No.55
This scene shows Jack sabotaging the radio. It also shows him proving Wendy’s plan a complete failure.
American History/Culture:
Jack’s actions directly put himself and his family in harm’s way— and he does so for his own ego.
Jack knowing how to dismantle a radio is gendered knowledge.
The eagle figurine on the windowsill is a symbol for America.
Domestic abuse
Jack’s actions directly put himself and his family in harm’s way.
The Maze
Fatalism:
Jack dismantles the radio because of the threat of Halloran interfering with Jack’s work. This creates a confluence of information, combining “Is there something bad here?”,“One thing’s for sure you won’t have to worry about food!”, and what Jack’s work REALLY is thread— all related to Fatalism.
It simultaneously sits in 3 narratives:
American History because the radio is housed within Ullman’s office, which has made many references to America. A mediocre white man blocks the better black man from doing good, and blocks him from helping the women and children— the white man’s responsibility.
It’s also within the Domestic Abuse Narrative because Jack’s willing to sacrifice his family’s safety for his own ego, which is also related American History/Culture, let’s be honest.
The fact that all of this is related to a man dismantling a radio is The Maze Narrative because how we got here is all subliminal and subtextual information.
Jack’s Work
The is a direct reflection of seeing Jack interview for this job.
What the job has become, both literally and metaphorically. As well as seeing that Jack is mentally unable to handle the job, and that Wendy is the one actually doing his job. And neither Wendy nor Danny love it. Jack’s Work:
No.53 asserts that Jack’s true duty is to the hotel, but Ullman’s Office is where Jack has his interview. We see first hand that Jack’s work is more janitorial. We also see Wendy doing the job described.
What Jack’s work has become has been perverted.
Spatial Impossibility:
Jack’s path through No.51 shows how Ullman’s Office would not have this window.
Pattern reflection:
Checks:
Checkerboard, another signifier for games
Diamonds:
A signifier for the Medicine Man symbol
Cabin Fever:
Jack sabotages his and his family’s safety because his mental state is affected.
Ghost Story:
Based off of the last time we’ve seen Jack, this could be him acting off of ghostly influence.
The camera pans with Jack as he walks through The Lobby, entering Ullman’s Office to dismantle the radio.
The camera crop on Jack’s hand with the different pieces mimics the game “jacks”.
Jack
The repetition of the forest ranger trying to reach the Torrance’s and then getting cut off as Jack dismantles the radio is the same as the scene before (No.54): Wendy trying to reach Danny and Tony shutting that down with “Danny isn’t here” / “Danny can’t wake up”.
There is a collage of sounds that were started in No.50 that are brought back here. It's the sharp/high pitched tones with a little bit of wailing. The sharp tones continue into the next scenes (and chapter).