The Shining Art
Works / Novels

The Shining

The Shining Art

Released

January 1977

Available Format(s)

Hardcover / Paperback / Trade / Kindle / Audio / Movie / TV Miniseries / DVD

Publisher

Doubleday

Jack Torrance, his wife Wendy, and their young son Danny move into the Overlook Hotel, where Jack has been hired as the winter caretaker. Cut off from civilization for months, Jack hopes to battle alcoholism and uncontrolled rage while writing a play. Evil forces residing in the Overlook – which has a long and violent history – covet young Danny for his precognitive powers and exploit Jack’s weaknesses to try to claim the boy.

From the Flap

The Overlook Hotel claimed the most beautfiul physical setting of any resort in the world; but Jack Torrance, the new winter caretaker, with his wife, Wendy and their five-year-old son Danny, saw much more than its splendor.

Jack saw the Overlook as an opportunity, a desperate way back from failure and despair; Wendy saw this lonely sanctuary as a frail chance to preserve their family; and Danny?....Danny, who was blessed or cursed with a shining, precognitive gift, saw visions hideously beyond the comprehension of a small boy. He sensed the evil coiled within the Overlook's one hundred and ten empty rooms; an evil that was waiting just for them.

The Shining, by Stephen King, the undisputed master of the modern horror story.

 

Inspiration

In late September of 1974, Tabby and I spent a night at a grand old hotel in Estes Park, the Stanley.  We were the only guests as it turned out; the following day they were going to close the place down for the winter. Wandering through its corridors, I thought that it seemed the perfect—maybe the archetypical—setting for a ghost story.  That night I dreamed of my three-year-old son running through the corridors, looking back over his shoulder, eyes wide, screaming. He was being chased by a fire-hose. I woke up with a tremendous jerk, sweating all over, within an inch of falling out of bed. I got up, lit a cigarette, sat in the chair looking out the window at the Rockies, and by the time the cigarette was done, I had the bones of the book firmly set in my mind.

Characters

Hide List Show List
Name
Description
Casey
The engineer in the poem "The Wreck of the Old 97'."
Chug-Chug
Childhood invisible friend of Dr Bill Edmonds
Dick
Character in Danny's first grade primer
Jane
Character in Danny's first grade primer
Jip
Character in Danny's first grade primer.
McTeague
The dentist in the Frank Norris novel, McTeague.
National Observer Man
Unnamed man who vomited into his National Observer magazine on Flight 196.
Pepys
English writer.
Pooh
Danny's stuffed toy.
Wendy's mother
She lived in New Hampshire.
?, Aileen
Sister of Wendy Torrance.
?, Andy
Friend of James Torrance in Stovington
?, Brent
Went to nursery school with Danny Torrance in Stovington.
?, Darla
At the Overlook party in 1945
?, Elaine
Girlfriend of Tom
?, Jana
Fictitious girl Hallorann said told him about his fictitious son's accident in Colorado.
?, Lloyd
Bartender in the Overlook
?, Mike
Worked at the Overlook
?, Roger
Dressed as a dog in the Overlook at the 1945 party.
?, Sally
Worked at the Overlook
?, Sally
Assistant of Dr Edmonds in Sidewinder.
?, Tom
Lived above Jack and Wendy in Boulder. Boyfriend of Elaine.
?, Tommy
Jack Torrance found a letter written to Tommy back in 1934, in the Overlook basement
?, Tony
Danny's invisible playmate that made the word "redrum" famous. He shows Danny things that will happen, both good and bad. He is really an older version of Danny himself. The name Tony is simply a shortening of Danny's middle name Anthony.
Aaronson, Mr.
Father of Scott. Teacher at Stovington Academy.
Aaronson, Mrs.
Mother of Scott.
Aaronson, Scott
Friend of Danny Torrance in Stovington
Anderson, Jack
Reporter with low morals.
Astor, ?
Visited the Overlook
Bach
Classical German composer.
Baedecker, ?
Helped Dick Hallorann in Florida
Bartok
Classical Hungarian composer.
Battaglia, Charles (Baby Charlie)
Mobster friend of Charles Grondin.
Beatrice, Sister
Jack Torrance's Catechism teacher
Bellboys, The
The unnamed young men who carried guests' luggage at the Overlook.
Benson, Gary
Character in Jack Torrance's play
Boorman, Victor T.
Shot at the Overlook in 1966. Bodyguard of Gienelli
Boston Strangler, The
Watson told Jack that Ullman would have hired the Boston Strangler, if he'd have worked for the minimum wage.
Bows, Dick
1964 State Representative from Golden
Braddock, ?
Head Desk Clerk at the Overlook Hotel
Brannigar, Josh
Reporter
Brant, Mrs.
Guest at the Overlook on closing day.
Bruckner, ?
School department head at Stovington Academy
Capote, Truman
Visited the Overlook
Chamberlain, Neville
Mentioned in passing
Checker at the Market, The
Person at a Sidewinder Market who told Wendy about the doctor in town.
Cochran, Eddie
Recording artist.
Conklin, Rodney
Financial editor of a paper.
Cottrell, Howard
Snowplow driver who helped Hallorann
Crommert, Mr.
Worked for the school board as headmaster of Stovington Academy.
DeLong, Paul (Monkey)
Child Molester in one of Jack Torrance's stories
Denker, ?
Character in Jack Torrance's play
Derwent, Horace M. (Harry)
Millionaire inventor, pilot, film producer and entrepreneur who owned the Overlook 1945-1970. He was married to Sylvia Derwent from 1942-1948.
Derwent, Sylvia Hunter
Wife of Horace Derwent from 1942 until 1948. Owned the Overlook from 1967 until 1968
Doctorow, E.L.
Author of "Welcome to Hard Times"
Donner Party, The
PeopIe who were snowbound in the Sierra Nevadas. They resorted to cannibalism in order to stay alive.
Dupont, ?
Visited the Overlook
Durkin, Larry
Owner of a Conoco service station in Sidewinder.
Edmonds, Dr. Bill
Doctor in Sidewinder.
Effinger, Harry
Worked for the school board at Stovington Academy.
Felton, David
Features editor for a Denver paper.
Finkel, Henry
Ran the Top Marks for Horace Derwent in the 1930's.
Ford, Henry
Visited the Overlook in 1927
Four Writers, The
In 1961, four unnamed writers (two of whom were Pulitzer Prize Winners) leased the Overlook and reopened it as a writer's school.
Gable, Clarke
Visited the Overlook.
Galahad, Sir
Wendy Torrance imagined that a soap opera hero Sir Galahad would come to sweep her and Danny away.
Gienelli, Vittorio (Vito the Chopper)
Mobster and guest of the Overlook in 1944. Shot in the Overlook in June 1966.
Grady, Delbert A.
Drunk, who was in charge of the Overlook during the winter of 1970-1971, went mad and killed his 2 daughters (8 and 6) with a hatchet, and his wife with a shotgun before committing suicide with the shotgun.
Grimmer, ?
Character in one of Jack Torrance's stories
Grondin, Charles
Headed the purchase of the Overlook from Derwent in 1952, then was later part of High Country Investments that again purchased the Overlook in 1963.
Gunther, John
His son had a brain tumor.
Hall, Mr.
Name used by Dick Hallorann to the sheriff Tom Staunton.
Hallorann, ?
Fictitious boy whom Hallorann made-up as an excuse to get back to Colorado.
Hallorann, Carl
Brother of Dick.
Hallorann, Dick
The cook at the Overlook. He had the "shine."
Hallorann, Mrs.
Mother of Dick and Carl Hallorann.
Harding, President
Stayed in the Presidential Suite at the Overlook. Former USA President
Harding, Warren G.
Guest in the Overlook in 1922.
Harlow, Jean
Visited the Overlook in 1930
Hatfield, Brian
Father of George. Corporation Lawyer
Hatfield, George
A promising debate student at Stovington Academy. Son of Brian Hatfield.
Hollis, Wally
Told Jack Torrance about Vic Stenger's nervous breakdown
Houghton, Archer
County Coroner bribed to change the cause of death from suicide to accidental death for Mrs. Massey - the woman found dead in room 217.
Hunter, Sylvia
Maiden name of Sylvia Derwent.
Jackson, Shirley
Author of The Legend of Hill House.
Leffing, Robert T.
Spokesman for High Country Investments
Lincoln, Abraham
Former USA President
Lombard, Carole
Visited the Overlook
Longfellow
American poet.
Macassi, Roger
Gienelli's bodyguard who was shot in June 1966
Massey, Mr.
Lawyer husband of Mrs Massey.
Massey, Mrs.
Found dead in the bath of room 217.
Masterton, Frank
Part owner of One-A Wholesale Vegetable Mart in Florida. Friend of Dick Hallorann
McIver, ?
Lawyer used by Hallorann to make his will in Florida.
Miller, Arthur
Visited the Overlook. Husband of Marilyn.
Monroe, Marilyn
Visited the Overlook. Wife of Arthur Miller
Moorer, Benjamin
State trooper that found Gienelli, Boorman and Macassi's bodies in the Overlook in 1966.
Morgan, Jack (Dutchy)
Supposedly killed by Charles
Morris, Margery
14-year-old actress who worked for the Top Mark Studio before she died of a heroin overdose in 1934.
Nevers, Mr.
Dick Hallorann's apprentice at the Overlook
Nixon, Richard
Visited the Overlook and stayed in the Presidential Suite. Former USA President
Norman, Robert
Manager of the Overlook in 1966
O'Casey, Sean Phyllis Sandler
Jack's agent, thought the literary sun rose and set on Sean O'Casey.
O'Neill, Eugene
Mentioned in passing by Jack Torrance
Olson, Charles
Poet discussed in Jack Torrance's English classes.
Pillsbury Dough-Boy, The
Wendy thought a chef should look like the Pillsbury Dough-Boy.
Porsky, Mr.
Mentioned in a debate by George Hatfield
Prashkin, Carl (Jimmy Ricks)
Heir to Gienelli.
Queems, ?
Manager where Dick Hallorann worked in Florida
Redford, Robert
Actor who was compared to George Hatfield.
Rockefeller, Nelson
Visited the Overlook in 1950
Roosevelt, Franklin D.
Visited the Overlook and stayed in the Presidential Suite. Former USA President
Ryan, Nolan
Baseball Player
Sandler, Phyllis
Jack Torrance's agent in New York.
Scarne, Richard
Owner of Fun Time Automatic Machines and a mobster. Guest in the Overlook in 1964.
Scoffy, Frank
Killed by Vito Gienelli
Shockley, Albert
Close friend of the Torrance family
Shockley, Arthur Longley
Father of Albert.
Stani, Corbat
Designer that stayed in the Overlook in 1957
Staunton, Tom
Ranger that Dick Hallorann spoke to about the Torrance family
Stenger, Robin
In nursery school with Danny Torrance in Stovington. Son of Vic.
Stenger, Vic
Father of Robin. Teacher with Jack Torrance at Stovington Academy.
Strong, Miss
French Teacher at Stovington Academy.
Three Mountain Climbers, The
The three unnamed men who tried to climb the north face of King's Ram in Colorado.
Three Nuns, The
They sat on a sofa in the lobby of the Overlook the day the Torrances arrived at the hotel.
Torrance, Becky
Older sister of Jack Torrance.
Torrance, Brett
Oldest brother of Jack.
Torrance, Daniel Anthony (Danny or Doc)
Son of Jack and Wendy. He could read people's minds or thoughts, and he was wanted by the Overlook.
Torrance, John Daniel (Jack)
Danny's father. Husband of Wendy
Torrance, Mark Anthony
Father of Jack, Becky, Brett and Mike.
Torrance, Mike
Brother of Jack. Second oldest
Torrance, Winnifred (Wendy)
Danny's mother.
Trent, Mr.
Manager of Surf-Sand resort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Tunney, Zack
Friend of Jack Torrance. Teacher at Stovington Academy.
Ullman, Stuart
Manager of the Overlook.
Vanderbilt, ?
Visited the Overlook
Vecker, Carlton
Passenger who didn't show up for Flight 196 to Denver. Hallorann got his seat..
Vickery, Delores
Chambermaid at the Overlook Hotel.
VW Family, The
The family that had an accident on their way to Albuquerque.
Walpole, Horace
Writer mentioned my Wendy Torrance.
Watson, ?
Grandson of Robert Watson. Does the summer maintenance on the Overlook.
Watson, Boyd
Not mentioned by name. Son of Robert T Watson.
Watson, Mr.
Father of the current caretaker, Watson. Son of Robert Watson.
Watson, Mrs.
Mother of the current caretaker, Watson.
Watson, Robert Townley (Bob)
Built the Overlook in 1907. Grandfather of Watson, the present maintenance man.
Wilson, President
Visited the Overlook and stayed in the Presidential Suite. Former USA President
Woman, The
Unnamed woman on Flight 196 (Hallorann's flight back to Colorado) who burst into tears and said the plane was going to crash.
Zanuck, Darryl F.
Guest in the Overlook in 1956
Zeiss, Peter (Poppa)
Miami-based importer
...
...
Toggle Dark Mode Color Scheme