The Shining Ending Explained & Plot Analysis

After watching the movie, do you have more questions than answers? Let me help you find the hidden meaning behind The Shining and also explain what the movie’s ending means.

The 1980 film The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick, is his “calling card” in the world of cinema. The work has become so popular and famous in the world that even now, in 2022, references are being made to it, mentioned, and analyzed. The director approached the shooting with due responsibility, and this was how he was able to attract the viewer, forever securing a cult status for himself.

But still, the picture is an adaptation of the novel by Stephen King, and he likes to confuse the plot. If we add Kubrick’s special approach to filmmaking to this concept, then the following is obvious – an analysis of the meaning of this film will be required. Not every viewer will be able to understand the idea laid down by the creator. That is why we have prepared a detailed analysis of this cult film. We are sure that it will bring not only understanding, but also the pleasure of realizing hidden meanings. We hope that this will be the case!

An interesting fact, according to a survey by film magazine Sight & Sound, The Shining is recognized as one of the greatest films in world history. The survey, by the way, was conducted among directors and film critics, which greatly increases its value.

What is the movie The Shining about?

The Shining tells us about the family of Jack Torrance, who, by the will of the head of the family, find themselves in the winter at the Overlook Hotel. The fact is that it closes for the winter period, and the management is ready to hire a caretaker for a good price. Jack willingly agrees, even taking his family with him, which does not please his wife Wendy and son Danny. The man himself is trying to write his novel. Well, who, if not a writer, can be the main character of Stephen King?

But the hotel is not quite ordinary. Gradually, Jack begins to see people who do not really exist. He visits a bar that is full just for him. He really rages, so he declares a hunt for his wife and son. Interestingly, the hotel’s evil forces also help him in this.

But Danny is no ordinary boy. Radiance, as his special power is called, allows him to fight against evil. As a result, the father is frozen to death in the maze on the street, and Danny and his mother leave the hotel.

This is a very brief summary of the overall plot. For a complete acquaintance with the picture, it is worth seeing this ingenious picture of Kubrick. Believe me, it’s worth it. Each frame fits perfectly into the overall atmosphere of the film. It seems that it is impossible to remove even a single scene without losing the meaning of the film – Stanley Kubrick did such a good job.

It is worth noting that the continuation of this story is captured in the film Doctor Sleep.

The meaning of the film “The Shining”

The film is fully consistent with the atmosphere of Stephen King’s work. We see a horror story that scares by no means bloody scenes and the so-called “screamers”. King, like Kubrick, perfectly understood the concept of a distant place. The Overlook is huge, no doubt, but we feel very differently. It seems that its walls are beginning to put pressure on us and press on. This feeling persists throughout the movie. You still need to be able to show a giant structure so cramped.

But the main idea is to show the struggle between good and evil. That’s just good here is an ordinary child who feels different. His father willingly succumbs to alluring evil, selling his soul to the devil. The son, despite childhood fears, copes with the surrounding evil. And this story is hard to believe. Jack Nicholson perfectly captures the desperation of a not-so-successful middle-aged man. And he is ready to block this grief with anything, and evil knows the approach to such weak people.

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