King has written about the haunted hotel trope more than once in his body of work, further suggesting that other writers working in the same genre should try it at least once. Discuss the possibilities that this trope creates in terms of writing in the horror genre.

King has cited Shirley Jackson, the American author behind The Haunting of Hill House, as one of his biggest influences as a writer. Compare and contrast the settings of these two works—King’s room 1408 and Jackson’s Hill House.

The story opens on the second meeting between Mike Enslin and Hotel Dolphin manager Olin. Discuss why King might have chosen to do this, rather than to begin the story with their first meeting.