The Perils of Social Isolation: A Cautionary Tale

When I mentioned to a friend that I was working on this project of how media addresses the subject of Social Isolation, he brought up this well-known horror movie and said it would be a great example. I dismissed it at first…a horror film? REALLY? But then I started to think about it; among the axe wielding and terrifying ghosts, there may be a lesson to be learned.

In the annals of horror, few films are as iconic as The Shining. Stanley Kubrick’s chilling masterpiece is about a man’s descent into madness. But if we peel back the layers of horror, what emerges is not just a supernatural thriller but a cautionary tale about the dangers of social isolation. After all, what could possibly go wrong when you're stuck in a massive, empty hotel with nothing but your thoughts—and maybe a few ghosts—to keep you company?

Meet Jack Torrance: an aspiring writer, a loving husband, and a father. Jack is the quintessential everyman, just looking for a little peace and quiet to work on his novel. So, when he lands a gig as the winter caretaker for the Overlook Hotel, it seems like a dream come true. Secluded high in the Colorado Rockies, the Overlook offers the perfect sanctuary for writing. No distractions, no interruptions—just Jack, his typewriter, and a blank page waiting to be filled.

But here’s the thing about social isolation: it’s a double-edged sword. Sure, it might sound like paradise at first, especially when you’ve been bombarded with the daily grind of life. But as Jack soon finds out, too much alone time can be dangerous—especially if your only companions are your wife, your son, and a malevolent hotel with a mind of its own.

At first, Jack embraces the solitude. He’s finally free to write! But as the days wear on and the snow piles up outside, the Overlook’s vast, empty halls start to feel less like a haven and more like a prison. The isolation gnaws at Jack’s mind, and the blank page that once promised so much now mocks him with its emptiness. The creative process, it turns out, thrives on human interaction. It hinges on the messy, unpredictable chaos of life. Take that away, and you’re left with nothing but your own thoughts, looping endlessly in your head like the repetitive pattern of the hotel’s carpet.

And then, of course, there are the ghosts. The Overlook, it seems, is haunted—not just by the spirits of those who died there, but by the accumulated loneliness and despair of all those who’ve been isolated within its walls. The hotel becomes a mirror, reflecting and amplifying Jack’s inner turmoil. The more he isolates himself, the more the hotel tightens its grip, feeding off his growing madness.

As the days stretch into weeks, Jack’s writing project takes a dark turn. His once-promising manuscript degenerates into the now-infamous mantra: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Over and over, he types the same sentence, filling page after page with the same words, until the line between reality and madness blurs beyond recognition. In the end, Jack isn’t just a dull boy—he’s a broken man, consumed by the very isolation he thought would free him.

By the time the snow melts, the Overlook Hotel is in shambles, Jack is a lost cause, and the story has cemented itself as a terrifying illustration of the dangers of social isolation. If you ever needed a reminder to stay connected with the outside world, look no further than The Shining.

So, the next time you find yourself daydreaming about a secluded cabin in the woods where you can finally finish that novel, remember Jack Torrance and the Overlook Hotel. Maybe, just maybe, a little social interaction isn’t such a bad thing after all.