Norman Bates

Norman Bates is a fictional character from the movie “Psycho” directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1960. He is a character that has intrigued audiences for over six decades with his complex and tragic life. From his tragic childhood to his serial killer tendencies, Norman Bates is a character that is hard to forget.

Norman Bates was portrayed as a well-mannered, polite and introverted young man but is disturbed because he was raised by a controlling mother who had a massive impact on his upbringing. Norman lived with his mother in an isolated motel located off the main highway in California. The motel was a source of income for the two of them, and Norman had no time for anything else.

In “Psycho,” the audience is introduced to Norman Bates once a beautiful Marion Crane checks into his motel for the night. Norman is immediately captivated by Marion’s beautiful features but quickly becomes nervous during their conversation. Later, the audience finds out that the reason why Norman becomes nervous so easily is that he has an uncontrollable illness at the mention of sex. His complex mental health issues, combined with his childhood traumas, make Norman one of the most intriguing characters in horror movie history.

The most famous scene in “Psycho” is when Marion is taking a shower and is brutally attacked by Norman. The scene is so well executed that it is still talked about till today. Hitchcock was able to keep the audience on edge while they watched Marion’s death scene. The scene had audiences holding their breath in fear, as he cut between the various angles of the murder.

After Marion’s murder, the audience was faced with the task of unraveling the mystery of who was the real killer. The answer was as shocking as it was unexpected, as it was revealed that Norman Bates was the killer all along! It was revealed that Norman had been keeping his mother’s body in the basement of his house after she died several years ago. Norman would interact with his mother’s body regularly and even dressed up as her when he would kill – a situation that proved just how complex his life was.

What makes Norman Bates’ storyline so engaging is the way in which he was designed to go from being a polite and unassuming character to a sinister and chilling villain. The audience is taken on a journey with him, and throughout the movie, they are made to feel empathy with Norman’s character. They seemed to see the world from his point of view, and as a result, identify with his struggle.

However, as the movie progresses and more details emerge about his life, the viewers are drawn closer into the seedy and twisted side of his personality. It is this shift that has made Norman Bates a fascinating character in cinema, and one that is still talked about today.

In conclusion, Norman Bates was a fictional character that would go on to become a horror icon with an enigmatic life. From his past to his present, Norman Bates was a character with intense psychological complexity, which allowed audiences to engage with his story whilst also rooting against him. The portrayal of Norman Bates in “Psycho” showed that even the most unassuming individuals can harbor immense physical and psychological violence – which is a sobering and chilling thought. Norman Bates will always be remembered as one of horror cinema’s most iconic and memorable characters.