Something I found exceedingly interesting in Stephen King’s, The Shining, was Dick Hallorann’s character. Although the story begins as portraying him as having a minuscule role, his character develops into one that is powerful and essential to the story. An argument can even be made that he is the hero of the book. Regardless, the audience can see from the beginning that Hallorann feels a strong connection for Danny, and from this, a desire to protect him from the evils of the Overlook Hotel. Having this bond between the two from the beginning sets up the ending of the book in which Dick is able to come rescue Wendy and Danny. What stood out to me the most of all of this was the ending in which the three are sitting on dock together looking out at the water. From this, King is portraying the group to be a family. This highlights the theme of family in the story and conveys the message that blood does not define family, but rather family is defined by actions. Danny lost his father to the Overlook Hotel, but Hallorann steps in at the end of the book and assumes the position as Danny’s grandfather. In a way, Hallorann proves to be more of guardian for Danny than his own father because he was willing to put his life in risk in order to get to Danny. The skin color difference between Hallorann, an African America, and the Torrance family, white, further emphasizes King’s point that family is defined by the actions and relationships we have with those around us. 

Sam holds a lot of guilt relating to Josh’s suicide because he constantly feels like he could have done something to prevent it. This sorrow and anguish that he feels follows him throughout the entirety of Maledicus and Gallows Hill, and completely consumes his life. After Steven revealed the reason Josh committed suicide to Sam, I kept wondering how Sam’s life and the story as a whole would have been altered had Sam known the explanation the entire time. If Sam knew, he may have had more peace of mind and may not have separated from his wife. The two may have been able to repair their relationship and not blame each other for their son’s actions. He also may have been able to get through his daily routine without the constant, haunting thoughts of Josh. However if this were the case, I do not think Sam’s relationship with Roosevelt and Jeremy would have been as strong because the three are bonded by the tragic losses they have all experienced and the inability to overcome the pains associated with these tragedies. The memories of all their passed loved ones constantly haunt the three of them, and for this reason, they all have something in common to bond over. Also, Sam may not have had the power to challenge Maledicus because it was the spirit of Josh stating that he did not blame his father that gave him the ability to fight. For these reasons, if Sam had known, the two stories, Maledicus and Gallows Hill, would have been greatly changed.

Throughout the entirety of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Victor’s role and responsibilities stood out to me, as I was constantly questioning if he should be blamed for his creation’s actions. Ultimately, I believe that Victor should be held accountable for the creature’s crimes because he failed as a creator. He neglected his creation, and left him to navigate the world on his own, knowing that he would face discrimination for his appearance. The creature experienced such an abundance of rejection and heartbreak, specifically in the case of the DeLacy family, that he acted on impulse just a a child who hasn’t been taught right from wrong would. Had Victor been considerate enough to raise his creation properly, many of the tragedies of the story could have been avoided. Although Victor himself did not commit any murders, he did nothing to prevent them either once he knew what the creature was capable of. With all of this being said, I think Victor was right in eventually choosing not to create a counterpart for his creation. He raised valid points against the creature’s plea, and in deciding to destroy the second being, he potentially saved many lives because there was no telling what the pair would have been capable of together. However, I think there were other things that Victor could have done to appease the creature. In the end, the creature only longed for love and acceptance, and Victor easily could have given this to him in a different form if it wasn’t for his own selfishness. I believe that the destruction caused by the creation falls under the creator’s responsibilities, and this serves as a symbol warning against the unnatural creation of life. Not only did creating the being compromise Victor’s health, but he also lost the majority of his family as a result. Had Victor never carried out this experiment, none of the misfortune in his life would have existed.

Hi my name is Caitlyn Devine.

I am from New Jersey, and my major is biochemistry.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton