The Shining and The Waste Lands - Isolation

      The Shining is a story of isolation.  Not only physical isolation, but complete, desolate mental and communicational isolation.  The characters are physically in extremely close proximity with one another, but in terms of mental status and understanding; they couldn't be further apart.  The family of three spoke without communicating, and didn't share their concerns or issues.  This mental isolation, more so than the physical isolation caused the intense scenes in The Overlook Hotel.  Much of The Waste Lands tells a story of two isolated individuals, who are psychologically connected.  Their differences in mental state from those around them caused these individuals to stay in complete isolation, despite being in close proximity with others physically.  Their lack of communication with others delays their reunion.  Although it was not the main theme of the book, this isolation creates tension and suspense for the first half of The Waste Lands.