In both the Stephen King novel and the 1980 film adaptation of The Shining, Jack Torrance is hired to be the winter caretaker at The Overlook Hotel in the mountains of Colorado. The hotel is closed during the winter months because the access road is snowed over, isolating the prestigious destination from the rest of the world. Jack brings with him his young son, Danny, and wife, Wendy. However, Wendy does all of the caretaking of the hotel over the course of the film while Jack’s sanity deteriorates.
When Jack interviews for the job, Stuart Ullman, the hotel manager, explains the basic requirements of the job, which is to stay on top of repairs and keep an eye on the boilers. Jack is never seen doing any of these tasks. It’s not like his descent into madness is what prevents him from doing his duty; he neglects the hotel from the very beginning.
Early into their stay at The Overlook, Wendy brings Jack breakfast in bed. He’s slept the morning away, and it’s practically lunchtime when Wendy wakes him up. This implies the morning checks were done by Wendy. He continues to procrastinate his responsibilities, tossing a ball against a wall instead of maintaining the hotel or writing. By throwing the ball against the wall, Jack also shows no care toward the upkeep of the hotel. He very easily could have broken something, scuffed the walls or caused other damage through his thoughtless actions.
Wendy, on the other hand, appears to do all of the actual caretaking at the hotel. She checks the boiler the day before Jack tries to kill her and Danny, but beyond that, she seems to be the only one taking note of the hotel. She notices the phone lines are down, and when she does, she uses the radio to contact the Forest Service and sets up a line of communication with them in case of emergency.
Wendy keeps the kitchen and the Torrance family apartment clean and orderly as well, yet during the interview process and closing day, Ullman and everyone else at The Overlook assume she is simply tagging along. She’s shown the kitchen without Jack, who is off learning other key details about the job that ultimately Wendy will end up fulfilling.
Wendy Torrance is the true caretaker of The Overlook Hotel in the film adaptation of The Shining. Her husband Jack’s neglect isn’t simply a byproduct of his insanity or the hotel’s corruption. Despite all of his ranting about the responsibilities he has, Jack is never once seen caring for The Overlook Hotel, but Wendy does take care of the hotel and lives the tell the tale.
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