Psycho (1960) Shot analysis (3)

In this scene Norman has invited Marion back into his office. Norman tells Marion is a taxidermist, and we are shown the stuffed birds in the background. This could connote that Marion is going to be ‘stuffed’ by Norman, which we find out later on to be true.

The Stuffed bird in the top left of the shot is an owl, which is a bird of prey. The shot is a low angle expressionist shot, possibly connoting that Norman is the bird of prey and Marion the prey.

This also leads to the conclusion that Norman is a misogynist because we assume that he has killed other women. The birds also relate to Ed Gein, but in a more sanitised way, because Ed Gein collected bones and body parts from corpses and made furniture from them.

Yet we also feel sorry for Norman here because it seems he has invited Marion in so he can have a friendly chat with her, because he has been isolated and feels like he is outside the CDI. There is a slight hint that Norman is insane because when Marion ask if his mother could be put away, Norman is offended and starts ranting about asylums. He says ‘they clack their thick tongues’, and becomes very angry at the thought of his mother being insane.