Stephen King's The Shining: Author's Life and Inspiration, Study notes of Creative writing

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THE^ SHINING^ By^ Stephen^ King

Author’s^ Background ‐Born:^ Portland,^ Maine^ in^1947 ‐He lived^ in^ Durham^ most^ of^ his^ life ‐Graduated^ from^ high^ school^ in^1966 ‐He was^ very^ active^ in^ his^ college ‐Graduated^ from^ the^ University^ of^ Maine

in^1970 ‐Married^ in^1971 st^ ‐^1 professional^ story^ in^1967 ‐Fall^1971 he^ began^ to^ teachst^ ‐^1974 1 book^ published ‐Fall^1974 he^ moved^ to^ Colorado ‐In^1977 he^ started^ to^ teach^ creative

writing^ at^ the University^ of^ Maine ‐He^ has^ three^ children ‐He^ is^ multi^ talented ‐He^ provides^ scholarships ‐He^ has^ been^ a^ part^ of^ over^40

movies^ and^ T.V.^ series ‐He^ has^ more^ then^60 books,^ short

stories^ and anthologies

Background^

on^ The^ Shining

(cont.)

‐‐King^ went^ and^ explored

the^ hotel^ and^ went^ to^

the^ bar ‐‐^ King's^ dream‐^ Jack^ Torrance

IS^ Stephen^ King? ‐‐^ The^ Shining was^ also^

influenced^ by^ Shirley^ Jackson's

The^ Haunting of^ Hill^ House,^ Edgar^ Allan

Poe's^ The^ Masque^ of^ the

Red Death and^ The^ Fall^ of^ the

House^ of^ Usher,^ Robert

Marasco's Burnt Offerings and^ Guy^ de^ Maupassant's The

Hostelry ‐‐^ Roadwork and^ The^ Body ‐‐^ King's^ editor^ didn't^ want

him^ to^ be^ typed^ as^ a^ horror

writer,^ so he tried^ to^ convince^ King^ not

to^ publish^ The^ Shining ‐‐^ Prologue^ and^ epilogue

References^ to

King’s^ other

works

‐‐Pages^379 ‐390:^ "The

arguments^ against^ insanity

fall

through^ with^ a^ soft^ shurring

sound^ /^ layer^ on^ layer...”

‐‐In^ King's^ series^ The^

Dark^ Tower,^ the^ number

19 occurs

frequently

Book^ Reception ‐‐Stephen King’s^ third^ novel,^ and^ first

best^ seller

‐‐^1980 Stanley^ Kubrick

directed^ a^ movie

‐‐^1997 short^ T.V.^ mini

series

‐‐November^2009 King

is^ considering^ to^ write

a^ sequel

Movie^ Reception ‐‐Thought to be one^ of^ the^ staple^ horror

films^ of^ pop

culture ‐‐Was^ not^ nominated

for^ any^ Oscars^ or^ Golden

Globes,^ but

was^ nominated^ for^ the

Golden^ Raspberry^ award

‐‐Spoofed^ and^ parodied

multiple^ times^ in^ the

media,^ one^ of

the^ more^ popular^ ones

being^ “The^ Shinning” from

The

Simpsons^ Tree^ House

of^ Horror^ V

Film^ vs.^ Novel Murder Weapon Film: axe Novel: roque mallet Picture http://www.gardengames.co.uk/acatalog/townsendmallet opt.gif Croquet Mallet http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=2TVooUHN7j

Film^ vs.^ Novel

(cont.) Tony^ Film:^ Tony^ lives^ in^ Danny’s

finger Novel:^ Tony^ lives^ in^ Danny’s

head^ and^ is^ an^ older^ version

of Danny Hotel^ Film:^ There^ is^ a^ hedge

maze Novel: There are topiary^ animals Ending^ Film:^ Jack^ dies^ by^ freezing

in^ the^ hedge^ maze The hotel photo of Jack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRPylW3FSlU Novel:^ Jack^ dies^ by^ bludgeoning

himself^ with^ the^ roque mallet^ The^ hotel^ explodes

Kubrick^ vs.^ King

on^ The^ Shining

(cont.)

Kubrick:^ “…But^ The^ Shining

didn't^ originate^ from^ any

particular^ desire to^ do^ a^ film^ about^ this^ [ESP]

… It^ seemed^ to^ strike^ an

extraordinary balance^ between^ the^ psychological

and^ the^ supernatural^ in

such^ a way^ as^ to^ lead^ you^ to^ think

that^ the^ supernatural^ would

eventually^ be explained^ by^ the^ psychological:

"Jack^ must^ be^ imagining

these^ things because^ he's^ crazy".^ This

allowed^ you^ to^ suspend

your^ doubt^ of^ the supernatural^ until^ you^ were

so^ thoroughly^ into^ the story^ that^ you could^ accept^ it^ almost^ without

noticing.” “...The^ novel^ is^ by^ no^ means

a^ serious^ literary^ work,

but^ the^ plot^ is^ for the^ most^ part^ extremely

well^ worked^ out,^ and^ for

a^ film^ that^ is^ often all^ that^ really^ matters.”

The^ Critics

The^ book^ was^ a^ commercial

success.^ It^ was^ his^ first^ hardcover

bestseller.^ The Shining^ solidified^ his^ reputation

as^ the^ master^ of^ horror. King^ has^ been^ criticized^ for^

his^ female^ characters. Roger^ Ebert’s^ Review“Those who

have^ read^ Stephen^ King's^ original

novel^ report that^ Kubrick^ dumped^ many^

plot^ elements^ and^ adapted^

the^ rest^ to^ his^ uses.^ Kubrick is^ telling^ a^ story^ with^ ghosts

(the^ two^ girls,^ the^ former^ caretaker

and^ a^ bartender), but^ it^ isn't^ a^ "ghost^ story,"^ because

the^ ghosts^ may^ not^ be^ present

in^ any^ sense^ at all^ except^ as^ visions^ experienced

by^ Jack^ or^ Danny.” Variety^ Review“With everything

to^ work^ with,^ director^ Stanley

Kubrick^ has^ teamed with^ jumpy^ Jack^ Nicholson^ to

destroy^ all^ that^ was^ so^ terrifying

about^ Stephen King's^ bestseller.” “The^ crazier^ Nicholson^ gets,

the^ more^ idiotic^ he^ looks.^ Shelley

Duvall^ transforms the^ warm^ sympathetic^ wife

of^ the^ book^ into^ a^ simpering,

semi‐retarded hysteric.”