Motif: Wild birds
Birds (especially of these which can be involved in one single ways or some other) is a well known motif in Psycho; Hitchcock spends birds and you may bird-related language in order to highlight the latest templates off separation and duality. When she lies down seriously to eat that have Norman regarding the parlor at the Bates Motel, he informs this lady you to definitely she takes such as for example a beneficial bird, and this segues to the Norman admitting which he knows a great deal regarding stuffing wild birds, but not much about precisely how they work if they are live. This is exactly an indicator of the fact that Norman doesn’t understand ideas on how to mode into the regular area, however, the guy does learn how to coexist along with his “mother”, whom turns out to be a packed sample, as well.
At the same time, Norman and you may Marion is actually enclosed by overflowing wild birds regarding parlor. Norman is sometimes by yourself throughout the figure into wild birds away from prey hovering over him, exactly as their (stuffed) mother provides control of your and you may inhibits your off taking romantic so you can other people. Hitchcock particularly offers the crow while the owl their particular you to definitely-shots. He believed to Truffaut, “Owls end up in the night time globe; he or she is people, and this pulls [Norman’s] masochism. The guy understands the fresh birds in which he understands that they have been viewing him right through the day. He is able to come across their own shame mirrored in their once you understand vision” (Truffaut).
Motif: Decorative mirrors and you can Reflections
Hitchcock spends decorative mirrors and you may reflections so you’re able to underline the new theme out of duality one runs thanks to Psycho. Mirrors “and mark the need for introspection” (Spoto). After Marion keeps stolen the bucks, Hitchcock appear to juxtaposes the woman together with her meditation (as in new used-car lot), no matter if she will not consider it. Marion’s refusal or failure to adopt her own image signifies that she is past the area out-of highlighting on her behalf tips and you will fully motivated because of the their episode of “madness”. George Toles produces, “In the world of Psycho, of course that picture of the new worry about cracks or perhaps is refuted identification, another more dangerous image need certainly to setting in put. In the split, as we say” (Kolker 134). Marion’s denial off the lady reflection guides the lady on Bates Hotel, along with her after that disappearance results in this new discovering regarding Norman Bates’s ebony and you may turned industry. It’s informing that whenever Marion try lifeless, the newest story instantly shifts in order to Norman. It is since if Hitchcock is utilizing Marion’s madness since the a way to organically direct their listeners so you can Norman’s much more sinister secrets.
Motif: Uneaten Food
Throughout the Psycho, Hitchcock uses uneaten food or even the refusal to express restaurants – the interruption otherwise denial of a natural operate – in an effort to bolster his characters’ failure to speak – possibly and their innermost wants otherwise collectively. Eating is actually a communal interest, but of the refusing so you’re able to pamper, the brand new emails in the Psycho enhance their individual separation. While in the Sam and Marion’s lunchtime tryst about hotel room, we see the lady uneaten sub looking at the evening table; this new people try arguing throughout the whether or not to get married. Later on, Norman’s mom would not help your invite Marion more for supper, so he will bring food so you’re able to their – however, he cannot eat his offering and you can she simply picks from the hers 
. Likewise, Norman and his mother are arguing over Marion, after which, Norman and you will Marion enter into a disagreement more than Mrs. Bates. Whenever Arbogast involves the latest Bates Hotel so you can inquire after Marion, Norman also offers him candy, nevertheless investigator refuses. Norman afterwards conceals the real characteristics of and you will Lila refute Mrs. Chambers’s give in order to file police paperwork over food. In that world, we come across one Sheriff and you may Mrs. Compartments believe that Norman try by yourself within Bates Motel, if you’re Sam and Lila think that something else is being conducted and want to need matters into their individual give.
Motif: Sight
The fresh new artwork theme of eyes underlines the new theme off voyeurism and you will security from inside the Psycho; Hitchcock was telling his listeners that this film try proving us everything we must not be seeing. Whenever Marion is actually fleeing urban area that have Mr. Lowery’s currency, she hair eyes with her workplace while you are they are crossing the street – she understands she actually is started noticed doing things she must not be doing. Throughout Marion’s drive so you’re able to Ca, Hitchcock positions his cam straight with the, and so the viewer are viewing Marion; we are able to along with hear their innermost view. New patrol officer whom wakes Marion through to the side of the fresh new roadway has on daunting ebony cups and you may stares directly into the digital camera, that produces your menacing – we, such as Marion, become scared whilst the manager does not have any suggestion exactly what this woman is over. Their head-such as appearance mirrors Mrs. Bates’s eyeless corpse – all-enjoying and you may judgmental. From the parlor of Bates Motel, the latest attention away from Norman’s stuffed wild birds fellow down on him only instance their omnipresent mommy. Upcoming, when you’re Norman observe Marion strip down through the peephole, Hitchcock utilizes a severe intimate-right up out-of Norman’s eyeball, implicating us within his voyeuristic secret. Later, when Marion was lying inactive on the ground, Hitchcock goes in personal for her inactive vision; that it photo links toward romantic-up off Mrs. Bates’s hollow sockets about good fresh fruit basements. Both women got too next to Norman and you can endangered the latest beast you to definitely place within this; the guy concluded their lives in acquisition to escape their prying vision.
Symbol: “Susanna in addition to Elders”
The brand new decorate one Norman Bates uses to pay for secret peephole from the Bates Hotel parlor presents their suppressed sexuality and foreshadows what exactly is about to occur to Marion. The picture was a replica regarding an artwork entitled “Susanna and Elders”. It illustrates a story in the Bible in which around three old males spy on a simple lady because she gets ready to bathe, nevertheless when it find themselves overcome with passions, it accuse the woman off sexual blackmail. After, when he try c, Norman’s status mirrors Susanna’s on painting – clothes torn from the, direct thrown back and right sleeve raised towards the heavens. Removed out of their mother’s dress, Norman is actually in the long run “seen” for everybody that he is – both bad and you may simple.