The Past Haunting the Present

The novel shows how the past—both personal and historical—continues to influence and haunt the present.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Jack's Childhood

The Personal Ghost The Abuse Jack's abusive father haunts him. He fears becoming like him. The Dreams Jack dreams of his father. The hotel uses these memories to manipulate him. The Repetition Jack repeats his father's behavior. The past is not dead; it is not even past.

The Hotel's History

The Historical Ghosts The Scrapbook The hotel's past is filled with crime and death. These events linger as ghosts. The Grady Tragedy The Grady family murder is a recent echo. It foreshadows Jack's fate. The Mafia Murder The gangland killing in the Presidential Suite is another layer of the hotel's dark history.

The Cycle Broken

The Liberation The Confrontation Danny breaks the cycle by appealing to Jack's love. The past is overcome. The Explosion The hotel is destroyed. Its history is ended. The Future Danny and Wendy move forward. They are not defined by the past. The novel ends with hope.

Jack's past, referenced

throughout the novel

December 2