Structure

Like most short stories, “Suffer the Little Children” by Stephen King has a few characters and a single-event plot: a teacher discovers (or believes that she discovers) that one of her pupils is actually a monster who has taken over the body of the real boy.

Title

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Middle

The middle of the story presents a detailed narrative of Miss Sidley’s interactions with her students.

The element of intrigue is introduced when Miss Sidley catches a glimpse of Robert looking like some strange creature: “She caught just a flicker of it, just a frightening glimpse of Robert's face changing into something ...different.” (p. 2, ll. 7-9)

It also becomes clear that there is a conflict between Robert and the teacher because Miss Sidley finds his attitude rude and smug.

The rising action develops the intrigue of the story. Miss Sidley becomes obsessed with what she thinks she saw and even has a nightmare about Robert: “But before she saw exactly what it was changing into, darkness overtook her. Miss Sidley spent an unrestful night...” (p. 2, ll. 60-62)

An important tension point is introduced when Miss Sidley sees two girls transforming into something else in the girls’ bathroom and she subsequently faints: “They seemed to elongate, to flow like dripping tallow, taking on strange hunched shapes that made Miss Sidley cringe back against the porcelain washstands, her heart swelling in her chest.” (p. 3, ll. 65-69)

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Ending

The ending includes the falling action in which we find out Miss Sidley is sent to a mental institution without a trial: “The State Legislature called for more stringent teacher exams, Summer Street School closed for a week of mourning, and Miss Sidley went quietly to juniper Hill in Augusta.” (p. 7, ll. 19-22)

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