Sample A+ Introduction: Rear Window

The characters in ‘Rear Window’ are constantly caught between safety and danger. Discuss.

Reflecting the cultural norms of the McCarthy era, Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Rear Window’ explores the ethical complexities behind voyeurism in a zeitgeist characterised by fear-mongering and suspicion, born from the Red Scare. As such, Hitchcock reveals that the characters in ‘Rear Window’ are constantly caught between states of safety and danger. Hitchcock asserts that in participating in acts of voyeurism characters expose themselves to physical and ethical dangers. Furthermore, Hitchcock highlights how characters also face danger when they seek to break gendered conventions governing behaviour. However, while highlighting how breaking socio-cultural norms often leads to a loss of safety, Hitchcock also showcases that these actions are necessary to ensure cultural progression in a calcified social matrix.

ANALYSIS

• "cultural norms of the McCarthy era" - this student has embedded references to the sciohistorical content in their introduction, as well as advancing a broad interpretation of the text, that it is about "the ethical complexities behind voyeurism.
• "Hitchcock reveals that the characters in ‘Rear Window’ are constantly caught between states of safety and danger." This student is advancing a clear contention, they are agreeing with the topic.
• "Hitchcock asserts," "Hitchcock highlights," ""Hitchcock also showcases" - consistent reference to the author implies the student's understanding of the text as construct specifically created by the author to impart meaning.
• All three arguments, in black, support the student's contention. The first two arguments put forward that certain behaviours lead to a loss of safety/an increase in danger. The third argument advances on this by asserting that these dangerous behaviours are necessary to create social change.