Theatre of the World – The Americas
by Abraham Ortelius
MAIN PAGE ⎔ SECTION PAGE ⎔ SITE MAP ⎔ GLOSSARY
ART OF ULLMAN’S OFFICE
CRAM’S SUPERIOR MAP ⎔ FLOCK OF LOONS ⎔ GREAT EARTH MOTHER ⎔ MYSTERIES ⎔ THEATRUM ORBIS TERRARUM ⎔ TRAPPER’S CAMP
APPEARANCE
Seen once, on the wall to the left of Jack when Watson walks into Ullman’s office.
IDENTITY
Ortelius published the “first modern atlas” with the help of many contributors (over a hundred), but for simplicity’s sake, we’ll credit him. It was first published in Antwerp, 7 years after Bruegel’s The Tower of Babel. Bruegel and Ortelius were good friends, in fact.
Someone recently sent me the version of the map from the film, with the lines bolded as they are on that map, but it doesn’t change much.
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
Anyway, the selection from the atlas that Kubrick put in his film was of the Americas, which at the very least speaks to the notion of manifest destiny, and the pillars of Hercules.
SYMBOLIC SIGNIFICANCE
Why is this in Ullman’s office?–it very well could’ve gone anywhere in the hotel. It is right next to the photo that will be above photo Jack at the end, so perhaps the fact that it’s over Jack’s head, out of sight, throughout the entire interview (across from Trapper’s Camp, no less) is a subliminal message about Jack’s symbolic white man’s burden heritage. Jack is here to fuck it all up.
I also wonder if this is some comment from Kubrick about the deal with the devil that goes on in Ullman’s office: this is the theatre of the world, this is what happens everywhere.
MIRRORFORM SIGNIFICANCE
The map appears right as Danny begins to escape from the heart of the maze, enacting the third part of the escape pattern, which corresponds to the part of the lesson pattern where he encountered the fake Grady twins. And behind Watson is a painting of twin ducks reflecting in water, as we’ll see momentarily. But is it significant that it would be a grossly inaccurate map of the Americas that would pair with the start of Danny’s escapes? Or is the comment more on Jack’s entrapment within the maze?
Next art reference: Flock of Loons
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 