The Shining Explored: A psychoanalytic interpretation of Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film, The Shining

Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ has secured its place in popular culture as one of the most famed and influential horror films ever made. On the surface, the movie unfolds as a straightforward ghost story, yet the ambiguous overtones of the narrative fail to confirm the presence of dark spirits at the Overlook Hotel. Accordingly, it is possible to remove from the film the element of the supernatural and interpret the story in a completely different light. Applying Freudian psychoanalysis, The Shining Explored examines Kubrick’s masterpiece from a psychological standpoint in order to derive a rational, real world explanation for the homicidal tendencies of Jack Torrance and for the bizarre events that transpire in the film. Moreover, the essay examines a number of key texts read by Kubrick and co-writer, Diane Johnson prior to writing the screenplay for The Shining including Sigmund Freud’s ‘The Uncanny’ and Bruno Bettelheim’s ‘The Uses of Enchantment’. These texts offer clues toward underlying themes suggested in the film that Kubrick might well be alluding to. The goal of this essay is to put forth a credible interpretation of The Shining that reflects a sound portrayal of its characters by means of embracing central concepts echoed throughout Kubrick’s work. At its core, The Shining employs a labyrinth of symbols and metaphors that allow the audience to interpret the film however they please; The Shining Explored strives to offer an insightful glimpse into this labyrinth.