Character Analysis Of Bates Motel In Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho

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Introduce

Thesis: Even if you haven’t seen Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, you’ve seen it because it is apart of our collective unconscious and because of this, it has influenced a following that lead to the creation of the series Bates Motel. This prequel set in present day Oregon uses similar cinematic elements and monologue used in Psycho to explain why and how Norman Bates is a sociopath. Throughout the film and series jarring and uncomfortable scenes are accompanied by eerie string music, Norman spying on women undressing, as well as a fixation for stuffed animals. In addition to these similarities, Psycho makes the audience question Norman’s relationship with his absent mother while Bates Motel answers those questions for us.
To understand Anthony Perkins’ Norman Bates as a sociopath, the writers Carton …show more content…

When first introduced to Norman, he seems to be the friendliest male character in the film and does not appear to be mentally ill whatsoever yet there are instances where “the mother” is seen through the window of the Bates’ home and heard calling Norman’s name leaving the question, what influence has “the mother” had over Norman? In both Psycho and Bates Motel, “the mother” is portrayed as controlling and overbearing which can be seen in the conversation Norman has with Marion that takes a drastic turn both visually and narratively. Norman begins to discuss details regarding his overprotective mother and tells her, “Well, a son is a poor substitute for a lover” (Hitchcock). Incestuous bells begin ringing in the audiences mind as Norman bends in closer, is framed within the different stuffed birds, while the camera is zoomed in on a side angle of his profile. In

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