Norman Bates
“Honey, sometimes you hear and see things that aren't there.” –Norma Bates to Norman Bates, Trust Me
A&E’s hit, Bates Motel, is a television series prequel to Hithcock’s 1960 film, Psycho. Hitchcock’s film was about Norman Bates, a fictional character created by Robert Bloch, who wrote the novel Psycho. The creation of Norman Bates was also loosely inspired by notorious murderer Ed Gein. There are a few key differences in the portrayal of Norman Bates within the novel, movie and television series. Though popularly diagnosed with schizophrenia and referred to as a psychopath, Norman bates is arguably neither of the two. The series, Bates Motel, gives tremendous insight into the development of Norman Bates’ psyche, family history and allows for a more in depth diagnosis.
There are slight differences between the novel and the TV series. Bloch, the author of the novel, places the Bates’ Motel in California whereas the TV show is set in Oregon. In the show, Norma initially lived in Arizona with her husband, Sam Bates and her son, Norman. Norman killed his father for beating Norma but blacked out and forgot the event. Norma felt obligated to make her son’s mistake look like an accident. Norma and her son then moves to the peaceful town of White Pine Bay, Oregon, and by purchasing an old motel she hopes they’ll start a new life. Early in the season the Norma learns that White Pine Bay has a sinister underlining past along with the creepy history of the motel. Viewers also learn more of the family dynamic. Norma’s eldest son, Dylan, is loosely involved with her and Norman throughout the show. I believe his role is to represent the impact that Norma’s messy past had on her children. He also hints at both Norma and Norman’s psychological disorders being that he is a “normal” problem child in contrast to the two. As of now we understand that Dylan may be the product child of incest between Norma and her brother Caleb who raped her. Norma spoke of...