As early as the opening line - "Jack Torrance thought, officious little prick." - Torrance comes across as adversarial. He is a damaged man whose deep flaws have damaged others. A recovering alcoholic, Jack is given to fits of temper and rage; addiction seems to be less a cause than a symptom of his deeper character issues. Once, when his son Danny spilled a can of beer over his important papers, Jack yanked him away and accidentally broke his arm (the imagery of alcohol damaging Jack's work is not accidental). Later, while sober, Jack beat up a student of his for slashing his tires; alcohol is not necessarily a trigger for these outbreaks, merely an accelerant. When Jack agrees to take the position of winter caretaker at the Overlook, it is quite literally his last chance to change and prove himself responsible.
I have to think it over to get the real meaning of "Officious little prick" in this context. I am thinking of:
copied from: meaning - "Officious Little Prick" - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
I have to think it over to get the real meaning of "Officious little prick" in this context. I am thinking of:
- A person who pretends to know a lot, in fact he does not (loudmouth).
- A busybody.
copied from: meaning - "Officious Little Prick" - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange