Isolationism In The Shining

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Overlooking Sanity

Can isolation be the cause of losing one’s sanity, or could there be other reasons? The film “The Shining” shows how this question can be answered.In 1980, Stanley Kubrick produced a film recognized as one of the best horror films of all time. The main character is Jack Torrance alongside his family, Wendy and Danny. As they take care of the “Overlook” hotel, Jack starts turning into a psychopath and lose his sanity by the day. Although Jack is going insane because of isolation, it may not be the only cause for losing his sanity. It could be by what is behind the symbol of the calumet, domestic violence, or the shining itself. In contrary to the symbol of the calumet and the shining, domestic violence appears a couple of times in the film. To point out a specific …show more content…

Early into the film you have a new character introduced, Dick Hallorann , a ;worker of the the “Overlook” hotel as their tour guide. Dic also ,as Danny, has the ability to “shine”. You can see it as Dick talks with wendy in the food storage.As Dick talks to Wendy, you see him talk to Danny, as he talks to Wendy. Even though no mouth movement is the same as the words he says to Danny. Behind Dick you are able to catch a glimpse of the calumet.The calumet does play a huge part in the film seeing as it somehow adds “power” to the “shining” in some way. Not only Dick and Danny being able to talk without any mouth movement, Jack later in the film gets trapped in the food storage and you guessed it, Jack is able to speak to Grady. In the background you are able to see the calumet. Not only does Jack talk to Grady but Jack is released from the storage room by Grady. The door was locked.Does Jack have the ability to “shine”? Could be as he is able to talk to Grady and be released by Grady from a locked storage room. Or could it be Danny have so much power the hotel “comes to