What might have happened instead?
Personally, I think Carrie and Tommy Ross could have become a couple, but that still leaves the question of Margaret White as she was preparing to murder her daughter anyhow.
I don't think it could have worked out. Carrie was simply too shy and Ross would have gotten tired of it after about a month.
shareI don’t think she was that shy. She seemed to want to talk to people, and do things, but obeying her mother, and her religious teachings just lead to her being socially underdeveloped.
When Carrie finally rebels and goes to the prom, just look how much she comes out of her shell in just a few hours. Just imagine what she could be like in a few weeks or a few months, with a few real friends such as Tommy and Sue, who are supportive, and. It constantly telling her that everything is a sin.
I’m not sure how well a romance would’ve worked, just because he was already dating sue, and it wouldn’t be good for her to burn that bridge when she was one of her biggest supporters. But there was still some chemistry there. I think a friendship would’ve been better.
^I think this as well.. all Carrie needed was some close besties and some stability in her life and she coulda made it and done great things. That's what bums me out more than anything, Carrie was a great person and very smart, she had potential to do anything but her loon of a mom ruined it.
That woulda been the main thing: how could she have gotten away from that hell hole? I guess if Sue or Tommy had wanted they coulda helped her move out, Carrie was 16 and coulda been old enough to be a legal adult. If the mom contested all they woulda had to do is bring up her abuse and the mom's history and she woulda lost..
That's what bums me out every time I watch this.. Carrie was just a few big steps away from a successful life yet fate and those morons didn't allow it.
I don't think Tommy and Carrie would have become a couple because as you mentioned, Tommy was already dating Sue. But, Sue and Tommy would probably have introduced Carrie to other people. Carrie was a senior and would probably move out from Margaret's house soon after graduation.
shareThis question is raised by the PE teacher in the movie. "And after the prom?" Yeah. When and how is Tommy supposed to explain that this was an enjoyable act of kindness/friendship but he's actually still dating and in love with Sue?
I'm thinking it would have required a follow-up activity. "Thank you for going to the prom with me. I enjoyed getting to know you better, Carrie. I know you know that I'm romantically involved with Sue, but we both want to be friends with you. Could the three of us go bowling Friday night, maybe?"
Yeah I agree with this. I really liked how this aspect of the arrangement was portrayed in the Made for TV version with Angela Bettis. In that version Carrie tells Tommy she knows he's not interested in her romantically but thanks him for being so nice to her and you get the impression they could've been friends when it was over.
shareGreat examinations there.
One point though is that Tommy was beginning to fall for Carrie. This was also evident in the novel. So had Carrie and Tommy survived, Carrie's friendship with Sue would have been complicated - even more so in the original novel due to Sue being pregnant to Tommy.
Carrie and Tommy would have been Prom King and Prom Queen, Carrie would have realized she had more friends in the school than she originally thought (aside from Norma, Chris, Billy and those other two boys (whoever they were)). Tommy and Carrie were there as friends so Tommy was still in a relationship with Sue but I could have seen them becoming friends. As for Margaret she was still batshit insane and I do think she would have still pulled the stunt with the knife and either Carrie would have retaliated and killed her or ran away and gotten help. Regardless Carrie would not have been suicidal by that point and she most certainly would have been removed from the household at that point and would have gone on to live a semi-normal life (assuming her foster parents weren't abusive) and things would have worked well for her.
The thing is if Carrie had had more self confidence after the blood incident she would have realized that pretty much the entire crowd thought the whole prank was disgusting and cruel and she would have received so much sympathy from her peers while Chris and Norma would have lost a lot of friends (and if it could have been proven that they were the ones who did it then both of them along with Billy and those other two boys would probably have been arrested). Unfortunately Carrie didn't have that self confidence so she allowed her powers to control her and everyone ended up dying.
Great thoughts there. I never thought about the prospect of Billy and Chris being caught for the prank had they all lived. I guess that would have been likely since Sue saw the rope and bucket and could have easily deduced that it was Chris and Billy behind the stunt. While those two would have denied their role, Chris's friend surely would have folded under pressure and gave the pair up.
Unfortunately for Carrie, I think her demise may have been inevitable. Either way she would have returned home to be severly stabbed by her mother.
BUT then again, her mother attacked her while Carrie's guard was down, as she was looking to be comforted - so perhaps if Carrie hadn't lost her mind at the Prom she would not have needed her mother for comfort while allowing herself to be vulnerable to an attack.
Yeah Sue definitely knew it was Chris and Billy under the stage and she certainly told Mrs. Collins, now Mrs. Collins didn't believe her at first when she threw her out of the gym but after the pigs blood fell Mrs. Collins would totally believe Sue.
Now considering how closely the movie follows the book I am going to assume that Tommy died when the bucket hit him (he died from that in the book), so even if Carrie hadn't torched the gym Chris and Billy would have been arrested for manslaughter and gone to jail for at least 5 years. (This is assuming the law couldn't do anything about them dumping blood on Carrie). Sue's boyfriend was dead and there was no way she would ever not rat out Chris and Billy. (Norma and those other two boys probably would have been on the hook for a misdemeanor).
Yes you're right, I completely forgot that Sue saw Chris and Billy behind the bandstand.
Yes, you're right there too. In the book it was implied that Tommy died - if I remember correctly when some student yelled that Tommy wasn't breathing.
So within the other scenario of Tommy dying but Carrie not turning homicidal, she would have returned home and very likely still sought comfort from her Momma, leaving her vulnerable to the same fatal attack.
Yes absolutely: If the prank happened but Carrie didn't torch the gym Chris and Billy would have gone to jail for manslaughter while the other 3 may have been looking at a misdemeanor. Carrie still would have gone home and the entire incident with her mother still would have happened, Carrie still would have been able to defend herself but whether she would have wanted to kill herself afterwards is debatable
If the prank had been stopped Carrie would have earned a lot of sympathy and compassion from her peers and Chris most certainly would have been expelled (whether criminal charges would have been pressed is debatable) and would have lost most of her friends. The incident with her mother would still have happened but Carrie would have been able to defend herself even more since she wasn't emotionally vulnerable. She would have been able to claim self defense and would have ended up in a foster home for a few years before coming of legal age. Then she probably could have gotten a job sewing and would have been able to live a semi-normal life after receiving some very intense therapy for her years of abuse.
I would demand some type of medical explanation for what that could be!
sharePaint. Glue.
shareShe might have made a friend at least with Sue (who seemed to feel genuine remorse).
Carrie still looses her emotionally-mentally unstable mother still but she gains people who laugh WITH her in activities like going to the movies, parties and college.
Because Carrie is no longer being tormented by mom she is a happier and well rounded person who is actually pretty nice to be around Tommy decides Carrie is pretty after all not out of pity but he likes her.