The Varied Symbolism in Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’
Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of Stephen King’s ‘The Shining’ is more than a psychological horror film; it is a veritable labyrinth of symbols, layered meanings, and cinematic allusions. The Overlook Hotel is not just a backdrop for terror but a living entity, its architecture rife with motifs that demand interpretation. Deep analysis of Kubrick’s usage of symbolism reveals how the film achieves an enduring sense of unease, sparking decades of critical debate and audience fascination.
The Overlook Hotel: A Representation of Psychological and Historical Spirits
The Overlook Hotel stands prominently as both a physical setting and a symbol of psychological entrapment. Its changing architecture, impossible windows, and winding corridors evoke a feeling of disorientation, reflecting Jack Torrance’s deteriorating mental state. The hotel serves as a microcosm of repression—a grand edifice built on foundations of violence and secrets. The recurring motif of Native American imagery, woven into carpets and wall patterns, suggests the hotel is constructed atop the traumas of American history.
Some researchers suggest that Kubrick deliberately emphasizes the United States’ troubled history, particularly by alluding to mass extermination. Stuart Ullman’s reference to the hotel being constructed on a “Native American burial site,” reinforced by Calumet baking powder cans and woven Indigenous designs, links the paranormal occurrences to a larger cultural forgetfulness.
The Labyrinth: Intricacy, Captivity, and Psychological Challenges
At the heart of the movie’s symbolism is the hedge maze—a creation exclusive to Kubrick’s version. It functions as both a real and metaphorical labyrinth, symbolizing Jack’s fragmented mind, deeper psychological conundrums, and the wider theme of existential confusion. The aerial scenes of Danny navigating the paths, along with Jack’s ultimately futile pursuit, illustrate a conflict that is both internal and external. The maze’s intricate design reflects the hotel’s architectural inconsistencies and the perplexing layout that challenges spatial logic.
The way out of the labyrinth—Danny managing to get away by tracing his own steps in reverse—acts as a representation of wit and endurance through mental strength. This starkly contrasts with Jack’s inability to overcome his compulsions and aggressive impulses.
The Hue of Scarlet: Aggression, Alert, and Ubiquitous Fear
Kubrick employs color symbolism throughout the film, but red stands out as a harbinger of violence and psychological collapse. The doors of Room 237, the infamous “REDRUM” inscription, and the cascade of blood flowing from the elevator doors all magnify the underlying sense of doom. Each red motif is carefully framed, signaling impending danger or emotional turmoil. Wendy swinging a bat in the blood-red corridors, Danny encountering the twin girls in matching dresses, and the unsettling play of shadow and light underscore Kubrick’s intent to make red an omnipresent threat.
Reflections and Mirrors: Duality and Separation
Mirrors and reflections occupy a crucial place in the symbolic landscape, echoing the theme of duality. Mirrors show Jack’s descent into madness, particularly during the unforgettable bathroom scene with the ghostly woman from Room 237. The revelation of “REDRUM” as “MURDER” in the mirror encapsulates the film’s exploration of reversed realities and hidden truths. Scenes in which characters confront their own reflections emphasize internal conflict and the fracturing of the self.
Furthermore, numerous significant events transpire close to or in front of reflective surfaces—Jack first meets Delbert Grady, the ghastly bartender Lloyd makes his entrances, and crucial narrative developments all happen using this mirror-like theme. The breakdown of identity and the distortion of reality introduce additional levels of suspense and uncertainty.
‘The Shining’: Telepathy, Trauma, and Hidden Connections
Danny’s psychic abilities, referred to as “the shining,” symbolize both a curse and a source of insight. His visions, haunted by foreboding imagery and the voice of his imaginary friend Tony, reflect the burden of foresight and sensitivity to trauma. The title itself is a play on inner illumination—the capacity to perceive what lies beneath the surface.
Hallorann, the hotel’s chef, recognizes Danny’s gift, forming a spiritual kinship that transcends physical space. The unspoken understanding between them suggests the possibility of empathy and resilience in the face of overwhelming darkness.
The Enchanted History and Recurring Time
“The Shining” examines the themes of repetition and cyclic violence. The image at the end of the movie, showing Jack at the hotel’s Independence Ball in 1921, alludes to his perpetual imprisonment in the place of previous terrors. Grady’s statement, “You have always been the caretaker,” confuses the lines between past and present, implying that trauma and malevolence repeat themselves across different generations.
The film’s subtle allusions to perpetual cycles are reinforced by dialogue, staging, and the camera’s repetitive movements. The impossibility of escape from the past is symbolized by the hotel’s pull on its residents, amplifying themes of fatalism and history repeating itself.
Room 237 and Forbidden Knowledge
Room 237 acts as a center of forbidden knowledge, symbolizing the temptation and risk associated with discovering truths that are better kept hidden. Those who enter face embodiments of their most profound fears and wishes. Jack’s disturbing and sensual hallucinations within, along with Danny’s shocked muteness following his own experience, enhance the room’s role as a place of mental suppression.
Fans and analysts have suggested that Room 237 is emblematic of suppressed trauma—the room where society’s collective nightmares are locked away, only to manifest explosively when repressed too long.
Representation Through Songs and Audio
Kubrick’s meticulous use of sound and music further reinforces the film’s symbolic landscape. The dissonant musical score, composed by Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind, disrupts the audience’s sense of normalcy, evoking primal fear and the dissolution of temporal boundaries. Echoing footsteps, whispered voices, and the repetitive tricycle motif intensify a sense of haunting repetition and psychic disturbance.
The Lasting Enigma and Diversity of Interpretation
Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ eludes single interpretation, its brilliant ambiguity powering endless speculation. By weaving together motifs of spatial disorientation, color, reflections, and cyclical time, Kubrick offers a meditation on the haunting persistence of trauma—both personal and cultural. The film’s symbolism invites viewers to engage in a complex puzzle, one that functions simultaneously as a narrative of familial breakdown, a commentary on American history, and an exploration of the uncanny.
Rather than settling into a comfortable resolution, ‘The Shining’ ensures its legacy by constantly mirroring the fears and desires of those who peer into its depths. Through its symbols, it charts a territory both familiar and alien—each viewing revealing new corridors in its labyrinth of meaning.
