One interesting theory about The Shining suggests that Jack Torrance has the same Shine abilities as Danny and Dick, and it makes a surprising amount of sense. Based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 movie The Shining is a classic of the horror genre. As well as bringing King’s story to life, The Shining also became iconic within pop culture and has since been referenced in countless other shows and movies, particularly Jack Nicholson’s unforgettable portrayal of protagonist/antagonist Jack Torrance.
Though Stephen King himself hated The Shining, it is one of the most beloved films of all time. Telling the story of the Torrance family, who, upon Jack Torrance taking on the position as the winter caretaker for the Overlook Hotel, are beset by strange occurrences and their patriarch slowly losing his grip on his own sanity. As Jack spirals into a murderous rage, the only thing that protects his family is young Danny Torrance’s ability to “Shine” – a form of telepathy that links him to the Overlook’s head chef, Dick Hallorann. The Shining‘s sequel, Doctor Sleep, better explores the idea of the Shine, how it works, and why the Overlook seemed to prey on the Torrance family.
However, one theory posted to Reddit speculates that Danny may not have been the only character to possess the ability, but that Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance may have shared in it. This is backed up by easy-to-miss evidence within the film itself, as well as Doctor Sleep, which contextualizes The Shining by bringing its narrative closer to that of King’s original novel. As a result, the implication of a greater depth to Jack Torrance implies that he could also Shine, and that this may have been the ultimate cause of his violent rampage in The Shining.
The Overlook Feeds On The Shine (But Wants Jack)
One of the biggest pieces of evidence for the theory actually comes as a byproduct of Doctor Sleep‘s story, in which Danny Torrance returns to the Overlook with Abra. Danny reveals that he believes that the Hotel itself preys on the life force of people with supernatural abilities, something which is seemingly confirmed by the spirits absorbed by the hotel devouring both Rose the Hat and Danny himself. Interestingly, this repaints The Shining‘s story, as it seems to serve as evidence that the Overlook had an ulterior motive for using Jack to do its bidding.
As the Overlook Hotel seems to feast on and absorb people who can Shine, its targeting of Jack Torrance is telling. Interestingly, the Overlook affects Wendy very little, and it’s only Jack and Danny that truly see the supernatural occurrences that drive Jack to attack his family. This again creates a link between Jack and Danny that can be explained by the theory that Jack Torrance also had the ability to Shine.
Jack Torrance May Not Have Known He Could Shine
As Danny learns more about his abilities in Doctor Sleep, Jack Torrance clearly wasn’t aware of the Shine, either in his son or apparently, even in himself. Though it may seem a stretch to assume that Jack didn’t realize he possessed telepathic abilities, it does actually make some logical sense, particularly given his role in The Shining‘s story. Over the course of The Shining, Jack becomes more and more untethered, hallucinating long-dead people that he never could have known. Outwardly, this appears to be Jack losing his grip on reality, but it could be proof that he simply doesn’t understand his own abilities.
The way that Jack sees the ghosts of the Overlook is almost identical to the way that the same visions appear to Danny Torrance throughout Doctor Sleep. This again likens Jack’s experience at the Overlook to Danny’s adult life, and as the Shine is confirmed to be responsible for these visions and apparitions appearing to Danny, then it stands to reason that it’s also responsible for Jack seeing them. Furthermore, if Jack didn’t understand the Shine and how it might cause things or people to appear to him, it would almost certainly feel to him as though he was no longer sane, allowing the Overlook to begin controlling him by subtly manipulating his untapped abilities.
The Shine Is Hereditary – Danny (And Abra) Inherits The Ability From Jack
Another small but key piece of evidence in support of the theory is that the Shine is confirmed to be at least somewhat hereditary. In The Shining, Dick Hallorann explains that he got the Shine from his grandmother. Though it’s little more than a throwaway line, it establishes the idea that there could be a genetic component to the ability.
Combined with other evidence for the theory, the idea that Danny could have inherited his ability from Jack seems plausible. Doctor Sleep even makes it more likely, as Abra is shown to be remarkably powerful – more so than Danny, Dick, or anyone else within The Shining‘s world. However, the original novel reveals that Abra’s mother was actually Jack Torrance’s illegitimate daughter, providing a genetic link between the films’ protagonists. This further confirms that the powers known as “the Shine” may well be hereditary, and Danny Torrance’s most likely came from Jack, who appears to be particularly sensitive to the Overlook Hotel’s mental probing.
How The Theory Changes The Shining
What makes the theory so perfect is that it actually changes very little about The Shining‘s story, but instead reframes the narrative by using the idea as context. It actually makes many of the events of Kubrick’s version of The Shining make far more sense, as it offers a more tangible explanation of exactly what’s happening to Jack Torrance and why. Instead of Jack simply being a man driven mad by isolation, it establishes that the Overlook Hotel is the film’s real villain, which in turn brings the film much more in line with King’s novel.
In fact, the theory actually makes The Shining better by not only giving an explanation for the film’s bizarre and somewhat confusing ending, but also better establishing the events of the sequel. As Doctor Sleep had to work to retroactively bring elements of Kubrick’s film closer to the events of King’s original story, the theory helps smooth over the slight disconnect between the two. Had Jack Torrance really possessed the Shine, it would have made his difficulty and his actions in The Shining make much more sense by painting the power as a dangerous window into his mind that the Overlook Hotel was able to exploit.
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