The Hedge Animals Are Stupid!!!
The Shining (Novel) (1/28/1977)
***Spoilers ahead!***
You can tell Stephen King was jamming with this one. It’s got all his greatest hits: writing about writing, scrapbooks and newspaper clippings, haunted machinery, complicated parental relationships. I think I’m finally starting to understand why he hates the movie so much: There’s some warmth in the novel that just doesn’t make it to the movie.
I live in Philly these days, but I’m from Colorado originally, and I found it interesting what he gets right and wrong. I think he totally captures the majesty of the mountains! But the autumn leaves drifting through the streets — what autumn leaves? Unless he means pine needles. Also they spot caribou, and there haven’t actually been caribou in Colorado for like 12,000 years. (Except for this one.) So seeing a whole herd of them is unlikely.
Fair amount of plot differences. In the movie: no exploding boiler, no killer wasps, no All-Work-And-No-Play-Makes-Jack-A-Dull-Boy. In the book: a roque mallet instead of an axe and Dick Hallorann survives, yay! But the biggest change is the novel’s hedge animals being changed into a hedge maze. And you know what? Thank God. The hedge animals are stupid! There, I said it! The maze is scary, and also a much better metaphor for the Overlook.
But I like the novel and the movie equally. They accomplish different things.
Winifred “Wendy” Torrance
It’s impossible to talk about Wendy without talking about Jack, because she exists in his orbit, not the other way around. Stephen King might think that Jack has redeeming qualities, but I think he’s selfish and sucks and that Wendy is totally dicknotized. He’s drunk that’s on the wagon, abusive at worst and not nice at best.
Wendy’s jealous that Danny likes Jack better than her, and is terrified that this makes her just like her abusive mother. She blames Jack’s darkening mood on the Overlook, but also on herself. When he gets blackout drunk, she thinks she’s not being a good enough wife. When Danny shows up with strangulation marks, she feels guilty about thinking it was Jack. Bitch of course you did! There’s only three of you up here! The more insight you get into Jack’s psyche, the more worried you are for her. Because he blames everything on her, too.
Despite all this abuse, she’s got a good, practical head on her shoulders. She understands how serious their situation is almost immediately, before Jack even loses it. And she’s hella brave, locking Jack in the pantry and having the presence of mind to stab him! Also, I couldn’t believe she went down to the kitchen and cooked while Jack was on the prowl. I would have just grabbed a loaf of bread and run for it!
As a mother, Wendy is nervous and intuitive. She knows that Danny shines, and knows that his shine is the reason that the Overlook has keyed in on them so deeply. I think she treats him as more adult than he actually is sometimes. When she realizes that Jack is about to murder Danny, Hallorann is like, We gotta go help him! And she throws up her hands and is all “He can only help himself.” Isn’t he FIVE?
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Stephen King has said that he thought Shelley Duvall’s portrayal was sexist. But honestly, I think novel Wendy had some sexist moments. I was very grossed out by how often Jack distracted Wendy with sex. Especially when they’re discussing Danny being strangled?! It verged on unbelievable. Personally, I think movie Wendy is hysterical earlier on because things escalate much faster. 8/10
Elaine
Elaine lives upstairs from the Torrance’s and is constantly getting screamed at by her boyfriend. Wendy doesn’t seem to have much pity for her, but I do. 5/10
Mrs. Grady
Shot with a shotgun by her husband, and still is nice enough to help him in the kitchen during a party. What a doll. 6/10
The Grady Daughters
Hacked to death with an axe by Daddy Grady. Aged eight and six. Not twins, don’t want Danny to come play with them. In fact, they don’t appear in the novel at all. 6/10
Mrs. Massey
I’m pretty sure the woman in 217 isn’t named in The Shining, but Danny drops it in Dr. Sleep. She was a lawyer’s wife who stayed at the Overlook with her gigolo, who abandoned her to OD in the bathtub. The maintenance guy who tells the story isn’t the most generous storyteller, and makes a point to talk about her “sagging tits” and “varicose veins,” because it’s important that we know that she was ugly and grotesque even in life. And as a ghost she’s terrrrrrrifying. Strangling little boys and cajoling alcoholics into drinking is not how I want to spend my afterlife. Although I could see myself wanting to take an eternal bath. 10/10
Delores Vickery
The “cunt of a chambermaid” who got fired for gossiping to the staff and guests about Mrs. Massey. Hallorann reports that she was lazy and selfish, despite her “twinkling” of a shine, meaning that not all folks with the shine are all that great. 9/10
Wendy’s Mother
Doesn’t haunt the Overlook, but haunts the book itself. Wendy gets blamed by her mother for everything, particularly for the dissolution of her marriage, so Wendy only connects with her after Danny is born. Which turns out to be a mistake, since Danny reveals that she’s scheming on how to take him away from Wendy. Man, she’s got a presence. 8/10
Mrs. Brant
Angry she can’t pay for her hotel stay with an Amex. I’m obsessed with her feather boa, and also obsessed with her wanting to get into the bellboy’s pants, but less obsessed with the very bizarre way she talks. She’d be better as a ghost. 5/10
Sally
Maid that’s getting married. 2/10
Sally
Nurse in Sidewinder. Wait, why are there two Sallys? 2/10
Phyllis Sandler
Jack’s literary agent. I’ll just quote directly from the novel, because her description is amazing: “Smoked Herbert Tareytons, drank Jim Beam from a paper cup, and thought the literary sun rose and set on Sean O’Casey.” 10/10, aspirational.
Miss Strong
Stops Jack from killing George Hatfield. 3/10
Aileen
Wendy’s long dead sister, who Wendy suspects is part of the reason her mother is such a bitch. Adds an interesting layer to them both. 6/10
Little Margery Morris
Child star who ODs on heroin, which is blamed on a “wasting disease.” Related to the Overlook because of, like, investments or whatever? Jack really gets into the weeds with his research. I’m telling you, Stephen King just loves epistolary sections. 4/10
Bluebeard’s Wife
Don’t look in the secret room! 2/10
Sylvia Hunter
Owned the Overlook for a period of time, ran a whorehouse out of it, like an icon. 10/10
Becky Torrance
Jack’s sister, who hated his father. 2/10
Jack’s Mother
Abused by Jack’s father, who eventually put her in the hospital. The horrible thing is that when he relates this story, he thinks his father is awful and that his mother didn’t deserve it. But as the hotel works its way into him, he flips it and blames the whole thing on his mother. 9/10
Sister Beatrice
Baby Jack can’t make out the Magic Eye Jesus picture she shows him, so he thinks about her tits. 5/10
A/W Waitress
Dick doesn’t even pay for his root beer float, but he does notice her nice butt. 5/10
Daughter of Movie Star
Has a convulsion on the playground. I think she’s actually the one who wants Danny to play with her forever and ever and ever. 6/10
Woman on Plane
Hates wars, loves screwdrivers. She shines, and when she feels Dick’s distress, she grabs his hand and tells him it’ll be okay. It’s sweet! Also she’s reading a book called You Can Be Your Own Best Friend. She might be my favorite character. 10/10
Beautiful Woman Jack Dances With
Underwearless ghost who flirts with Jack. 4/10
Stewardess
When a passenger vomits on their National Observer, she says “that’s how I feel about Reader’s Digest.” Hahahahaha! 10/10
Honorable Mention: Roger the Dogman. I know he’s not a female character, I just like him. 10/10
