Happy Belated Father's Day, fellow Quarantine-Americans. We're talking about one abusive dad's descent into madness and what it teaches us about racism on this week's FBOL. Brilliant friend and frequent guest Dave Child (@MrDaveChild) joins host Emily Edwards to impart some empathy and perspective on a typically midcentury American tale of dread.Summary of THE SHINING:A young family is moved to an isolated hotel after the father, Jack Torrance, has taken a position there as a winter caretaker. His wife, Wendy, is concerned for her husband but is desperate to create a functioning family unit for them and their son, Danny, who is five. Jack has seen several speed bumps in the past few years– a stagnation of his writing career, a termination of his employment at a posh private school for boys, a drinking habit, and several moments of unhinged abuse focused on his son, one time even going so far as to break his son's arm. Danny, who has often had psychic visions courtesy his "imaginary friend," Tony. Tony has warned Danny about the hotel, as does the departing chef of the hotel, Dick Hallorann, who teaches Danny about his gift, or "shining," in a fleeting few minutes before Dick leaves the family at the hotel for winter. Danny's Shining ability lends him to having a psychic connection with the hotel, and all of its malevolent spirits who are taking control of Jack Torrance, who inevitably loses his tether to reality and eventually goes on a destructive tear against his family, to be saved in the end by Danny's psychic connection to all those who have the Shine.  Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.