Morality (novella)
| "Morality" | |
|---|---|
| Author | Stephen King |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | psychological thriller, crime |
| Published in | Esquire, Blockade Billy, The Bazaar of Bad Dreams |
| Publication type | novella |
| Publisher | Esquire, Cemetery Dance, Charles Scribner's Sons |
| Media type | |
| Publication date | July, 2009 |
| Preceded by | "The Bone Church" |
| Followed by | "Afterlife" |
"Morality" is a novella by Stephen King published in the July, 2009 issue of Esquire. It was then included as a bonus story in Blockade Billy, a novella published on May 25, 2010, and later collected and re-introduced in the November 3, 2015 anthology The Bazaar of Bad Dreams. In the latter publication, King revealed that the story was inspired by issues of moral philosophy in his own life, back when he was a struggling student and would occasionally shoplift or write other students' essays (an academic offence) to make ends meet. "Morality" received the 2009 Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novelette.
"Morality" is largely a character study concerning a married couple, Chad and Nora Callahan, who are suffering from financial difficulties brought on by lack of employment and low-paying jobs. While both are seemingly frustrated with the influx of monthly bills and other expenses, they remain largely optimistic about future solutions to solve their money woes. Chad hopes to supplement their income by writing a book based on his experiences as a substitute teacher, while Nora, a nurse, works full-time for a retired reverend named George Winston, who is partially paralyzed and uses a wheelchair after suffering from a stroke.
Nora's time spent with Reverend Winston is largely uneventful, consisting mostly to physical therapy and day-to-day care, until one day Winston propositions Nora with a solution to her monetary problems. Being a reverend, Winston states that he has largely lived his life without sin — though he also states he has not gone completely without it — and seeks to experience one major sin before he passes away. However, given his current condition, he is unable to leave his house, making committing any worthwhile sin impossible without outside aid. This is where Nora comes in, according to Winston, who states that he intends to commit a sin vicariously through Nora's actions, therefore committing "sin by proxy" and effectively "doubl[ing] his sin quotient" in the eyes of God. Winston makes it clear that for Nora's help, and assumption of risk in this deed, he will pay her a total of $200,000 should she accept his offer.
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