Clare’s Reviews > The Shining > Status Update

"She had never even given Jack the benefit of the doubt, not even the smallest."

Right. Because she shouldn't. This whole thing about Wendy being jealous is totally inconsequential. It literally doesn't matter: Jack is physically abusive due to WILDLY out of control rage issues, and that hasn't improved. Even the alcohol is a red herring. She shouldn't ever give him the benefit of the doubt, not even once.

"He had done terrible things, breaking Danny's arm had been a terrible thing, but if a man reforms, doesn't he deserve to have his reformation credited? And if he doesn't get it, doesn't he deserve the game to go with the name?"

Nope. Not even a little, you self-pitying asshole. It's so hard to tell where King thinks the Overlook's influence begins or ends, because Jack is kind of just constantly terrible.

Powering through this. I get the sense that King wants Jack to be flawed, but ultimately redeemable. Honestly, though? He just seems like a run-of-the-mill idiot abuser. Like, yeah, don't put a wasp nest in your son's room even if you bombed it. That's just plain stupid, and the fact that you'd be angry at anyone but yourself about that means you're just a narcissist asshole. I think Kubrick was right.