Jack Torrance

"Wendy? Darling? Light, of my life. I'm not gonna hurt ya. You didn't let me finish my sentence... I said I'm not gonna hurt ya... I'm just going to bash your brains in, I´m going to bash them right the fuck in." —Jack Torrance to Wendy Torrance

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John Daniel Edward "Jack" Torrance is the main protagonist/antagonist in the novel The Shining, the 1980 Film Adaptation by Stanley Kubrick, and the 1997 Miniseries by Mick Garris.

Biography

Jack was the husband of Wendy Torrance, the father of Danny Torrance and Lucy Stone, uncle of Jackie Torrance, and the grandfather of Abra Stone. Jack was an author and a former teacher who accepted a position as the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel in Colorado, and had an opportunity to write a play.

The evil spirits that inhabited the Overlook Hotel drove Jack insane and convinced him to attempt to murder his family with a roque mallet. However, his son Danny also had some psychic abilities, which he used to try to protect Jack. Wendy, Danny, and Dick Hallorann escaped, but unfortunately, Jack regained his sanity too late and the hotel boiler exploded, which killed him as well as destroyed the hotel. In the 1980 film, Jack (Jack Nicholson) froze to death after he chased Danny into a hedge maze and became trapped. In the 1997 miniseries, Jack was played by Steven Weber. Jack's final fate in the 1997 film was more true to the novel. Unlike the 1980 film, Jack's redemption was "rewarded" of sorts when a full grown Danny is seen graduating from a school. Jack's ghost momentarily appears to congratulate his son on completing his studies.

Jack appeared in the novel Doctor Sleep, in which Danny (as an adult, went by "Dan") discovered that he had a half-sister named Lucy, and a niece named Abra who had similar abilities to him — only more powerful. Dan saw a vision of his father at what used to be the Overlook Hotel near the end of the novel.

The Shining (novel)

In the novel, Jack Torrance seems to be a troubled yet loving father who cares deeply for Wendy and Danny but does not know how to show it properly. Jack, Wendy and Danny arrive at the Overlook Hotel on Closing Day. Jack is stunned by how many people are still at the hotel on Closing Day. He and his family are given a tour around the hotel by Hallorann and Stuart Ullman before they are left alone in the hotel. As time goes by, Jack’s behaviour slowly changes. Eventually, he goes mad thanks to the influence of the hotel’s ghosts and attempts to kill Wendy and Danny. His plan does not work though and Wendy and Danny escape with Dick who came to save Wendy and Danny as the hotel boiler explodes, killing Jack and destroying the Overlook completely.

Doctor Sleep (novel)

Jack Torrance does not appear in Doctor Sleep until the very end in which he appears as a ghost at the Bluebell Campgrounds, which was built over the Overlook Hotel and is the home of The True Knot looking over Danny, appearing proud.

Appearances

• The Shining
• The Shining (film)
• The Shining (miniseries)
• The Shining (opera)
• Doctor Sleep
• Castle Rock (TV Series) (Mentioned)

"HERE'S JOHNNY!" —Jack Torrance to Wendy Torrance