# The Shining > 1977 novel by Stephen King **Wikidata**: [Q470937](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q470937) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shining_(novel)) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-shining-q470937 ## Summary The Shining is a 1977 psychological horror novel written by American author Stephen King, published by Doubleday on January 28, 1977. The story follows Jack Torrance, a recovering alcoholic writer who accepts a position as the winter caretaker at the Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rockies, accompanied by his wife Wendy and their young son Danny, who possesses psychic abilities known as "the shining." The novel is classified as literary work, psychological horror fiction, gothic fiction, thriller, and horror literature. ## Key Facts - **Title**: The Shining - **Author**: Stephen King (American novelist, born September 21, 1947) - **Publication Date**: January 28, 1977 - **Publisher**: Doubleday (American publishing company, founded 1897) - **Country of Origin**: United States - **Preceded by**: 'Salem's Lot (1975) - **Followed by**: Doctor Sleep (2013) - **Genre Classification**: Literary work, psychological horror fiction, gothic fiction, thriller, horror literature - **Wikipedia Title**: The Shining (novel) - **Sitelink Count**: 43 - **Wikidata Description**: 1977 novel by Stephen King - **Open Library ID**: OL81633W - **Google Knowledge Graph ID**: /m/07cvr - **Page Count**: 681.0, 659.0, 652.0 (various editions) ## FAQs **Who wrote The Shining?** The Shining was written by Stephen King, an American novelist born in 1947 who is celebrated for his extensive contributions to horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy. King has authored over 60 novels and hundreds of short stories, making him one of the most prolific and influential horror writers of the modern era. **What is the plot of The Shining?** The novel centers on Jack Torrance, a struggling writer and recovering alcoholic, who takes a job as the winter caretaker at the Overlook Hotel, an isolated mountain resort in Colorado. He moves there with his wife Wendy and their five-year-old son Danny, who possesses psychic abilities called "the shining" that allow him to see into the past and future and communicate telepathically. As the hotel's supernatural forces manipulate Jack's vulnerabilities and past trauma, the family's sanity and lives become increasingly endangered. **What does "the shining" refer to in the novel?** "The shining" refers to a psychic ability possessed by Danny Torrance and the hotel's former caretaker, Dick Hallorann. This ability involves telepathy, premonition, and the capacity to perceive past events and communicate mentally with others who possess the same gift. The term has become synonymous with the novel and has been adopted in popular culture to describe similar psychic abilities. **What genres does The Shining belong to?** The Shining is classified across multiple genres including literary work, psychological horror fiction, gothic fiction, thriller, and horror literature. It blends elements of supernatural horror with psychological thriller, exploring themes of family dysfunction, addiction, isolation, and the supernatural manipulation of vulnerable minds. **How does The Shining relate to Stephen King's other works?** The Shining is part of Stephen King's interconnected fictional universe. It is preceded by 'Salem's Lot (1975) and followed by Doctor Sleep (2013), which continues the story of Danny Torrance as an adult. The Overlook Hotel also appears in King's Dark Tower series, connecting it to his broader multiverse of fictional works. **What is significant about the setting of The Shining?** The Overlook Hotel is a fictional mountain resort in the Colorado Rockies that serves as both the primary setting and almost a character in itself. The isolated, snowbound hotel creates a closed environment that amplifies the psychological horror and symbolizes the psychological imprisonment of the Torrance family. The hotel's supernatural presence manipulates Jack Torrance's vulnerabilities, particularly his struggle with alcoholism and past abuse of his son. **Has The Shining been adapted into other media?** Yes, The Shining has been significantly adapted across multiple media forms. The most famous adaptation is Stanley Kubrick's 1980 feature film starring Jack Nicholson, which became a landmark in horror cinema. Stephen King also created a television miniseries adaptation in 1997. The novel's sequel, Doctor Sleep, was adapted into a 2019 film that serves as both a sequel to King's novel and a continuation of Kubrick's film adaptation. **Why is The Shining considered important in horror literature?** The Shining is considered a landmark work in horror literature because it pioneered the psychological approach to horror, focusing on the internal psychological disintegration of the protagonist rather than relying solely on external monsters or supernatural threats. It influenced countless subsequent horror works and established many tropes of the genre, including the haunted hotel setting and the exploration of family trauma and dysfunction. ## Why It Matters The Shining matters as a seminal work that transformed horror literature by combining supernatural horror with deep psychological exploration. It represents Stephen King's maturation as a writer, moving beyond the teenage horror of his debut novel Carrie to create a sophisticated literary work that explores themes of addiction, family dysfunction, isolation, and the destructive nature of unchecked ambition. The novel's influence extends far beyond its genre, having shaped the landscape of both literature and cinema. The concept of "the shining" introduced in this novel has become embedded in popular culture, influencing countless works featuring psychic abilities and becoming a term widely recognized beyond the horror genre. The character of Jack Torrance has become an iconic figure in literature and film, representing the archetype of the corrupted caretaker and exploring the dark side of the American family ideal. The Shining also demonstrated that horror fiction could achieve literary respectability. Its success helped pave the way for the commercial and critical acceptance of genre fiction, contributing to Stephen King's recognition as a major literary figure who received major awards including the National Book Award and National Medal of Arts. The novel's adaptation into Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film, one of the most acclaimed horror films ever made, further cemented its cultural significance and introduced the story to audiences who might never have read the novel. Furthermore, The Shining established many of the thematic and structural elements that would define King's career, including the use of isolated settings, the exploration of small-town America, and the interconnection of his fictional universe. The novel's sequel, Doctor Sleep, and its incorporation into King's Dark Tower mythology demonstrate its enduring importance within his body of work. ## Notable For - Being one of Stephen King's most successful and influential novels - Introducing the concept of "the shining" as a form of psychic ability that has become embedded in popular culture - Serving as the basis for Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film adaptation, one of the most acclaimed horror films in cinema history - Exploring psychological themes of addiction, family dysfunction, and isolation with unprecedented depth for the horror genre - Creating the iconic character of Jack Torrance, widely considered one of the greatest horror antagonists in literature and film - Establishing the Overlook Hotel as one of the most memorable settings in horror fiction - Being followed by the 2013 sequel Doctor Sleep, continuing the story of Danny Torrance as an adult - Contributing to Stephen King's recognition as a major literary figure and helping establish horror fiction as commercially viable literature - Being classified across multiple genres including psychological horror, gothic fiction, and thriller - Having a dedicated Wikipedia article with 43 sitelinks and extensive documentation across multiple bibliographic databases ## Body ### Authorship and Publication The Shining was written by Stephen King, an American novelist born on September 21, 1947, in Portland, Maine. King studied at the University of Maine and began his professional writing career in 1959, though his breakthrough came with the publication of Carrie in 1974. The Shining was King's seventh published novel, following Carrie (1974), 'Salem's Lot (1975), Rage (published under the Richard Bachman pseudonym), The Long Walk (also as Bachman), The Stand (originally published in 1978 but written earlier), and The Dead Zone. The novel was published by Doubleday, an American publishing company founded in 1897 and headquartered in New York City. The first edition was released on January 28, 1977. The publication came during King's highly productive early period, which saw him release multiple bestselling novels each year, establishing him as a dominant force in horror fiction. ### Plot and Narrative The Shining follows Jack Torrance, a former schoolteacher and aspiring writer who has been struggling with alcoholism and anger issues following a period of unemployment. Desperate to rebuild his career and family life, Jack accepts a position as the winter caretaker at the Overlook Hotel, an isolated resort in the Colorado Rockies that closes during the winter months due to heavy snowfall. Jack moves to the Overlook with his wife Wendy and their five-year-old son Danny. Unbeknownst to Jack, Danny possesses psychic abilities that Danny calls "the shining," which allows him to see into the past and future and communicate telepathically with others who possess the same gift. Dick Hallorann, the hotel's head cook, also possesses the shining and had previously warned Danny about the hotel's dangerous nature. As winter sets in and the hotel becomes completely snowbound, the family's isolation intensifies. The Overlook Hotel, with its history of violence and tragedy, begins to exert a supernatural influence on Jack, exploiting his vulnerabilities and past trauma—including his own history of physically abusing Danny. The hotel's malevolent presence manipulates Jack's mind, driving him toward violence against his family while Danny and Wendy must fight to survive. ### Genre and Literary Classification The Shining is classified across multiple literary genres, reflecting its complex nature. As a literary work, it is a written creation intended for reading, valued for both entertainment and intellectual enrichment. It is defined as a type of work of art and a subclass of written work, indicating its artistic and intellectual value. The novel is primarily categorized under psychological horror fiction, a subgenre of horror that emphasizes psychological tension, mental instability, and the erosion of reality rather than relying primarily on physical threats or gore. It also falls under gothic fiction, a cross-media genre that combines horror with elements of romance, featuring themes of fear, death, and haunting set within atmospheric, often isolated settings. Additionally, The Shining is classified as thriller fiction, reflecting its tense, suspenseful narrative that keeps readers engaged through psychological conflict and escalating danger. It is also part of horror literature as a broader literary genre. ### Thematic Elements The Shining explores several interconnected themes that contribute to its lasting significance. Family dysfunction is central to the novel, as the Torrance family is portrayed as already fractured by Jack's struggles with alcoholism and anger before they arrive at the hotel. The isolated setting serves to amplify these existing tensions and provides the supernatural forces with the opportunity to exploit them. Addiction and recovery form another major theme, with Jack's ongoing struggle with alcoholism providing both psychological depth and a vehicle for the hotel's manipulation. The novel explores how addiction affects not only the addict but the entire family unit, and the difficulty of maintaining recovery in the face of overwhelming stress and temptation. The novel also explores the nature of creativity and the price of artistic ambition. Jack's desire to prove himself as a writer and provide for his family leads him to accept a job he knows is dangerous, and his artistic sensitivity makes him more susceptible to the hotel's supernatural influences. ### Connected Works in Stephen King's Universe The Shining occupies an important position within Stephen King's interconnected fictional universe. It is preceded by 'Salem's Lot (1975) in King's bibliography and followed by Doctor Sleep (2013), which continues the story of Danny Torrance as an adult struggling with his own demons and using his shining abilities to help others. The Overlook Hotel also appears in King's epic Dark Tower series, specifically referenced in Wizard and Glass (1997), connecting The Shining to King's broader multiverse of fictional works. This interconnection is a hallmark of King's writing, creating a rich, layered fictional world where characters, locations, and events from different novels occasionally intersect. ### Adaptations and Cultural Impact The Shining has had significant cultural impact through its adaptations, most notably Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film starring Jack Nicholson. The film, while differing substantially from the novel in its interpretation of Jack Torrance's character and the nature of the hotel's supernatural elements, became one of the most influential and acclaimed horror films ever made. The image of Jack Nicholson's grinning face through a broken door has become an iconic moment in cinema history. Stephen King created his own television adaptation in 1997, starring Steven Weber as Jack Torrance. This miniseries was more faithful to the novel's narrative and characterizations, providing a different interpretation of the story that King himself preferred over Kubrick's adaptation. The novel's sequel, Doctor Sleep (2013), was adapted into a 2019 film directed by Mike Flanagan. This adaptation serves as both a sequel to King's novel and a bridge between the original novel and Kubrick's film, incorporating elements from both versions of the story. ### Bibliographic Information and Identifiers The Shining has been extensively catalogued across multiple bibliographic systems and databases. The novel is identified by numerous unique identifiers including: - Open Library ID: OL81633W - Google Knowledge Graph ID: /m/07cvr - Library of Congress Control Number: 208824373 - Dewey Decimal Classification: 813/.54 - OCLC Number: 812541945 - ISBN-10: various editions including 0385151682 - ISBN-13: various editions including 9780385151683 The novel has been translated into numerous languages and published in multiple editions worldwide, with page counts varying from approximately 652 to 681 pages depending on the edition. ### Stephen King's Career Context The Shining represents a pivotal moment in Stephen King's career, demonstrating his ability to move beyond the teenage horror of Carrie to create more sophisticated, psychologically complex works. The novel was published during King's most prolific period, when he was establishing himself as the dominant force in American horror fiction. King's career has included numerous awards and honors, including the National Book Award and National Medal of Arts, recognition that helped establish horror fiction as a legitimate literary genre. His use of the pseudonym Richard Bachman, which he began using in 1977 with The Shining's publication year, allowed him to explore darker themes and test the boundaries of his reader base. King has created a complex multiverse of fictional settings and characters, with The Shining's Overlook Hotel and its characters becoming among his most memorable contributions to this interconnected fictional world. ### Literary Significance The Shining is significant for its contribution to the evolution of horror literature. It demonstrated that horror could be both commercially successful and artistically ambitious, combining supernatural elements with serious psychological exploration. The novel helped establish many of the tropes that would define the genre, including the haunted hotel setting and the focus on family trauma. The concept of "the shining" introduced in this novel has become one of King's most recognizable contributions to popular culture, influencing countless works featuring psychic abilities and becoming a term widely recognized beyond the horror genre. The novel's exploration of addiction, family dysfunction, and the dark side of the American family ideal gave it a psychological depth that distinguished it from earlier horror fiction. The Shining's success helped cement Stephen King's position as the preeminent voice in American horror fiction and demonstrated the commercial potential of literary horror, paving the way for the genre's acceptance in mainstream publishing and literary circles. ## References 1. Internet Speculative Fiction Database 2. MusicBrainz 3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 4. [The Shining by Stephen King | Open Library](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL81633W/The_Shining?edition=key%3A/books/OL22312685M) 5. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_1978)