Tropes In Psycho

Beginning with Psycho (1960), American culture has been obsessed with the gender implications of horror films. Feminists and non-feminists alike have explored the meanings of the roles of different women in horror films ranging from slasher and stalker movies to possession movies. What does this obsession reveal about our social values and our society’s fears? Prior research has focused on the feminine being portrayed through one of two major tropes: the final girl or the monstrous girl. These tropes have traditionally been seen as two very separate entities, each symbolizing differing views of femininity. The final girl trope has been seen as a feminist role while the monstrous woman has been seen as an anti-feminist role. However, these

This is due to the fact that “she is presented in a manner that complies with her more ‘masculine’ status” (Dika 91). This masculine status can be seen in the characterization of each final girl – it can been seen in her intelligence and resourcefulness, as well as in her appearance and even her name (Clover, “Hey Body, Himself,” 204). Another reason for her masculine status is that “her position as a capable character … restricts her representation as a sexual object” (Dika 91). Not only is the final girl more intelligent and resourceful than her peers, she is not subjected to the same on screen sexual activity that her peers are. In some cases – such as Laurie in Halloween (1978) – she may be a virgin, but often she simply shows more restraint than her friends. Because she is not viewed as a sexual object, she is a more traditionally masculine character; she is not objectified as the female victims are, so she can be seen as a “more valuable character” (Dika 91). Because the final girl’s masculinity makes her more valuable, she cannot be seen as a feminist role. However, after the initial successful slasher films (Halloween [1978], Friday the 13th [1980]), final girls became even more resourceful than before. This led many people to view the more modern final girls as feminist roles, when in reality they have not changed. They

Carrie presents a monstrous view of femininity through three main points: Carrie’s fear of her own body, Mrs. White’s religious damnation of Carrie’s menstruation, and Carrie’s ultimate act of revenge. The opening scene of this influential movie takes place in the girls’ locker room as the high schoolers are changing after gym. Carrie, a social outcast due to her strict religious upbringing, has her first period and clearly does not understand what is happening to her body. She screams and begs her peers to help her; instead, they are amused by her ignorance and demand that she “plug it up” while throwing tampons and pads at the naïve girl. Because a girl’s first menstrual period is typically associated with her transition into womanhood, this association between Carrie’s first period and utter terror create a monstrous view of natural femininity. Not only is Carrie’s first period portrayed as monstrous by Carrie’s own terror – Carrie’s mother views her daughter’s transition into womanhood as a result of Eve’s sin. This shows femininity as not only monstrous in the secular sphere, but also in the religious sphere. Mrs. White tries to make Carrie repent for sins that Carrie herself does not understand; sins that Carrie cannot prevent herself from committing. This