by JF Lansdowne
MAIN PAGE ⎔ SECTION PAGE ⎔ SITE MAP ⎔ GLOSSARY
ART OF THE LOUNGE
AHWAHNEEE HOTEL ⎔ BOG OAK ⎔ COOPER’S HAWK ⎔ GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL ⎔ HOUND IN FIELD ⎔ IRISH SETTER ⎔ TATÂNGA MÂNÎ PORTRAIT
APPEARANCE
Seen twice, from 35:10-35:15 as Danny trikes around the lounge, and at 59:37 as Wendy races to nightmare Jack’s side.
IDENTITY
Lansdowne was a self-taught artist, often compared to John James Audubon, but praised for making works that were more lifelike and natural.
SYMBOLIC SIGNIFICANCE
What’s especially interesting with this one is the alternate name for the bird itself: chickenhawk, which is a political term meaning one who speaks out in support of war, but avoids military service themselves.
By making four left turns in his first lesson, it seems like Danny is learning to turn away from the chickenhawk position. But I wonder if this is a slight comment on the way he calls Hallorann into battle against Jack, and then does nothing to prevent Hallorann from getting the chop. Doing so doesn’t prevent him from having to face a kind of battle against Jack, and maybe that’s the subtle suggestion here.
This is the same hallway where Ullman speaks about “four presidents” staying at the hotel, and insinuates that royalty has as well. I don’t know if you can think of any chickenhawkish world leaders from the past 100 years, but I can.
Speaking of world leaders, fun fact: the Cooper’s Hawk was named so by the ornithologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte, nephew of one of Kubrick’s great obsessions, Napolean Bonaparte I. The hawk’s name itself was for William Cooper, a naturalist who specialized in shell zoology, meaning he probably spent a good deal of time staring at golden spirals.
MIRRORFORM SIGNIFICANCE
As Danny passes it, lounge fight Wendy is saying, “Well, I think maybe he should be taken to a doctor.” As Wendy passes it later, the grumpy US Forest Service agent is saying, “Yeah, a lot of lines are down due to the storm.” So this chickenhawk pairs with two of Danny’s protectors trying in vain to make a connection between the hotel and the outside world.
Next art reference: Glaucous-Winged Gull
MAIN PAGE ⎔ SECTION PAGE ⎔ SITE MAP ⎔ GLOSSARY
OTHER MAIN PAGES FOR SHINING ANALYSIS
THE MIRRORFORM ⎔ THE BEATLES ⎔ THE RUM AND THE RED
BACKGROUND ART ⎔ OVERLOOK PHOTOGRAPHS ⎔ GOLDEN SPIRALS
PHI GRIDS ⎔ PATTERNS ⎔ VIOLENCE AND INDIGENA ⎔ ABSURDITIES
THE STORY ROOM ⎔ ANIMAL SYMBOLS ⎔ THE ANNOTATED SHINING
EYE SCREAM 