Monday, February 20, 2012
Wendy
I'm curious as to what you guys think about Wendy and what she has to offer to the plot. She shares an interesting contrast with Jack and seems to be a gauge for his insanity. Stephen King uses her to express point blank themes or events, because Danny and Jack are both going through something, so they can't be used as a blank canvas. She is also a very useful tool when it comes to exhibiting the shining with Danny because she's the only sane person in the family. Overall, I feel as if she's only in the story because she can be used to further evolve Danny and Jack as characters. She is the "universal" solvent within the story and keeps it moving. She "breaks" everything down, and makes it a bit easier to understand.What do you guys think?
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I completely agree. She is able to give an "objective" perspective of the goings on because she is not "gifted" like the other characters. She also seems to be a dumping ground for Jack and Danny's problems, as the story progresses. Both of them utilize her ability to listen to each problem and help them through it. I feel her unique view of the world will help as we approach the climax of the book.
ReplyDeletethats not drake sam...
ReplyDeleteD, you made a nice point involving the importance of Wendy's non-existing power of the shining to the plot and the characters who have to cope with having that certain ability. I feel like Wendy is an unremovable "rock" for the family. Jack, without being obvious relies on Wendy's non gifted personality greatly. As of now, Jack's character may or may not be hanging on to his sanity by a thread, I believe that without Wendy present Jack would be in a much more dangerous position. As for Danny, I sort of believe that because of having his gift at such a young age and his relationship with Tony, Wendy doesn't currently have a large impact on Danny other than the fact that Wendy is completely needed in Danny's life.
ReplyDelete"thats not drake sam"
ReplyDeletenot anymore, your welcome
It seems pretty clear how Wendy is used as more of a reliable character for story telling, and an objective view of what's going on. I recall that Stephen king criticized the film adaptation for making Wendy seem incompetent and weak. Although in both versions the outcome of her character is the same, it certainly seems that in the book, Wendy is a fairly more strong and intelligent character, perhaps less subject to Jack's decline into insanity. As things become worse in the Overlook, I can imagine Wendy holding things together as Jack no longer holds that place as her husband.
Yeah, i feel like Wendy is a big character, but her only value, it seems, is as some sort of tool for king to use, and the only reason that she can be such an effective tool is because she is kinda dull. i still like her as a character, but when i think alot about her, what I see is a tool. She needs to be there as an addition to the family, but beyond a mother role, she is a full on SUPPORTING character.
ReplyDeleteThe concepts of flat and round characters may apply here. Why is Wendy not fully developed, and is created as flat, instead? What ramifications would she have if she were a more fully developed character with a personality, motivation, passion, and meaningful flaws?
ReplyDelete