Jack Torrance: An Alcoholic or A Psychopath?

Last night, I re-watched one of the best movies of all time. The Shining by Stanley Kubrick. The movie is based on the novel by Stephen King. I love Stephen so much. Seriously, I admire his writing style, his writing speed, and his imagination of a horror world. Stephen King is the best author I have read his work. Each year, he will publish a book that will be a best-selling one. Of course, I haven’t read all of his books. But I read 10 of his best works, and The Shining is one of them. I heard a story that Stephen King spent time at the Stanley Hotel in Colorado writing The Shining. The hotel itself inspired him. I love this novel so much, as well as the movie. Unfortunately, Stephen King doesn’t like the film at all. But either way, I believe that both the movie and novel have their strength that entertains and scares the audience and the readers. In today’s “Analyzing Evil,” I will talk about the terrified character of The Shining. Jack Torrance.

Source: Warner Bros.

Jack Torrance used to be a teacher until he hurt a boy at school as he was messing up with his car at school. This detail doesn’t have in the movie. It is in the novel. This detail is good to mention because it tells more about Jack’s behavior and foreshadows his actions throughout the story. He has a history of violence when he hurts his son, Danny, a special kid with a gifted shining talent (Doctor Sleep will talk more about him). His violence begins with alcohol. Indeed, Jack is an alcoholic. He cannot live without it. But he quits completely after he hurts his son. After losing his job, Jack receives a job at the Overlook Hotel in Colorado as a caretaker from winter to spring. The Overlook Hotel doesn’t open during the winter due to the storm in that area. Mr. Ullman, the hotel manager, tells Jack about the duty and some reminders. But he also warns Jack about what happened to the hotel a few years ago. A murder occurred there where a caretaker killed his family and committed suicide later. It doesn’t scare Jack because he believes the guy is a psychopath. Jack takes his wife, Wendy, and Danny to the Overlook Hotel. Wendy likes it so much, but Danny doesn’t because his imaginary friend, Tony, helps Danny to see the future while his family is at the hotel. REDRUM. And it is the beginning of their family’s nightmare.

Jack is somehow successful in quitting alcohol. But the hotel and his family make him drink again—more and more. It would be best if you remembered that before the hotel closed, all the alcohol was taken away. Jack is hallucinating and imagining a bartender in front of him while he is in the ballroom of the Overlook Hotel. He begins to get crazy when he cannot concentrate on his work. The hotel’s ghost makes him crazy and awakes the evil inside Jack. In the novel, Jack is entirely normal (a little bit of an alcoholic), and after coming to the hotel, he turns into a psychopath. However, in the movie, Jack is a psychopath from the beginning. I mean, Jack Nicolson portrayed this character really well and showed the craziness of Jack Torrance. The audience can tell through his face. It is hard to choose what kind of person Jack Torrance is because we cannot tell if his behaviors start from alcohol or his mentality. While in the hotel, Jack tolerates and terrorizes his wife and son. He turns into a different person. Jack follows the same path as the past caretaker who murdered his family. The caretaker tells him that he and Jack never leave this hotel and that he must “correct” his wife and two daughters after they tend to burn down the hotel. It means he has to protect the hotel by any chance. And suggests that Jack should do the same thing.

Jack blames his family for his failure, the prevention of his work, and the threat to the Overlook Hotel. Jack brings the axe with him and is ready to REDRUM like Tony has told Danny. Yes, he has to “correct” them. Smash! Smash! Smash! Jack’s head is at the door. His eyes turn wild. He smiles, which is the smile of a devil. And he shouts, “Here’s Jonny!” as his wife hides inside. No matter how many times I watch this movie, I cannot get that moment out of my mind. Jack Torrance terrifies me. Ultimately, Jack dies of freezing while chasing his wife and son outside in the snow. There is a twist in the future, though. The image of Jack Torrance inside an old photo of the Overlook Hotel suggests that he never leaves this place. It’s horrifying, though.

Jack Torrance is only a fictional character. But he represents many murderers in real life who is ready to kill their family. For example, Chris Watts killed his family, including his daughters and pregnant wife, just to be with his mistress. Or recently, Chad Doerman is indicted for his murder of three sons by executing them. He is facing the death penalty charge. And so many more cases. Jack Torrance is a nightmare. But he is also a real-life character who appears in families that have a psychopath. To end, I think Jack is both a psychopath and an alcoholic. Alcohol just makes him crazier.