No.25

No.25 is the first time we see how Jack handles boredom, writer’s block, or the inability to do what he wants to do. 

American History/Culture

The cigarette brand shown is Marlboro The “mans man” cigarette. Especially noted for glorifying cowboy/ western culture, ruggedness. 


The scene takes place in The Colorado Lounge, Jack throws his tennis ball against a Native American sand painting showing a lack of care and/or reverence

for the space and artifacts around him. 


Jack’s need for distraction as a destructive force

Related to Cabin Fever, a bored and distracted man can be a dangerous one. Men get the privilege of being bored (see Wendy doing Jack’s job). 



Domestic abuse

Not overt by any means, but Jack’s refusal for company with Wendy to get some writing done (and then him clearly not writing) shows he doesn’t want to spend time with her no matter what he’s doing. 



The Maze

Kubrick as Unreliable Narrator:


Jack’s need for distraction as a destructive force

Related to Cabin Fever, a bored and distracted man can be a dangerous one.



Furniture as people

The couch is flipped around to face the desk, the lamps are also missing.

Between No.10 and our introduction to this space and No.36, there is a ’stripping’ of the space. 

This happens because the pretenses of who the Torrances are become stripped as well.


Cabin Fever

A bored and distracted man can be a dangerous one.

Jack’s need for distraction as a destructive force

What’s shown here, is continued in the next scene (No.26), is cemented through Jack’s behavior in The Gold Room, and throughout the remainder of the film.

No.47, No.53, No.71, No.72, No.79



The Tennis Ball 

as a symbol of Jack’s boredom and distraction

No.26:i535

No.44:i731

The scene opens in The Colorado Lounge on series of unfulfilled actions: a blank page loaded in the typewriter, a lit cigarette still smoking in its ashtray, magazines and newspapers strewn about, and a tray of food. 


All the while, the sound of rhythmic thuds punctuates this trail: Jack throws a tennis ball against a Native American sand painting.

The Colorado Lounge

Jack

The sound of the ball being thrown against the wall and the sound of the axe through the door in No.71 have a similar rhythm.  

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