In The Shining, it is often argued that Jack begins the story as the main antagonist, one who would follow his path regardless of his choices, however, King analyzes Jack Torrance's flaws and inner demons which allow him to be a tragic hero. Jack doesn't start out as a murderer, but rather as a father trying to do the right thing for his family. He may have a strong character, but he always tries his best to keep him on his path to become the story's antagonist, he first undergoes a downward spiral from sanity, caused in part by his past and the disturbing experiences that come with it. Say No to Plagiarism essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned" Get an original essay Initially, Jack Torrance is presented as a caring and determined father, ready to turn his life around. Jack is shown to have a deep and sincere love for his son, who truly loves his son. While on the phone, he looks at his son and internally expresses, “Jack felt a wave of almost desperate love for his boy” (King 52). It's clear that Jack loves his boyfriend very much and seems to be proud of that fact. This would be a driving factor for him to want to do better with his family. It is this love for his son that often helps him stay centered throughout the story, as his love for Danny seems to have a stabilizing effect on Jack. He seems determined to finish his play and continue to stay on the bandwagon. After spending some time at the Overlook Hotel, things begin to return to normal: "Down the hall in the bedroom, Wendy could hear the typewriter Jack had brought up from downstairs come to life. for thirty seconds, be silent for a minute or two." two, and then slam again briefly. [...] Jack had not written so consistently since the second year of their marriage” (King 174). During his job interview early on, Mr. Ullman informs Jack, "'Yes, Mr. Shockley told me you don't drink anymore'" (King 10). Jack swore off drinking, a destructive behavior that was on the verge of tearing his marriage apart, and resumed focusing on his literary works. In the Overlook, away from all the stresses of life, being with his loving family, he can continue working on the work he never got to finish. Over the course of the book, Jack's temper seems to grow and flare a little out of control. , despite having been monitored for months by him. Jack vows that he won't lose his temper in a big way, especially after he just lost it and lashed out at Danny. Introspective about the event that just occurred, Jack internally converses with himself, “(From now on you will keep your cool. No. It matters. What.)” (King 198). Every time she lost her temper with Danny, it meant further estrangement from her family. His temper caused his family a lot of pain when he was drinking, and now that he is sober it scares them even more as it could mean he could go back to his old self. Indicative of his shortened fuse, Jack lays out his anger towards Ullman in a phone call, in which he has no idea why he called in the first place. Contemplating his actions after the call, “He sat on the stool breathing heavily, a little scared now, wondering why in God's name he had called Ullman in the first place. (You've lost your temper again, Jack.)” (King 268). His already short and fiery temper, which he had under control, continues to escape his control, to the point of even leading him to doubt the shortsightedness of his actions. After tantrums and meltdowns, it's Jack's disturbing past that contributes to his downward spiral into the Overlook Hotel.,.