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Christine “Chris” Hargensen
Ralph, Carrie’s father, is the late husband of Margaret White. He was known in Chamberlain for being mean and intimidating, always carrying around a Bible and a revolver wherever he went. The narration heavily implies that he was abusive to Margaret and pressured her into sex despite Margaret’s desire to stay celibate, an act that led to Carrie’s conception. It is highly likely that Ralph was a carrier of the “TK gene,” which caused Carrie’s telekinetic abilities. Ralph dies in a gruesome construction before Carrie’s birth.
Ralph White Quotes in Carrie
The Carrie quotes below are all either spoken by Ralph White or refer to Ralph White. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 2: Pages 238-277
Quotes
“I almost killed myself […] And Ralph wept and talked about atonement and I didn’t and then he was dead and the I thought God had visited me with cancer; that He was turning my female parts into something as black and rotten as my sinning soul. But that would have been too easy. The Lord works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. I see that now. When the pains began I went and got a knife—this knife”—she held it up—“and waited for you to come so I could make my sacrifice. But I was weak and backsliding. I took this knife in hand again when you were three, and I backslid again. So now that devil has come home.”
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Carrie LitChart as a printable PDF.
Ralph White Quotes in Carrie
The Carrie quotes below are all either spoken by Ralph White or refer to Ralph White. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 2: Pages 238-277
Quotes
“I almost killed myself […] And Ralph wept and talked about atonement and I didn’t and then he was dead and the I thought God had visited me with cancer; that He was turning my female parts into something as black and rotten as my sinning soul. But that would have been too easy. The Lord works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. I see that now. When the pains began I went and got a knife—this knife”—she held it up—“and waited for you to come so I could make my sacrifice. But I was weak and backsliding. I took this knife in hand again when you were three, and I backslid again. So now that devil has come home.”
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
