Margaret White
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Margaret White is a fictional character created by Stephen King. She was one of the main characters of his first published novel entitled "Carrie". She was a religiously fanatic mother of a troubled teenage girl who harnessed the terrifying power of telekinesis.
In every adaptation and portrayal of Margaret, she is shown as an almost over-dramatic Christian. Her over-bearing methods are a large factor in her daughter Carrie’s awkwardness, due to her deep beliefs that render almost everything sinful. These beliefs lead to the mental and sometimes physical abuse of Carrie, as well as self-inflicted pain on herself when trying to guilt-trip Carrie into agreeing with her ways. She longed to kill her daughter at several points, sometimes thinking of her as the devil, considering Carrie was conceived from marital rape. Margaret’s husband Ralph White, apparently another heavy-duty Christian, is dead, or has left her, depending on the version.
Contents |
[edit] The Novel
Margaret White |
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| Gender: | Female |
|---|---|
| Status: | Dead |
| Personality: | Heavily religious, paranoid, angry |
| Family: | Ralph White (husband; deceased), Carrie White (daughter; deceased) |
| Town/City based in: | Chamberlain, Maine |
In the novel, Margaret was described as being heavyset woman with white hair, pulled back in a tight bun. She had rimless bifocals, and was usually cloaked in black. She was considered a rather ugly woman. Born Margaret Brigham, her father was killed in a shootout, and she began attending a fundamentalist church group. She hated her mother and step-father, believing that they were living in sin.
In 1960, she met her soon-to-be husband, Ralph White. They married two years later, and the both of them believed it to be sinful to ever have sex, even once married. However, one night, after having come back from the bar, Ralph and she had sex, a bizarre form of marital rape that Margaret hated and loved at the same time. This resulted in the conception of Carrie. However, Margaret was widowed before Carrie could be born, when Ralph was killed while working at a construction site.
Margaret gave birth to Carrie while in her house, without any medical assistance. From then on, she began to scold her daughter for just about anything, believing many things to be sinful. This deeply affected Carrie throughout the years, putting great strain on her. If Margaret believed that Carrie has sinned, she threw her in a specially decorated closet to pray for forgiveness (for example, when Carrie had her first period at the age of 17).
When Carrie was asked to the prom by Tommy Ross, Margaret attempted to stop her from going, but Carrie insisted on trying to fit in, not wanting to be funny anymore. Margaret threw tea in her face, and slapped her, trying to force her to her closet. Carrie instead stopped her mother’s hand in mid-air as she wound up for a second strike. Once Carrie made her own dress, Margaret insisted that they should burn it and pray for forgiveness, but was instead slid out of the room by her daughter’s “unholy” powers.
[edit] 1976 film
 Margaret White |
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| Gender: | Female |
|---|---|
| Status: | Dead |
| Personality: | Heavily religious, paranoid, angry, passionate |
| Family: | Ralph White (husband; missing), Carrie White (daughter; deceased) |
| Town/City based in: | Chamberlain, Maine |
| Portrayed by: | Piper Laurie |
In the original movie adaptation by Brian De Palma, Margaret was shown to be the same controlling mother as the novel, deeply into her religion. However, her appearance was much more pleasant in the film, having curly reddish-brown hair, and a small, slim body, still usually cloaked in black.
Her past history wasn’t explored as it was in the novel, and her husband Ralph was only mentioned briefly. However, it is revealed in the 1999 sequel “The Rage: Carrie 2” that her husband had been alive long enough after apparently leaving Margaret to conceive another child with another woman. Margaret, during the course of the first film, continues to make Carrie feel guilty, and is seemingly very passionate.
When Tommy Ross asks Carrie to the prom, Margaret forbids it, and is thrown against the bed when she attempts to interfere with the it on Prom Night. At that point, she snaps, and once Carrie leaves, she begins lighting dozens of candles, and waits for her daughter’s return, hiding a knife away.
[edit] 2002 Television Movie
 Margaret White |
|
| Gender: | Female |
|---|---|
| Status: | Dead |
| Personality: | Heavily religious, paranoid, angry |
| Family: | Ralph White (husband; possibly deceased), Carrie White (daughter; missing) |
| Town/City based in: | Chamberlain, Maine |
| Portrayed by: | Patricia Clarkson |
The television portrayal of Margaret was similar to the original novel, with the exception of appearance. She was shown as having brown hair, a pale complexion, and a small frame. She’s also slightly less passionate than the other portrayals, and isn’t constantly cloaked in black.
Her past isn’t explored, as in the original film, and her husband isn’t mentioned, but is assumed dead.
When Tommy Ross asks her daughter to go to the prom with him, Margaret shoots down the thought of it right away at dinner. Carrie refuses to give up, resulting in Margaret tossing her tea in Carrie’s face. As she attempts to storm out, Carrie closes the door, and slams the table up onto its side to block the other door, preventing her mother from leaving the room. Carrie then tells Margaret that things are going to change for the better.
Come prom night, Margaret tries once again to prevent her daughter from going to the prom, but is instead sent sliding right out the door by her daughter. Margaret then leaves the house, and spies on her daughter as she leaves in a limo with Tommy, heading for the prom.
[edit] Margaret’s Fate
Each version of what happens to Margaret is different, though sharing some similarities.
[edit] Novel
Margaret met her fate after waiting for Carrie to come home from the prom. While waiting, she seemed to enter a delirious state of mind, grabbing a knife and sharpening it to hide beneath the folds of her dress. Once Carrie arrived home, having caused mass chaos throughout Chamberlain, both were surprised that they each had the intention of killing the other. Margaret made the first move, attempting to stab Carrie in the back after telling her how she was conceived. Carrie moved in time, and the knife was planted up to the hilt in her shoulder instead. Carrie then began to slow down her mother’s heart while Margaret attempted to read out the Lord’s Prayer. Her heart came to a complete stop, and she died.
[edit] 1976 movie
In the first movie version, Carrie comes home after the Prom massacre, and first washes herself in the tub before putting on a nightgown. She is greeted by Margaret, who waits behind the bathroom door for Carrie to step out. After Carrie nestles her head on Margaret’s shoulder, Margaret begins telling her about the night when she was conceived. Finally, she picks up a hidden knife, lifts it up high, and stabs Carrie in the back. She follows Carrie slowly through the house as she attempts to crawl away. Margaret, with a delirious smile on her face, makes a motion with the knife that resembles a cross. Carrie crawls into a corner and attempts to open the closet door, just when Margaret raises her knife once more. Before she can strike though, Carrie uses her telekinetic power to send a knife from the kitchen flying into the room, impaling Margaret’s right hand to the wooden post of a door frame, making her drop her own knife. Several more knives and other kitchen utensils shoot through the air, pinning her other hand to the opposite post, and lodging themselves in her torso and chest. The last knife is sent spinning through the air, right into Margaret’s heart. Margaret dies while lulling her head around and groaning, crucified to the door frame by her daughter, a much different fate then the novel and television movie’s versions.
[edit] 2002 movie
In the television movie version, Margaret steps into the bathroom while Carrie is still in the bathtub. She asks Carrie to recite the "bedtime prayer", but plunges her head underwater. She attempts to drown her daughter, and believes she has succeeded when Carrie stops resisting. Suddenly, Carrie grabs onto her mother's arm and opens her eyes. She slows down her mother's heart, and eventually brings it to a complete stop.
| Carrie (by Stephen King) |
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Novel |
