful performances I have ever watched, especially when the older Sadie transforms into the younger Sadie, with Gadon's gorgeous smile, and back again into the older Sadie. She states that she swears she knows him, and asks his who he is. In this moment their love transcends time and the universe itself. It was a love so strong that faint glimmers appear when they are with one another. Jake states that he is someone she knew in another life, and in both the series and the novel, "the music takes [them], the music rolls away the years, and [they] dance" (842) in "a universe of horror and loss surrounding a single lighted stage where mortals dance in defiance of the dark" (616).
-Nicholas Joyce
-Nicholas Joyce