The Birds Essay Questions

Why did Hitchcock choose not to explain the reason for the birds' invasion?

The practical reason for this omission is that the original version of the story, written by Daphne du Maurier, was set during the Second World War and the birds were believed to symbolize an invasion of Nazi Germans onto the British mainland. This, of course, explained the birds' actions—albeit on a purely allegorical level. Hitchcock's adaptation was set in then-present-day California with no such convenient political threat and therefore there was no specific group of people whom the birds were said to symbolize. Hitchcock was of the opinion that an unexplained invasion of birds was more horrifying than an invasion of symbolic birds conveying some kind of message from the director. Therefore, though he allows the audience to draw certain readings into the birds' meaning at various points, they are all ultimately disproven in the film at various points. Much of the suspense comes from wondering how and why they came to attack, and therefore implanting the pervasive fear in the audience that this could happen anywhere.

It is not just the birds that threaten Melanie's safety. What other threats does she face?

Lydia Brenner is determined to prevent any relationship from developing between her son and Melanie, and Jessica Tandy's character is a threatening and manipulative presence in Melanie's life. Melanie also faces competition from Annie for Mitch's affection. Though both of these conflicts are overshadowed, and even mitigated, by the attacks by the birds, there is an implication that they would have been major conflicts had the birds never attacked. The fishing village also has an underlying air of mystery, in that everyone is friendly and kind, but underneath people are quick to judge, assume, and turn on Melanie. She does not fit in properly from the start of the film, and her outsider status generates problems for her when the birds attack and the town is thrust into a state of paranoia.

How does Lydia fit the mold of Hitchcock's maternal women?

Hitchcock's maternal characters, especially around the time The Birds was made, were overbearing, doting, protective, and often psychotic. Lydia Brenner is the typical Hitchcock mother character in many ways: she is a strong force to be reckoned with, but suffers from a psychological or emotional weakness that causes her to channel this strength into an overbearing relationship with her son (her son fills the emotional needs that her husband had provided before he died). She is also incredibly protective of both her son and the bond between them. Like Norman Bates' mother (in Psycho), she is not going to let another woman come between her and her son, which is always a characteristic of Hitchcock's maternal figures. However, she breaks with some of the more psychotic maternal figures of Hitchcock's work by actually opening up to Melanie and forming a bond with her in the midst of the chaos.

How does Hitchcock use camera techniques and editing to induce fear and suspense?

Hitchcock’s characteristic style is defined by his camera techniques and editing more than other aspects of directing, like dialogue or acting. He is known for using oblique camera angles to create a menacing atmosphere, and deftly using close up to heighten suspense. In The Birds, he uses oblique camera angles that often seem to reflect the perspective of birds looking down at the characters, or the characters looking up at the birds, which magnifies the birds into menacing, powerful creatures and reduces the humans to weak and vulnerable victims. He also uses close-ups, rapid editing between shots, and fast tracking shots to create a sense of disorientation during the attack scene that conveys the panic of the scenes to the viewer.

How does the lack of a musical score contribute to the suspense and/or the meaning of the film?

It is unusual for a movie of this period and genre to lack a musical score. Hitchcock likely decided not to use one in order to play up the battle of sounds that takes place in the film: over time, the din of the birds overshadows the voices of the human characters, until we can no longer hear our protagonists in the final attack scene. This silencing of their voices signifies their ultimate plight, and heightens suspense by feeding a fear of being completely overpowered and unable to communicate. The lack of a score causes the audience to focus on the natural sounds of the film, which also gives the setting a more primitive feeling.