Word Processor of the Gods

“Word Processor of the Gods” by Stephen King is a science-fiction short story set in a world where objects can affect reality. The story deals with themes like The Corrupting Nature of Power, The Dangers of Technology, and Regret and Cowardice. First published in Playboy in 1983, the story reappeared in his 1985 short story collection, Skeleton Crew. It was adapted for an episode of Tales from the Darkside in 1984.

Stephen King is one of the world’s best-known horror and fantasy writers. He became a commercial and critical success after his novel Carrie was published in 1973, and he has gone on to publish 65 novels and dozens of short stories. “Word Processor of the Gods” incorporates many of King’s recurring themes and motifs, including a writer protagonist, childhood bullies, domestic violence and discontent, and technological horrors.

This study guide refers to the story as it appears in the 1986 Signet edition of Skeleton Crew. The story appears on pages 283-302.

Told from a third-person limited view, the main character and protagonist, Richard Hagstrom, is a jaded and disillusioned man who is dissatisfied with his life. He thinks his brother Roger Hagstrom has a perfect life and often daydreams about being him. He especially envies Roger and Belinda’s son, Jonathan, whom he views as the ideal child. While his own son, Seth, is lazy, rude, and disrespectful, Jonathan is kind, considerate, and extremely smart, as he has a knack for tinkering with technology and winning science fairs. Richard also resents his wife, Lina, whom he views as fat, lazy, and unkind, as she constantly belittles him for the choices he made that got them where they are today. His resentful relationship with his wife pushes him further into wanting Belinda and Jonathan as his family instead.

It is soon revealed that Roger’s entire family was killed in a car crash due to Roger’s drunk driving. Just before his death, Jon had been working on fixing up an old word processor for his uncle, as Richard enjoys writing despite not being able to make a career out of it—another point of contention between him and Lina. Richard discovers the old word processor Jon left behind, and his neighbor, Nordhoff helps him bring it home, much to Lina’s ire. He finally sets it down in his study, plugs it in, and starts inspecting it.

Almost immediately, the processor comes to life and displays the words, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UNCLE RICHARD! JON” (288), which startles Richard as his birthday is in a week and Jon died two weeks earlier. As he reaches to turn it off, he hesitates and decides to inspect it a little more. He looks at the back and discovers the various parts that Jon put together, admiring his nephew’s creation. He also reflects on how he always wanted to own a word processor but never got around to buying one. Richard presses the “EXECUTE” button while quietly musing over its various meanings, as well as his relationship with his brother and Belinda, whom they both dated in high school. He then types, “MY BROTHER WAS A WORTHLESS DRUNK” (290) as he recalls Roger’s cruel and intimidating nature, which Richard could never stand up to.

Richard looks around his room and focuses on a picture of his wife that she gave him as a gift, which he does not like. He types, “MY WIFE’S PHOTOGRAPH HANGS ON THE WEST WALL OF MY STUDY” (291), then presses the DELETE button. He then looks up and, to his astonishment, sees that the portrait has disappeared. He then recalls how Nordhoff mentioned the incredible feats of which kids are capable while noticing the smoke coming from the word processor. Despite knowing that he should turn it off, he keeps it on and types, “MY WIFE’S PORTRAIT IS ON THE WALL” followed by the EXECUTE key (291). Just like the first time, the words he typed into the machine become a reality, and his wife’s portrait reappears.

He begins to type other mundane and harmless statements, like writing about and finding a pouch with 12 gold coins on the floor. The machine then displays the word OVERLOAD, and Richard shuts off the word processor. He calls Nordhoff and invites him to his house to show him the word processor and its strange-yet-mighty power. Nordhoff declines, but not before he tells Richard to be careful.

Richard goes back to the machine, but before he turns it on, he begins to recall unpleasant memories of Roger’s and his family’s deaths. He also remembers his childhood with Roger, who bullied, beat, and destroyed his things, like his Magic 8 Ball. As he ponders Jon’s intentions and his gift’s purpose, he hears Seth and his friends mocking and belittling him. He types “MY SON IS SETH ROBERT HAGSTROM” (296) and then presses the DELETE button, instantly erasing any trace of Seth. Convincing himself that he didn’t murder his son but merely “deleted” him from existence, he goes inside the house and finds that there is not a single trace left of Seth.

He worries about his wife’s reaction when she gets home from her bingo game, but he finds that she too was affected by the word processor’s power, as she is much larger than before. He then realizes that deleting his son had no effect on Roger and his family, which prompts him to delete his wife as well. As the word processor begins to break down, he quickly types that Belinda and Jon are his wife and son. Before he has a chance to write something else, he hears Jon’s voice calling him “dad” and asking if he wants some hot cocoa that Belinda made. The two head inside the house, nonchalantly laughing along the way.