Sex freaks Norman out; whenever he thinks about sex, he feels so guilty he runs off and murders someone. Sex freaks Marion out, too; in order to stop having illicit sex, she steals a huge amount of money and goes on the run. And sex seems to freak Hitchcock out—or at least, in this movie sex is guilty, dangerous, exciting, and bad.
Sex in Psycho doesn't make pleasure and babies; it makes madness and corpses beneath the swamp.
Questions about Sex
- Does the film think that Marion is doing something wrong by having pre-marital sex? Explain your answer.
- Does sex cause Norman's madness? Explain your answer.
- Does sex cause Marion's theft? Explain your answer.
Chew on This
Take a peek at these thesis statements. Agree or disagree?
Norman thinks Marion is attractive, and so destroys her.
The film thinks Marion is attractive, and so destroys her.