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

The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick (1980) 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

• Preparation

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 howeve.

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 lost in the maze.

•Return

26. The task is accomplished - Wendy and Danny both survive and escape the hotel.

•Recognition

30. The villian is punished - Jack dies by freezing so is punished for his evilness.