Horace Derwent

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foreverfan2000

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Dec 3, 2013
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Joined this board specifically to ask this question:

I've always found the internal logic of King's books to be pretty tight. In The Shining, Jack clearly believes (and we're given no reason to doubt him) that Horace Derwent is alive, as Jack makes several inquiries as to whether he still owns a piece of the overlook. However, Derwent is present in the Overlook's re-creation of the party from the 40s. An explanation I read, which seems plausible, is that Derwent is still alive as an old man (he was based on Howard Hughes, who died roughly around the publication date), but that some psychic/ghostly remant of him in the 40s has remained at the overlook.

Contrast this with Dr. Sleep, which presents Derwent as one of the standard ghosts (actually, not standard, but as a horrid monster at the end - Also, Halloran describes him as amongst the dead people who know that something worse is waiting for them on the other side) haunting the Overlook/Danny, who's remant is still available to Danny in 2013.
Something about this just struck me as off. Anyone else?
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
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Jack is man more sinned against than sinning...and we probably ought not to take as truth what Jack believes about Derwent. He doesn't think Ullman was straight with him about the history of the hotel...this after investigating the files in the basement and the files at the Sidewinder Library. Jack believes there are criminal connections, mob connections, involved with the Overlook, that the hotel had been used for illegal activity. I don't see that Jack believes Derwent is still alive...he seems to be convinced that people connected to Derwent are still involved with the Overlook...that it is still in the family. I also don't see that Jack believes Derwent is dead.
 

SharonC

Eternal Members
Jul 9, 2007
2,958
11,254
Canada
Joined this board specifically to ask this question:

I've always found the internal logic of King's books to be pretty tight. In The Shining, Jack clearly believes (and we're given no reason to doubt him) that Horace Derwent is alive, as Jack makes several inquiries as to whether he still owns a piece of the overlook. However, Derwent is present in the Overlook's re-creation of the party from the 40s. An explanation I read, which seems plausible, is that Derwent is still alive as an old man (he was based on Howard Hughes, who died roughly around the publication date), but that some psychic/ghostly remant of him in the 40s has remained at the overlook.

Contrast this with Dr. Sleep, which presents Derwent as one of the standard ghosts (actually, not standard, but as a horrid monster at the end - Also, Halloran describes him as amongst the dead people who know that something worse is waiting for them on the other side) haunting the Overlook/Danny, who's remant is still available to Danny in 2013.
Something about this just struck me as off. Anyone else?
I always thought Derwent was a ghost of the Overlook. Jack was rapidly descending into madness, and perhaps this is why he thought Derwent was still alive. Funny, but I always pictured Howard Hughes as Derwent too.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
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Cambridge, Ohio
...I got nuttin'...but this...

the-derwent-blackpool.jpg
 
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