5 Clues That Prove Jack Torrance Also Has The Shining

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Released in 1980, The Shining is known as one of the most frightening and debated horror films ever created, largely due to the vision of director Stanley Kubrick and Jack Nicholson’s intense acting. But a deeper look reveals the character of Jack Torrance is more complex than it appears, particularly when you consider his strange link to the Overlook Hotel.

The movie suggests that Danny isn’t the only member of the Torrance family with psychic abilities. His father also seems to be able to sense and communicate with the spirits at the hotel, though his power isn’t as strong as Danny’s. Still, it’s a gift that sets him apart from the other guests, who can’t perceive the supernatural.

Looking closely at how easily Jack is affected by the hotel, it’s clear his visions aren’t just caused by the hotel’s atmosphere or simple isolation, as Stuart Ullman wrongly suggested. Instead, they represent a hidden power within Jack that the hotel is deliberately using to try and defeat Danny Torrance’s stronger abilities.

5. Jack And Danny Notice The Overlook’s Supernatural Elements At the Same Time

A key sign of Jack’s psychic ability is his talent for sensing the supernatural at the Overlook Hotel, a sensitivity that grows stronger as Danny also begins to experience paranormal events. In fact, Jack seems to become aware of these things even before Danny, most notably through the strong feeling of déjà vu he describes when he first arrives at the hotel.

What really sets Jack apart from Danny, though, is just how strong and clear his psychic ability is – or isn’t, really. It’s like, because he is such a negative person, the Overlook Hotel doesn’t feel threatening to him at all. Instead of being scared off by the darkness creeping around, he actually welcomes it, letting the hotel’s evil wrap itself around him. It’s a chilling contrast to how Danny experiences things.

Jack’s rapid descent into madness is fueled by his alcoholism, which the Overlook Hotel cleverly uses to worsen his volatile temper. But the real reason Jack falls apart is his deep-seated resentment toward his family. He secretly nurses a growing hatred for his wife and son, starting with apathy and ultimately erupting into murderous fury—a calculated move by the hotel to target Danny.

4. Like Danny, Jack Also Has Visions Of The Hotels’ Past

Like Danny, who sees disturbing events from the hotel’s history—including the shocking axe murders of the Grady twins—Jack also experiences and communicates with ghosts from the Overlook’s more vibrant past. This happens during a significant scene in the Gold Room, where he attends a lavish party reminiscent of the 1920s.

The way Jack ends up in The Shining—essentially becoming part of one of the old black-and-white photos celebrating the Overlook Hotel’s history—shows how far he’s fallen. He goes from being an employee taking care of the hotel to a trapped spirit, joining the many ghosts already stuck within its walls, forever bound by its tragic past.

Unlike Danny, whose psychic powers help him and his mother escape the powerful influence of the Overlook Hotel, Jack’s own psychic ability actually seals his tragic fate, leading him to a frozen, inescapable doom. This outcome mirrors the fate of a previous Kubrick character, Barry Lyndon, creating a self-aware, cinematic death where both men become frozen in time, like living portraits.

3. Jack Echoes The Voices Of The Hotel

A key moment in The Shining that highlights Jack’s psychic connection and the Overlook Hotel’s growing control over him is when he echoes phrases spoken by the Grady twins. This is particularly noticeable when he comforts Danny, promising he’d never harm him and expressing a desire for them all to remain at the hotel “forever, and ever, and ever…”

Beyond Jack Nicholson’s intimidating performance and unsettling smile, this scene marks a turning point: it’s the first time Jack truly speaks for the Overlook Hotel, rather than simply being affected by it. Fully consumed by the hotel’s sinister power, he repeats the Grady twins’ words, turning them into a subtle threat against his son.

The scene’s horror is fully realized when we understand that Danny, with much stronger psychic powers than his father, probably saw the violent thoughts flooding his dad’s mind. This was likely the first time he understood his father’s potential—and maybe even willingness—to harm him and his mother.

2. Lloyd Is Jack’s Version Of Tony

A strange ability some characters in “The Shining” have – though Dick Halloran is an exception – is having an imaginary friend who can see the future. For Danny Torrance, this friend is named Tony, who appears to him as a small boy inside his mouth and gives him psychic visions of what happened – and will happen – at the Overlook Hotel.

Similar to his son, Jack also has a mentor figure in his visions, but this one is much more menacing and destructive. The late Joe Turkel, a frequent collaborator with director Stanley Kubrick (appearing in three of his films), brilliantly portrays Lloyd the Bartender. Lloyd embodies Jack’s darkest impulses and evil tendencies, drawing him deeper into the haunted hotel’s violent history.

Beyond his frightening look and demonic presence, something particularly noteworthy about Lloyd—and a strong sign of Jack’s psychic ability—is the unclear nature of his connection to the older Torrance. From their brief encounters, it seems highly probable that Lloyd has been a long-standing, sinister influence on Jack, both mentally and through his drinking.

The idea that Tony might be a hereditary trait passed down through Jack is interesting, but it’s also possible that the Overlook Hotel created a Tony-like presence to manipulate Jack. If true, this would significantly change how we understand The Shining, suggesting that Tony could have been a positive force trying to help Danny after Jack injured him.

1. Jack Directly Communicates With The Overlook

Perhaps the most encouraging thing about Jack is his ability to communicate with the hotel, which shows he has a psychic connection and confirms he was always sensitive to the Overlook’s supernatural qualities. Although Jack’s power isn’t as strong as Danny’s, his ability to interact with the hotel’s spirits – and possibly even call Lloyd – suggests he has a natural, though flawed, ability to ‘shine’.

I know a lot of people will disagree with this idea, and that’s fair – the biggest question is usually, “If Jack Torrance couldn’t use his own ‘shine,’ why didn’t the Overlook just use Danny’s?” But I think the movie really emphasizes how powerful Danny’s abilities are. Seriously, every time we see Delbert Grady, he’s clearly both amazed by, and scared of, just how strong Danny’s ‘shine’ really is.

So, it’s doubtful the hotel would send someone with weak psychic abilities against Danny, particularly since, as shown with Charles Grady, the Overlook needs to possess a body to commit murder.

Regarding why the ghosts wouldn’t encourage Jack’s psychic ability, it’s important to remember that the Overlook Hotel benefits from controlling him. By convincing Jack he’s powerless outside of being the caretaker, the hotel maintains its grip on him. Grady demonstrates this perfectly when Jack questions him, subtly drawing Jack back into accepting his “duty” to the hotel.

Jack’s unique ability to both communicate with and challenge the ghosts, combined with the hotel’s clear recognition of him, suggests he possesses a powerful telepathic ability that sets him apart. This, along with his sensitivity to the hotel’s supernatural energy and the inherited psychic gift he shares with Danny, perfectly demonstrates how Jack became the tool through which the Overlook Hotel carried out its evil intentions.

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2025-11-09 19:02