The ShiningNovel vs. Movie

Which version of “The Shining” do you know better?

by Mark Campbell

The opera The Shining is an adaptation of the novel by Stephen King, not the Stanley Kubrick movie. As you may know, there are many differences between the two. The novel tells the story of a father struggling with alcoholism and deepening schizophrenia as his wife and son try to help him. In the movie, the story and characters are secondary to its visual brilliance and austerity. Both succeed, but only the first is operatic.

There are other differences, some of which appear in the quiz below. Each item listed is either from the novel, movie, or both. If you don’t know the answer, you may need to call on your own “shining” ability to help.