The film uses gender roles to
critique the expected male/female gender roles of society. Jack Torrance is
initially presented as part of the hegemonic. As a white, aggressive,
heterosexual male, he is the epitome of hegemonic masculinity at the start of
the film. As the film progresses, it becomes evident that aspects of Jack’s
masculinity, such as him being a writer and an alcoholic lead to questioning of
his masculinity and he is seen as somewhat subordinate. Jack’s inability to
hold a stable job has led him to become the caretaker of the hotel just to
fulfill his “manly duties” of providing for his family. His masculinity
continues to be questioned with the presence of his wife, Wendy.
Gender stereotypes are present from
the beginning of the film. At first, Wendy is viewed as a very feminine,
obedient housewife. While touring the hotel, Wendy is taken to the kitchen by
the black, head chef, Dick. In accordance with the hegemonic, Wendy and Dick
are grouped together to demonstrate their lower status in comparison to Jack
because women and races other than white are viewed as subordinate in
comparison to the white man. A tracking shot is used while Wendy, Dick and
Danny walk through the kitchen. The tracking shot creates a sense of continuity
and focuses on all three characters at once, suggesting their equality and
viewing them as one collective, subordinate group. However, when they enter the
walk-in freezer and the tracking shot has ended, racial inequality is seen
through the way in which the characters are presented in the scene. Dick walks
down the steps, while Wendy and Danny remain on the top step. This portrays the
racial dominance of white over black, despite the fact that Wendy is a woman
and Danny is a child, making all three characters subordinate to the white man.
This placement of the characters shows that there are different levels of
subordination among the group. Jack takes a tour with the hotel owners,
demonstrating his dominance and higher status as a white man. Interestingly,
Wendy and Jack are both taken outside to be shown the snowcat. Based on the
hegemonic and patriarchal expectations, as a woman, Wendy ordinarily wouldn’t
have been shown the manly, outdoors equipment. This demonstrates Wendy’s
masculine attributes which put her husband’s masculinity in jeopardy.
Wendy continues to demonstrate
masculine qualities throughout the film. The role reversal is seen while Wendy
is adjusting the heating and hears Jack screaming. Wendy leaves her masculine
duties and runs to Jack, holding him in her arms as he sobs and whimpers, much
like what a woman would be expected to do after a terrifying dream. Although it
is clear that in this scene Wendy takes on the male role and Jack, the female
role, Wendy never completely takes on the masculine role. When Jack falls off
his chair and onto the floor, the camera angle drops immediately to focus on
him. Wendy moves into the camera’s view and is never physically above Jack. The
camera angle always portrays Wendy as slightly lower than Jack, implying that
she maintains her subordinate femininity despite her masculine attributes. Jack’s
lack of masculinity is seen again when Jack is sent to room 237 to investigate
the presence of the crazy woman who hurt Danny. The beautiful, feminine woman
in the bathtub quickly turns to an old, deformed woman, representing the
masculine side of women. Jack flees the room and reports to his wife that
nothing was there in order to maintain his masculinity on the surface.
The role of patriarchy within the
family is important in the film as well. Wendy’s constant threatening of Jack’s
masculinity throughout the film, along with Danny’s final threat to Jack’s
masculinity, results in Jack’s attempt to reestablish his patriarchal role and
male dominance. It is clear when Jack finds out that Danny has been telepathically
corresponding with Dick, asking for help, that this was the last straw. This
demonstrates that it is “the child who has the power to authorize the family,
who evaluates Dad’s abilities and performance, who denies or legitimates the
particular family’s existence as a viable structure” (Sobchack 155). It wasn’t
Wendy’s masculine qualities, but Danny’s questioning of Jack as the patriarch
which finally triggered Jack to desire regaining control. Jack proceeds to take
a grandiose measure, attempting to kill his family, in order to restore his
role as the patriarch. However, “there is no narrative resolution for
patriarchy in the horror film-except the denial or death of the father…”
(Sobchack 159). This idea is maintained in the film through Jack's death toward
the end of the movie.
The gender roles and family
relations are important in understanding the monster-protagonist-status quo
connections in the film. The protagonist, Jack is constantly battling to
maintain the status quo, while simultaneously attempting to defeat the monster.
The status quo in this film is patriarchy and the monster is anything which
questions male dominance and masculinity. Several aspects of the film which
question Jacks role as the patriarch have been discussed. These include Wendy’s
masculine attributes, Jack’s feminine attributes, and Danny’s role as the child
who finalizes Jack’s decision to regain complete dominance and role as
patriarch. It is clear that the “monster” threatens the status quo and in order
to maintain the status quo, the monster must be defeated. This is evident in
the film through the constant threatening of Jack’s masculinity by his feminine
attributes and Wendy’s masculinity. Jack decides he must kill Wendy and Danny
in order to eliminate the threats to his masculinity and therefore, maintain
the status quo. The role of gender and family relations is essential in
understanding the film itself, as well as the monster-protagonist-status quo
connections within the film.
Works Cited
Vivian Sobchack.
“Bringing it All Back Home: Family Economy and Generic Exchange.” The Dread of Difference: Gender and the Horror Film. Barry Keith Grant, Ed. Austin:
University of Texas Press, 1996.
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