Blog 3 Bohang Liu
Gender roles refer to a set of
social and behavior norms that is appropriate for individuals of a certain sex
in a family. It is important to pay attention to the gender roles in The Shining to
clearly understand how members of the Terrence family interact with each other.
In addition, the Terrence family is left along in the Hotel by themselves
without social contact, meaning a clear cut hierarchy needs to be
established for the 3 person society to function. Jack Terrence’s inability to
fulfill his gender roles as a father leads to his demise as he breaks down psychologically
and turns violent.
In the opening scene, the viewers
see Jack driving, with Wendy on the side and Danny in the back. This scene
shows Jack’s authority and as protector of his family as driving
stereotypically is a male dominated role. In this scene, we also see the first
threat to Jack’s gender role, when he tries to explain to Danny about a lesson
of survival of the fittest. Little did Jack realize, Danny already knows about
cannibalism because he saw it on TV.
As we learn more about Jack, we
learn he is far from a provider and a father. Jack took the job as the
caretaker of the Overlook Hotel after losing his teaching job. He moved his
family from the comfort of their home to the Hotel. His alcoholism is another
bad sign and foreshadowing of the violence and insanity to follow. It seems
that Jack is creator of problems for his family and his redemption to finish
his book and successfully complete his job taking care of his hotel. However
this is not the case as the job of “caretaker” feminizes Jack. As Sobchack
mentions, “As patriarchy is challenged…the horror film pays out the rage of
paternal responsibility denied the economic and political benefits of
patriarchal power” (Sobchack 152).
Wendy originally depicted as
submissive wife challenges Jack in many ways further undermining Jack’s ability
as a man. She does a lot to protect Danny, and even in a confrontation, she
knocks Jack out. Wendy goes through phases of being weak and strong but
ultimately she successfully gets Danny out of the hotel. Danny to Jack can be
seen as his ultimate threat. “The figure of the child in the genre is
problematic and horrific because it demands and generates the articulation of
another figure”(Sobchack 152). Danny contacting Dick is a call for help from
the outside society to intervene. In the end when Danny outsmarts his father symbolizes
the collapse of the patriarchy.
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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