Horace Derwent?

[bricklayerP]

Does anyone know whether or not Horace Derwent was alive at the time of the Torrances' debacle in the Overlook? I feel certain that it's not mentioned in the book one way or the other, but he was alive at least in the late sixties or early seventies, I believe, so it leads me to believe he was still breathing somewhere.

If so, this raises some questions about the nature of the Overlook, namely whether or not it only played host to dead people or if it somehow could show off the spirits of all the guests that had ever stayed there.

Anybody? Anybody?

[GNTLGNT]

I is anybody, a wide body-do dat count?

[nate_watkins]

Does anyone know whether or not Horace Derwent was alive at the time of the Torrances' debacle in the Overlook? I feel certain that it's not mentioned in the book one way or the other, but he was alive at least in the late sixties or early seventies, I believe, so it leads me to believe he was still breathing somewhere.

If so, this raises some questions about the nature of the Overlook, namely whether or not it only played host to dead people or if it somehow could show off the spirits of all the guests that had ever stayed there.

Anybody? Anybody?

According to this link, he bought the Overlook in the 1940's. He appears as an apparition during a 'ball scene', but does not actually interact with Jack. It doesn't say so, but I think we're left to ass-u-me he died.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Derwent

[Glanderence]

Yes, I'd say it's safe to assume he is dead. Though, there's a sly chance he could be breathing (not in the Overlook)....
Why do I say this? Jack's imagination tend's to run wild, as I've observed, a hallucination that Horace lurk's within the walls of the Overlook Hotel..
And where is Horace really hiding? Not sure yet, my theory is full of holes! But, it's my theory, and I'm sticking to it!

[KillerBee256]

He may well have still been alive, but honestly I don't think it matters. I think the "ghosts" at the hotel were impressions of everyone who stayed there but not their actual ghosts. The hotel was a Hive mind and a composite of all the those who stayed there and all the bad things that happened there.