the best Stephen King quote

Stephen King’s writing has stood the test of time, and 44 years later, a Gordie LaChance line from The Body remains the author’s best quote. Since he published his first book in 1973, King has made a name for himself as not just the “King of Horror” but as a brilliant writer who can handle just about any genre. Additionally, he has so much to say about life and the human condition, which he weaves into his stories.

The best quotes from Stephen King books contribute to the story being told but also transcend the confines of the page, relaying an important message to the readers. Frankly, the author has put out so many novels, novellas, and short stories that over a dozen options could claim the title as the number one quote of all time. Because of the difficulty selecting one, multiple honorable mentions exist.

The Stand, which has been brought to the screen twice with a third Stephen King adaptation on the way,features a powerful statement from Glen Bateman about how quickly a small group can go from creating society to creating warfare. “That wasn't any act of God. That was an act of pure human f*ckery” also feels particularly impactful in our increasingly chaotic world. The novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption has the line, “Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'.” It feels like the perfect reminder that life isn’t going to wait around. The IT quote, “We lie best when we lie to ourselves,” also rings true.

Meanwhile, The Dark Tower series includes heavy hitters, like, “And would I tell you that they lived happily ever after? I would not. For no one ever really does. But they did live. And there was happiness.” It’s sad, but true. The quote “Go then, there are other worlds than these” has a beautiful second meaning about letting go of the past and moving forward. As a Stephen King fan, I truly struggled to pick a single line. However, the one that stands out 44 years later as Stephen King’s best comes from Gordie Lachance in The Body.

Gordie LaChance Speaks A Hard Truth In The Body
The Body by Stephen King - Book Cover Art
The Body by Stephen King - Book Cover Art
Stephen King’s novella The Body, which became the basis for the author-approved Stand By Me movie, was originally published as a long-form short story in Different Seasons. The bittersweet coming-of-age story is technically a work of fiction, but King has said, “‘The Body’ remains the only nakedly autobiographical story I’ve ever done” (via The New York Times). With that in mind, it’s no surprise that his writing in the novella has a vulnerable and intimate side. This starts with the profound opening.

The line gets shortened down to: “The most important things are the hardest things to say.” This isn’t necessarily inaccurate. It maintains the surface-level meaning of the whole quote. However, the full statement is so much more profound.

“The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them—words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they’re brought out. But it’s more than that, isn’t it? The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away. And you may make revelations that cost you dearly only to have people look at you in a funny way, not understanding what you’ve said at all, or why you thought it was so important that you almost cried while you were saying it. That’s the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller but for want of an understanding ear.”

From a story perspective, Gordie LaChance’s opening quote tells us a lot about the character. He’s hiding his deepest feelings in fear of judgment, even from his closest friends. He, Chris, Teddy, and Vern trust each other more than the adults in their lives. Still, they have a tough time opening up about their worst traumas, with these disclosures happening in sudden moments. Gordie also holds the story of his childhood close to his “sacred heart.” It’s clear to him that the limitless story he wants to tell will be diminished when shared with the reader.

However, the Stephen King quote in The Body also speaks to a reality that’s often ineffable. Some experiences and thoughts are too hard to speak out loud because they relay emotions that can be scary to voice. Even if we manage to speak the vulnerable things that we hold inside, it puts us in a terrifying position. There’s a fundamental fear that others will misunderstand us or twist our words.

Ultimately, the quote in The Body captures a tragedy that no other author has conveyed so beautifully, heartbreakingly, and honestly. For this reason, Gordie LaChance’s narration at the start of The Body remains the most meaningful Stephen King quote in any of his fiction.