Stephen King's IT: Why Maturin Is A Turtle | Screen Rant
The Stephen King universe houses a variety of characters and creatures, and one of the most important entities in it is Maturin, the turtle responsible for the creation of the mainstream universe – but why did Stephen King choose a turtle to represent this important character? Stephen King has rightfully earned the title of the King of Horror thanks to his many novels and short stories from this genre, and while he has told a variety of stories, created different monsters and creatures, and explored many places, all his stories have formed one universe, and as such, it also has its cosmic entities.
Stephen King’s career as a horror author began with the publishing of Carrie in 1974, and its success – especially after Brian de Palma’s adaptation two years later – opened many doors for King. Since then, King has taken readers to different cities to meet a variety of creatures and monsters (human and supernatural) and explore different fears, and one of his most popular works is the novel IT. Published in 1986, IT introduced the audience to an evil, shapeshifting entity living in the sewers of Derry, Maine, and through this creature, King also introduced one of his universe’s most important characters: Maturin.
IT took the shape of its victims’ biggest fears in order to torture them and feed off their fear, but its real form is a mystery. IT originated in a void outside the Macroverse, and the closest to its true shape that the human mind can comprehend is a giant spider, though Bill Denbrough got a quick look at the real IT through the Ritual of Chud. It was also thanks to this ritual that Bill met Maturin the Turtle, Pennywise’s natural enemy, and while Maturin is one of the most important characters in King’s Macroverse, a big question remains: why a turtle? And the answer is all about the symbolism attached to these animals.
As noted by sources dedicated to Stephen King’s works, turtles are an important symbol within Indigenous cultures as they represent identity, autonomy, culture, and respect for the environment, while others see them as a representation of longevity, protection, healing, transformation, and the Earth. The symbol of a turtle carrying the world on its shell can be found in many Indigenous cultures, such as in the story of Turtle Island, where the turtle is considered the center of creation. Maturin has that role in King’s Macroverse, as it existed long before the creation of the universe, and it constantly withdrew into his shell, sleeping for long periods and rarely coming out. On one of those rare occasions where he came out, he had a stomachache which caused him to vomit out the mainstream universe. Maturin is a symbol of creation, protection, and life, while IT is a symbol of death and destruction, making them natural enemies.
As for why the turtle is named “Maturin”, it’s said to be a reference to Stephen Maturin, a fictional physician, naturalist, and spy from the Aubrey-Maturin series of novels by Patrick O’Brian, and Maturin discovered a new species of tortoise that he named "Testudo aubreii" after his friend Jack Aubrey. Maturin hasn’t appeared too often in Stephen King’s novels, but its role in the Macroverse is undeniable, and it’s not unlikely that King will someday expand on his story and role in the universe.
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