Oh, what to say about The Shining beyond this: I love this book. In my opinion it’s one of King’s top three best novels, the others being IT and Dolores Claiborne. When I saw this book listed on the readings list for this course, I was thrilled to have an opportunity to read this novel I like so much for so many reasons again for what has to have been at least the tenth or eleventh time.
Having said that, when I reached the end of The Shining, for the first time I felt somewhat disappointed in the work; it didn’t live up to my expectations. This puzzled me. What was it I found lacking about the book on this reading, I mused. Had I simply finally read it too many times? Or is that I’ve seen both versions of the film adaptations of the movie each almost as many times as I’ve read the text, and that any story about the Overlook that doesn’t include all the fantastic elements of each version is bound to fail to satisfy me? It’s hard to say, but I definitely came away from this reading with a feeling of “meh” about it.
Don’t get me wrong. I still love Jack Torrance. In fact, I think he may be both the greatest character King’s ever created and the most realistic. Everyone knows Jack Torrance, if they think about it. He’s the guy with the seedy, shameful past that usually includes some sort of substance abuse issues, the guy who just so happens to be down on his luck and needs a lucky break. Then he gets one, or so he believes. He goes from disgraced instructor to master of a vast domain and, naturally, it goes to his head and he goes out of his mind. He’s also an Everyman I think we can all identify with to some degree.
Danny I’m less enamored of, and Wendy I flat out dislike. There’s nothing very interesting about her apart from her less than harmonious relationship with her mother. I found her to be passive and meek and I do think she could’ve and should’ve done more to protect her son, even early on. (As an aside, I detested her character in the Kubrick movie; I wanted to axe her myself. What a clinging, whiny bitch she was depicted as being!)
Getting back to Danny, he does seem perhaps too mature for his age, but I don’t find this particularly troubling. The kid’s clearly got an astronomical I.Q., he’s got the second sight, and he’s lived through a lot in a short period of time. He’s seen both of his parents at their lowest and has good reason to be apprehensive of his father, even as he loves him unconditionally.
The true stars of The Shining, in my estimation, are the supporting characters – Dick Halloran, Stuart Ullman, Al Shockley – and of course the Overlook Hotel itself. This novel is a perfect illustration of how setting can become a character. In addition to being obviously haunted, he building has an opulent appearance and a rich, violent history. What more could you ask for in a compelling character?
In short, while I still love this book and think it’s one of King’s best, I’m starting to see places where the paint is peeling on the old hotel.
