The Shining | Style

The Shining Style

Points of View

This novel is narrated using a third-person point of view, presumably that of an innocent witness of the events within the Torrance family. As a narration of the vast complexities of human emotions and their relationships to one another, a constant third party narrator is necessary to convey each character's traits, fears, and experiences evenly, in order to ensure the flow of information that links these individuals together. Additionally, the third person narrative allows the exploration of the vast amount of character data vital throughout the book. This information is insightful and exhaustive, which is central to understanding the complex themes of alcohol addiction, violence, abuse, and mental illness presented throughout the novel. The characters and their exclusive viewpoints would not be as clearly distinct through any other point of view.

Setting

The novel takes place in two primary settings: those of an apartment in Boulder, Colorado, and the Overlook hotel,...
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