Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of racism and rape.

Throughout the novel, Stephen King uses first impressions to show how Mike makes rash judgments of others, many of them based on preconceived notions that usually turn out to be wrong. These impressions become a motif for The Tensions Between Truth and Fiction, as Mike comes to realize that many of his preconceived notions are fictional in nature.

For instance, the first time Mike meets Mattie, he immediately assumes she is “trailer-trash” based on her appearance. While Mattie does live in a trailer, she overwrites his notions of the stereotype by opening up about her struggles as a single mother who fears for the future. By reducing her to a stereotype, Mike failed to recognize the harshness of her reality, which elicits his sympathy. On the other hand, Mike’s discovery that Jo was more than just a benevolent jack-of-all-trades clashes with his perception of her. He is initially worried when the gossip he receives indicates that Jo was cheating on Mike with someone else. He later discovers that this notion was wrong, as Jo was conducting a secret investigation on the history of the town to protect both Mike and their future child.