Introduction
Individuals throughout the world encounter a variety of social issues daily. A social problem is a situation that hinders persons from fulfilling their maximal potential (Mooney et al. 11). Stephen King explored child abuse, drunkenness, violence, and other social issues in his novel The Shining. Social issues must be addressed and resolved because they often harm many individuals and have significant long-term consequences, as depicted in King’s novel.
Social Issues in the Novel
Alcoholism
The reader is made aware of an affliction that many families in the world deal with, namely, alcoholism. Learning about alcoholism makes one immediately aware of its effects and the ability to harm someone. King employed this technique to enhance the narrative, make the book’s substance more accessible, and, most importantly, enable the reader to empathize with the central protagonist. In The Shining, the suffering of alcoholism and how alcoholism frequently results in violence are explored.
While in recovery from alcoholism, Jack Torrance constantly considers drinking. He does, however, sense regret as “he would look at them, and the self-loathing would back up his throat in a bitter wave” (King 55). In the book, alcoholism is closely related to unhappy families, domestic violence, and violent family patterns. For instance, when Jack is intoxicated and furious, he fractures his son’s arm. This result was likely caused by the fact that Jack’s father likewise struggled with alcoholism.
Child Abuse
Childhood maltreatment affects adulthood, and it may also affect marriage, other connections, and health in the future. The protagonists, Jack and Danny, are utilized by King in The Shining to illustrate the ramifications of abuse. Trauma survivors are more likely to become alcoholics and have volatile relationships because they lack trust (Downey and Crummy 2).
For instance, in the novel, Jack struggles with trauma from his father’s maltreatment of him and his siblings his entire life. He has been battling his deep love-hate connection with his father and the trauma he experienced as a child. Early experiences with abuse transform Jack from a kind, family-oriented person into a horrible monster who is out to kill the people he values the most; he abuses his child, Danny, multiple times. King shows how childhood trauma can affect adulthood throughout the book.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is another social problem that usually targets the less strong spouses or household members, such as women and children. The novel wonderfully conveys the agony caused by and the dreadfulness of domestic violence. Jack’s mother was a victim of violence. “She looked over her shoulder and saw Jack getting slowly to his feet. His back was bowed over, and she could see the handle of the kitchen knife sticking out of it” (King 353). This description of Jack’s father conjures up images of a deranged, lost individual who is seeking revenge.
These lines portray him as a man who is motivated to commit violent deeds. Jack’s father frequently mistreated his wife to the point where she could get wounds. However, in the hospital, she supports her partner’s fabrication that her bruises resulted from a fall. This demonstrates how seeing domestic abuse can cause someone to follow a particular individual out of concern that might strike them. People deal with domestic violence daily, which is a highly significant problem (Mshweshwe 1). Domestic abuse has negative effects; Jack becomes a monster in the novel due to his early exposure to violence.
Conclusion
The lives of the characters in The Shining provide a window into child abuse, drunkenness, and other social issues. Through this tale, the reader learns about the harm that child abuse causes to young children’s lives. Alcohol misuse frequently results from an ingrained habit or trauma experienced as a child. In this book, alcoholism is depicted as the root cause of other societal issues since it leads to domestic violence, which psychologically impacts children.
Works Cited
Downey, Cheyenne, and Aoife Crummy. “The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Children’s Wellbeing and Adult Behavior.” European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, vol. 6, no. 1, 2022, pp. 1–8.
King, Stephen. The Shining. Doubleday, 1977.
Mooney, Linda A., et al. Understanding Social Problems. Cengage Learning, 2021.
Mshweshwe, Linda. “Understanding Domestic Violence: Masculinity, Culture, Traditions.” Heliyon, vol. 6, no. 10, 2020, pp. 1–5.