Carrie

The last section before the prom focuses on preparations for the event both within the school and outside of it. Principle Grayle and his confidant discuss Chris Hargensen in an ominous manner. Chris’s father has given up his litigation, but Grayel expects that Chris and her boyfriend—Billy Nolan, a known bully—will attempt something insidious at the prom.

An excerpt describes the biology of telekinesis, charting the spread of its gene across generations and comparing it to hemophilia. The excerpt suggests the rarity of the gene achieving dominance in any person and compares those in whom it activates to “female Typhoid Marys” (128).

Sue, helping prepare the gymnasium for the prom, fields questions about why Tommy is taking Carrie rather than her; Sue explains that she feels it will “knock down some of the barriers” and help Carrie experience normality (130). She observes Chris enter the office of the prom committee. An excerpt from Sue’s autobiography suggests that Chris’s singular objective now is “the complete and total destruction of Carrie White” (133).

Chris, out of sight of Sue, uses her connections within the Prom Committee to access the ballots for the prom king and queen, learning that Carrie and Tommy have been nominated.