In the film, Psycho, Norman Bates is observed manifesting behaviors and dependencies on his mother that existed when she was alive, thus showing the audience how he is regressing to an earlier period in life where he didn’t have to deal with the current circumstances. Actions that Norman Bates takes to preserve the image of an earlier period in his life, such as his childhood, and how he detaches his consciousness from the existent world beyond the Bates motel, all help elucidate upon his key defense mechanism, regression. This idea can be further elaborated upon by examining both Norman and mother’s bedrooms with great attention to detail. The audience can clearly notice that the environment within the house has remained unchanged yet lively,
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Acknowledging the events that contributed to, and the outcomes that have been produced as a result of this borderline personality are very useful in helping explain why Norman committed such violent actions. Norman Bates murdered his mother and her lover because he had feelings of jealousy towards her. Although these actions did not sit well with his conscious, “So he had to erase the crime, at least in his own mind. He stole her corpse… and a weighted coffin was buried.” (Stefano 54). This event was a key factor which resulted in Norman being pushed over the edge, so to speak, and develop a borderline personality in which he successfully attempted to become his mother. “[H]e was simply doing everything to keep the illusion of his mother being alive… he’d dress up, even to a cheap wig he bought, and he’d walk about the house, sit in her chair, speak in her voice… he tried to be his mother.” (Stefano 54). Actions such as these elucidate upon how exactly Norman attempts to, and successfully avoids abandonment from his mother, by becoming mother himself. Furthermore, these efforts have implications on how Norman views himself, leading to an inevitable identity crisis within Norman’s psyche where he can no longer be simply Norman, but rather a hybrid of him and his mother. Overall, this identity crisis is described as beginning with Norman’s need for a further sense of mother, “She was there, but she was a corpse. So he began to think and speak for her, gave her half his life, so to speak.” (Stefano 54). Identity crisis can be seen affecting Norman by how he thinks and acts when he is controlled by his mother half. Jealousy of mother and her new lover was clearly visible in Norman, as can be explained by why he committed the murder of the two.
Acknowledging the events that contributed to, and the outcomes that have been produced as a result of this borderline personality are very useful in helping explain why Norman committed such violent actions. Norman Bates murdered his mother and her lover because he had feelings of jealousy towards her. Although these actions did not sit well with his conscious, “So he had to erase the crime, at least in his own mind. He stole her corpse… and a weighted coffin was buried.” (Stefano 54). This event was a key factor which resulted in Norman being pushed over the edge, so to speak, and develop a borderline personality in which he successfully attempted to become his mother. “[H]e was simply doing everything to keep the illusion of his mother being alive… he’d dress up, even to a cheap wig he bought, and he’d walk about the house, sit in her chair, speak in her voice… he tried to be his mother.” (Stefano 54). Actions such as these elucidate upon how exactly Norman attempts to, and successfully avoids abandonment from his mother, by becoming mother himself. Furthermore, these efforts have implications on how Norman views himself, leading to an inevitable identity crisis within Norman’s psyche where he can no longer be simply Norman, but rather a hybrid of him and his mother. Overall, this identity crisis is described as beginning with Norman’s need for a further sense of mother, “She was there, but she was a corpse. So he began to think and speak for her, gave her half his life, so to speak.” (Stefano 54). Identity crisis can be seen affecting Norman by how he thinks and acts when he is controlled by his mother half. Jealousy of mother and her new lover was clearly visible in Norman, as can be explained by why he committed the murder of the two.