Vladimir Propp's character analysis in relation to 'The Shining'

The Shining (1980), directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on the novel by Stephen King, starring Jack Nicholson.

 Character roles

• Villain - Jack Torrance
• Donor - Stuart Ullman
• Helper - Tony & Dick Halloran
• Princess - Wendy Torrence
• Princess's father - Danny Torrence
• Dispatcher - Stuart Ullman
• Hero/Victim - Danny & Wendy Torrence
• False Hero - Jack Torrence

Narrative structure

• Preperation

1. A member of family leaves home - Jack leaves his home for a job interview at the Overlook hotel. After getting the job his moves his wife (Wendy) and son (Danny) to the hotel for winter.
2. A prohibition or rule is imposed on the hero - Wendy is told not to enter the room while Jack is working. Danny is told not to enter room 237.
3. This prohibition is broken - Wendy enters Jack's area losing his trust. Danny goes into room 237.
5. The villian learns something about the victim - Jack learns of Danny's "gift" and that he is asking/contacting someone to help them. Jack beleives that Wendy is untrustworthy.
7. The victim unknowingly helps the villian by being decieved or influenced by the villian - Wendy was simingly decieved to stay at the hotel and by being there she is helping to provoke Jacks mental health.
8. The villian harms a member of the family - Jack mentally harms Wendy and Danny. He also tries to harm the later by chasing them ith an axe.

• Complication

8a. A member of the family lacks or desires something - Jack wants to be a writer. One of his reaseon for moving to the hotel was the change to write in solitude.

• Transference

11. The hero leaves home - Both Wendy and Danny leave home to be with Jack at the hotel. This occurs much earlier in the narrative however.
12. The hero is tested, attacked, interrogated and as a result, recieves a magical agent or helper - Danny is attacked in room 237. Wendy and Danny are also both interigated. Danny uses the shining to get help and Dick Halloran comes.

• Struggle

16. The hero and villian join in direct combat - Jack goes after Danny with an axe into a maze. Jack tries to attack Wendy, using an axe to get through a door, and Wendy stabbs Jack in the and.
18. The villian is defeated - Jack is left to freeze to death in the maze due too snow and extreame low temperatures.

• Return

26. The task is accomplished - Wendy and Danny both escape Jack and get away from the hotel. Their tasks in the movie were to get away from the mentally unstable Jack and the hotel.

• Recognition

30. The villian is punished - Jack loses his life getting punished for his evilness.