Derry's cycle of violence

Derry's cycle of violence is a recurring pattern of extreme brutality and child murders that erupts in the town of Derry, Maine, approximately every twenty-seven years, driven by the predatory entity known as It. This cycle, documented by Mike Hanlon through historical research, marks periods when the town's already elevated violent crime rate spikes to a furious peak, culminating in a catastrophic event that temporarily satiates or weakens the entity before it enters a dormant phase. The cycle is central to the novel's plot, as the Losers' Club first confronts It during the 1957-58 cycle and is called back in 1985 to face its return.

The Pattern of the Cycle

Mike Hanlon, the town librarian, meticulously traces the cycle back through Derry's history, noting that it has occurred every twenty-six or twenty-seven years, though never with perfect exactness. He identifies key periods of escalated violence: 1715-16, 1740-43, 1769-70, and continuing up to the present time. Each cycle is marked by a dramatic increase in child disappearances and murders, far exceeding the town's already high baseline. During the 1930 cycle, for instance, there were over one hundred and seventy reported child disappearances in Derry. The 1958 cycle saw one hundred and twenty-seven children reported missing. These periods of heightened terror are punctuated by a single, spectacularly violent event that seems to end the cycle, such as the fire at the Black Spot in 1930 or the explosion at the Kitchener Ironworks in 1906. Mike Hanlon comes to believe that this monstrous sacrifice is needed to quiet the terrible force and send It to sleep for another quarter-century.

The 1957-58 Cycle and the Losers' Club

The cycle that forms the core of the novel begins with the murder of George Denbrough in the fall of 1957 and escalates through the summer of 1958. This period sees the murders of Betty Ripsom, Cheryl Lamonica, Matthew Clements, Veronica Grogan, and others, culminating in the disappearance of Eddie Corcoran and the death of Patrick Hockstetter. The Losers' Club, a group of seven children, becomes aware of the entity and its cycle. They realize that the cycle has come to a premature end in August of 1958, a direct result of their confrontation with It. Mike Hanlon notes that all other cycles reached their peak around September and ended in a big way, but the bad year that began with George's death ended abruptly in August of 1958 because of their actions.

The 1984-85 Cycle and the Return

The cycle begins anew in 1984 with the murder of Adrian Mellon, a gay man thrown from the Main Street Bridge. This is followed by a series of child murders, including Lisa Albrecht, Steven Johnson, Dennis Torrio, Dawn Roy, Adam Terrault, Frederick Cowan, Jeffrey Holly, John Feury, and Jerry Bellwood. Mike Hanlon, who has been watching and waiting, recognizes the pattern and calls the now-adult members of the Losers' Club back to Derry to fulfill their childhood promise. The cycle's return is marked by the same escalation of violence and the same eerie indifference from the town's adult population, who seem unable or unwilling to see the true horror unfolding. The cycle culminates in the final battle under Derry, where the Losers' Club, now reduced in number, confronts and kills It for good.

The Cycle's End and Derry's Destruction

The final confrontation with It in 1985 triggers a catastrophic storm and a series of violent events that physically destroy much of downtown Derry. The Standpipe collapses, the downtown area caves into the Canal, and the Derry Mall is destroyed by explosions. This cataclysm, which kills dozens and injures hundreds, marks the definitive end of the cycle. With It dead, the town's long history of periodic violence is broken. The novel's epilogue suggests that Derry itself may be dying, as investors pull out and the town begins to fall apart. The cycle of violence, which had been a fundamental part of Derry's existence for centuries, is finally broken, and the survivors are left to forget the horrors they experienced, their memories fading as the town itself fades.