How Does Stephen King Build Suspense In Child Horror

What is horror? Webster's Collegiate Dictionary gives the primary definition of horror as "a painful and intense fear, dread, or dismay." It stands to reason then that "horror fiction" is fiction that elicits those emotions in the reader. An example of a horror film is "The Shining", directed by Stanley Kubrick. Stanley Kubrick was a well-known director, producer, writer and cinematographer. His films comprised of unique, qualitative scenes that are still memorable but one iconic film in his collection of work is The Shining. Many would disagree and say that The Shining was not his best work and he could have done better yet, there are still those who would say otherwise. This film was not meant to be a “scary pop-up” terror film but

Have you ever felt alone and confused? The Shining, a film by Stanley Kubrick, was released May 23,1980. The film was given mixed reviews at first, but eventually became a unique and classic horror film. It begins with Jack Torrance(Jack Nicholson) in a job interview trying to become the winter caretaker for the Overlook Hotel. When he gets hired he tells his wife Wendy Torrance(Shelly Duvall) and his estranged son Danny(Danny Lloyd). Danny has a “friend” he calls Tony who shows him the dark past and future that awaits them at the hotel. Soon their family is torn apart by the insanity that overcame Jack. The Shining is a complex film that uses symbolism to depict the effects of patriarchy, domestic violence, and racism.

First and foremost, the children in the novel are presented as more perceptive and more honest than adults. Children in general tend to be portrayed as innocent in literature. Unlike adults, they don’t really know why things seem to be the way they are and don’t know from right or wrong. In this case, the author might have included these children to act like “judges” in the book. He could have also wanted to bring out some aspects of the novel using the kids.

“Here’s Johnny!” A famous line from The Shining, when Jack Torrance goes mad and is hacking at the bathroom door with an axe to mutilate his wife, Wendy and son, Danny into many little bloody pieces for disobeying him. The Shining is a 1980 psychological horror film directed by Stanley Kubrick. Jack Torrance played by Jack Nicholson, quits his job as a school teacher and takes a job as caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado during the winter, hoping to cure his writer 's block. He moves in along with his wife, Wendy portrayed by Shelley Duvall, and his telepathic son, Danny played by Danny Lloyd. Danny is later told that he has an special telepathic ability called shining, hence the title.

The concept of the innocence of children contains the conventional association of Satire/Irony. According to literature, children are perceived to be innocent until exposed to the harsh realities of the world, where their maturity develops and the loss of innocence is achieved. The children in this story, however, appear as regular children in the beginning, with the normal intentions of playtime and fun. Jackson even describes Bobby Martin, a child of the village, stuffing his pocket full of stones with other boys following his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest ones (875).

sample, but it also appeals to population and emotion. To further explain why we crave

Stephen King said, “Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They’re inside us, and sometimes, they win.” This quote sums up the arguments made in the article “Why We Crave Horror” and what King believes. Stephen King makes three correct claims saying that humans crave horror to have a peculiar sort of fun, face our fears, and reestablish our feelings of normalcy.

One way Stephen King increased the sense of horror and suspense in the excerpt is by adding a time limit and details. For example, when Cujo was about to jump into the open window next to Tad's seat and when Donna tried to close the window. This was an example of the time limit that I said earlier because Donna had to be fast when closing the window, if she was too slow then Cujo would've gotten into the car and they would die. This is shown in the text in paragraph 32 where it says, "...moving with such a hard muscular spasm that she cracked her fingers on the window crank. She turned it as fast as she could, panting, feeling Tad squirming beneath her." When Donna noticed Cujo moving toward Tad's window, she rushed toward the window and tried

Danny Torrance, the five-year-old son of Jack and Wendy, is an intelligent boy who has the telepathic ability of “the shining”. The Overlook hotel’s seems to be strengthened by Danny’s mental power. Despite the fact that his father abused him, Danny still loves him and is willing to forgive. It also worth mentioning that Danny’s middle name is Anthony, just like Jack’s violent father’s. (Shmoop Editorial Team. 2008)

Steven King did an incredible job creating “The Shining”. Using a real life issue as damaging as alcoholism and allowing the reader to sympathize and even relate with the main characters was truly a remarkable idea. This thriller is, in no doubt, a masterpiece that will stay a treasure for years to come.

In Stephen King’s somewhat subjective essay in the 1984 Playboy magazine, Why We Crave Horror Movies, King describes his reasoning behind why so many people are fond of watching movies residing in the horror genre. The content of his essay, though inserted in an unconventional area for

Stephen King’s The Shining has maintained its cult status since its release in 1977. The Shining begins with Jack Torrance receiving a position as the winter caretaker for The Overlook Hotel, an isolated hotel in the Colorado Rockies. Jack hopes the stay will be therapeutic and allow him to focus on writing, family, and less on alcohol. As time progresses, unsettling events begin to transpire for Jack, his son Danny, and his wife Wendy. The intensity of the gothic novel came to life by the legendary Stanley Kubrick in 1980. The book was admired by fans, but Kubrick’s reimagining made it the iconic classic that it is today. Stephen King was not as fond of the movie. Although some of Kubrick’s take on The Shining complements the book, King

The Shining is indeed a tragedy. Jack Torrance is the story’s villain, but it’s easy to feel sympathy for him. Jack is a tortured man and had to watch his father physically abuse his mother when he was a child. He has witnessed domestic abuse first hand, and now as an adult, he became the same man as his father. In the novel, the ending is quite depressing. Jack is a good man, but he is deranged. He’s tormented by his inner demons and the demons of his past. The Overlook is seemingly haunted and is beset by a vengeful spirit dwelling inside of it. This “spirit” possessed Delbert Grady, the previous caretaker to murder his family. The same spirit that possessed Grady is after Jack, and Jack slowly loses his mind and descend into madness. Jack

The 1980 film The Shining represents what suspense, agitation and horror can be created through expert cinematography. Stanley Kubrick the director manages to build immense panic and unease within the viewer as he depicts the gradual degradation of Jack Torrance. The film sees Jack Torrance succumb to insanity through isolation and supernatural occurrences whilst caretaking a hotel with his family, where he mentally implodes and attempts to kill his wife and son; this amassing to pandemonium. A pivotal chapter within this film is the chaotic scene of Jack wielding an axe, hunting his son Danny through a huge imposing hedge maze.

Based on the Stephen King novel with the same title, Stanley Kubrick almost convinces the audience that The Shining is not a horror film. The aerial scenes of the title series demonstrate an attractive mountainous range which makes you feel blissful nonetheless the score selection creates this worrying and terrifying feeling that overpowers the characters. They are consumed by these enormous landscapes all while our characters are in a microscopic car.