Introduction
Domestic violence or domestic abuse is a public health problem that society has struggled with for centuries. However, advancements toward gender equality using solutions like activism and arts have allowed women to have a voice and resist mistreatment. “The Shining,” a psychological horror and thriller movie released in 1980, is one of the films that dive deep into the reality of domestic violence by shedding light on how family dysfunction can result in bad blood and misunderstanding. Although the film is based on a novel released in 1977 by Stephen King with a similar title, Stanley Kubrick adopts unique cinematic approaches and stylistic features, including terrifying sounds, slow camera movements, and dim but adequate lighting. Thus, this essay suggests that the director’s dramatic representation of the antagonist’s decayed morals reflects the negative implications of failed communication, alcoholism, and domestic violence on family development. The film creates awareness about how family dysfunction and gender violence contribute to several adversities as it robs its victims of their peace of mind and limits them from focusing on critical issues like development.
Family Dysfunction and Domestic Violence in “The Shining”
“The Shining” is a film directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick in collaboration with Dianne Johnson, its co-writer. Generally, the film features three characters, which makes it unique and incomparable to movies during the time. Jack Nicholson plays “Jack”, Shelley Duvall, acts as “Wendy”, and Danny Lloyd as “Danny”. The film follows Torrance’s family journey and the responsibility of taking care of the Overlook Hotel during the winter when there are no customers around, thus allowing the director to build the plot’s suspense. In the beginning, the director shows a flashback of a similar incident where a caretaker lost his mind and killed his daughters and wife, suggesting that isolation can interfere with people’s judgment (Yusfa et al. 42). Nevertheless, Jack assures the hotel’s managers not to worry as he has a book to focus on and keep him busy. Regardless, the Torrance family had been experiencing issues before Jack received the Job offer due to his drinking problem and the mistreatment of his son. In particular, he applied for the job so that he could get time and space to mend his ways. Even so, being isolated in the hotel during winter only revealed Jack’s true nature and his impulsive actions toward his family.
The main theme presented in the film is family dysfunction and its role in poor communication, adverse relations, and domestic violence. However, the director adopts various shooting styles and effects at different points of the film to engage individuals’ emotions and allow them to empathize with the victims (Boroš 14). At the beginning of the movie, the director introduces the audience to the story using slow camera movements and bright lighting to represent a harmonious environment. However, in the end, there are rapid movements, horrifying sounds, and dim light to create suspense and keep the audience attentive (Boroš 16). Moreover, the director employed cinematic styles like building up the conflict gradually from the beginning to the point that Jack lost his mind. Thus, the twisted outcomes played a major role in making the movie more realistic and allowing the audience to resonate with what is happening.
The Torrance family is dysfunctional due to their high levels of miscommunication owed to Wendy’s subjugation, as she can hardly talk to her husband without arousing feelings of anger inside him. Jack’s wife is presented as a meek character, focused on improving the welfare of her family and ensuring their development. However, her subjection to her husband prevents her from taking charge and making things right despite knowing that they have a problem (Stephens 160). For example, when Jack attacked Danny and dislocated his shoulder, Wendy defended his actions in the hospital and covered up his mistake by suggesting that it is something people occasionally do with their children in the park and out on the streets. Nevertheless, Wendy’s plight is evident whenever she confronts her husband on anything regardless of the subject. For instance, when Wendy asks her husband if he is okay while seated at his writing table, Jack lashes out and tells her off furiously. As a result, the high levels of miscommunication between the couple made the family dysfunctional as they could not sort out issues rationally and comfort each other in times of need.
The family’s dysfunctional nature is also seen in the intimate relationship between Jack and Wendy. Although the film does not openly address aspects of sexuality, the audience can pick up from the movie that Jack and his wife do not have an active sexual lifestyle. Subsequently, sex deprivation is one of the factors that contribute to the dysfunctional nature of the family as it worsens Jack’s frustration, which is evident during his hallucinations when the ghost takes advantage of his sexual desires (Yusfa et al. 46). Similarly, Jack is in an environment where he does not satisfy most of his innate desires. According to Stephens society is designed as a construct that gradually satisfies individuals’ desires. Thus, increased isolation from people can prevent an individual from addressing their subconscious needs, thus interfering with their temperament, a condition known as surplus repression (p 161). Seemingly, Jack has dreams of becoming a prosperous writer who makes a profit from his work. However, he is trapped in a patriarchal environment that obligates him to take care of his family and uphold societal values. However, his increased isolation at the Overlook Hotel drove him crazy.
Jack and Danny had a strange and dysfunctional relationship which probably contributed to the violence and tension in the hotel. Throughout the film, the director highlights how Jack and his son are alienated as they do not relate well or share anything in common. According to Boutwell, Jack and Danny acted like they were strangers to one another as depicted in scenarios where service men come back home only to meet children who do not know them anymore (p 48). Nevertheless, the tension between Jack and his son is seen in their encounters because he is not a loving and caring father. Jack is hostile toward his son, mistreats him, and does not take care of him like most fathers take care of their children. Instead, he mishandles him and even dislocates his shoulder when drunk. Although Danny’s mother is aware of what is happening, she finds it difficult to come to terms with her husband’s behavior (O’Brien 25). Rather, she tells Danny to allow his father some time to work, believing that Jack wants the best for his family.
Jack’s mental instability also propelled the family’s dysfunction as he lost control of his actions, thus driving him to commit his atrocities. Although Wendy noticed that Jack was mentally ill after going through pages of his manuscript to find that he had scribbled the same words, Jack suffered through adversities that contributed to his condition (Yusfa et al. 169). Initially, the audience is informed that Jack lived with violent parents who did not care about his welfare. Therefore, his childhood trauma followed him through his adult life, exposing him to negative emotions and attitudes. Additionally, Jack lived a life that did not bear fruit according to his perspective. Like many unemployed individuals blinded by the need to achieve success and wealth, Jack was worried and uncertain (Yusfa et al. 171). As a consequence, he lost focus on his personal life and did less to mend his emotional issues. Moreover, his assignment of looking after the Overlook Hotel when there was no one around ruined his self-esteem and his perception of his worth. As a result, he occasionally abused his wife and son because of ill feelings of not being in control.
Alcohol abuse is also one of the factors that led to increased dysfunction in the family and their inability to cope with each other. According to the film, Jack was a teacher who was struggling with alcoholism (Boutwell 54). Consequently, his behaviors caused him to lose his job, and his career as a writer was not looking up to his expectations. Therefore, the main reason why he moved to the overlook hotel was to establish a better relationship with his family and change his alcohol abuse behaviors. Initially, Jack’s alcoholism resulted in his hostility as he was always drunk when he harmed Danny (O’Brien 37). Thus, changing his behaviors for the best meant that he would refrain from drinking and abusing his family. Regrettably, Jack was overwhelmed by his stay at the Overlook Hotel, pushing him to heavily abuse alcohol. He is drunk when chasing his family around the house, breaking down doors, and threatening them with an ax. However, he has lost all control of his actions and only seeks to take the lives of his family members.
Conclusion
A family is a unit that is expected to stick together through the toughest times. However, there are several occasions where conflict arises in families, thus interfering with their stability but not their bonds. Dysfunctional families on the other hand are characterized by destructive factors that result in prolonged conflict. The most conspicuous example of such conflicts is domestic violence, which often results in severe outcomes like life loss. “The Shining” is a movie that illustrates how conflict can build up within a family and the factors that contribute to escalations. Although the main characters all wanted to improve their status, they did not agree on a solution because of their dysfunctional nature. The film’s plot reveals that Jack was struggling with alcohol abuse, obsessed with his work, and did not care about his family. Nevertheless, his condition is aggravated by his broken relationship with his wife and son since he did not give them any attention nor did he find any satisfaction from them. In the end, he loses his mind and attacks his family.
Works Cited
Boroš, Timea. Analysis of Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 Film Adaptation of the Shining. Diss. University of Rijeka. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Department of English Language and Literature, 2021.
Boutwell, Ashleigh. “The Shine of “The Shining”: Domestic Violence and Deterministic Trauma.” (2019).
O’Brien, Kelley. ” He Didn’t Mean It”: What Kubrick’s The Shining Can Teach Us about Domestic Violence. University of South Florida, 2018.
Stephens, Tracy A. “‘Dear God, I am not a son of a bitch’: Justifications for patriarchal violence and the mischaracterization of Stephen King’s Jack Torrance.” Horror Studies, vol. 12.2, 2021, pp. 159-174, Web.
Yusfa, Weldina, Sahril Nur, and Abdullah Abdullah. “The schizophrenia of Jack Torrance’s character portrayed in “The Shining” movie by Stanley Kubrick.” Eliterate: Journal of English Linguistics and Literature Studies, vol. 1.1, 2021, pp. 41-51, Web.