Blog Post #3: Typical Masculine Monster in The Shining

The Typical Masculine Monster in The Shining

In the horror genre, the relation between sexes often revolves around a distinct male monster and a helpless female victim.  The theme suggests that men, who are often viewed as stronger and more prone to violence, create better villains in horror movies, while women, who are often viewed as weaker and 'damsels in distress', create better vulnerable victims.  There is a strong emphasis on this relationship in horror films, and Stephen King's The Shining is no stranger to this idea.

The film outlines the transition of the male antagonist, Jack Torrance, into a monster.  As a failed writer and schoolteacher, Torrance's character is one that often becomes lost in his alcoholism, which leads to issues of violence and physical abuse.  After an incident that resulted in Torrance injuring a student, his position at the school is terminated, leading him into a downward spiral in which he can longer support his own family.  Forcibly, Torrance moves his family from their home to a hotel, where it quickly becomes evident that something is not right.  As the film progresses, it is shown that Torrance is affected by the atmosphere, or hauntings of the hotel, which slowly drive him insane.  Becoming the monster of the film, Torrance strikes out at his own family, hunting them down as a result of the hotel's manipulation, made easier by his consistent drinking.  

The film also explores the seemingly complex character of Jack's wife, Wendy Torrance.  As the viewer watches the film, she cannot help but wonder whether Wendy would be considered strong or weak.  On one hand, she is too weak to leave her marriage, even though the home environment is toxic.  On the other hand, it is clear that she might be staying in the marriage for her son, as a means to protect him.  Once in the hotel, Wendy's strength begins to shine through as she defies the typical victim trope, fighting back at her deranged husband. 

However, the viewer begins to question whether Wendy is truly strong, as she falls in and out of the 'vulnerable female characterization' evident in most horror films.  In one scene, where Jack is actively attacking her, Wendy, despite holding a knife, hides behind a door, screaming at the top of her lungs, rather than using her weapon.  This is where the gender roles truly come into question.  Throughout the film, Jack's slow transformation into a violent monster grows stronger, while Wendy struggles between fighting for her and her son's life, as well as the fear that seems to control women in most horror films.  As with most horror movies, The Shining follows one of two common endings.  Rather than resulting in the victory of the monster, which is the more common of the two endings, Wendy and her son are able to escape, while Jack freezes to death, having chased them onto the hotel grounds in the dead of winter.  The ending of the movie, however, causes the viewer to wonder who the true monster was - Jack or the hotel, which clearly bended Jack to its will.  Despite this lingering question, The Shining continues to be a movie that outlines the classic relationship between a violent male killer and his helpless, and sometimes strong, female victim.

Works Cited

Clover, Carol J.  "Her Body, Himself:  Gender in the Slasher Film."  Representations, No. 20, 1987

Creed, Barbara.  The Monstrous-Feminine.  Routledge:  1993.