Narrative Theory- Secret Window

Q1) Who is the hero and who is the villain? How do you know?

A1) There is not really a hero or a villain in a psychological thriller, but more on the ideas of a good versus bad duel. This is evident in the Secret Window where you have the good person, which is the main character`s mind, who also advises him to make the right move, and the bad person which is the main character`s body, who` s actions results in him finding out about his wife` s infidelity causing him to live on his own with his dog. This idea is based on Claude Levi Strauss` theory of binary opposites- night and day, good and bad, light and dark.

Q2) Where is the story set? What does this tell you about the genre of the film?

A2) The story is set in a modern cottage, in the middle of woodlands and fairly adjacent to the nearby shores of the sea. This is typical of a psychological thriller because it adds a feeling of isolation for the main character as well as for us the audience because it creates suspense, especially when tension occurs.

Q3) How many characters are there in principle?

A3) In principle, there are 3-5 main characters that have key roles in the film, which is also the theme in most of the other psychological thrillers.

Q4) How is the story told? Chronologically?What is the effect?

A4) In the Secret Window, the story of the film is not told chronologically because there are a few nightmares and flashbacks so the audience would find it easier to relate to incidents, when they are unsure about what the character/s on screen are talking about. This too occurs in psychological thrillers. This also relates to Tszvetan Todorov` s theory of the five stages of the narrative:

• an equilibrium
• a disruption of this equilibrium by an event
• a realisation that a disruption has happened
• an attempt to repair the damage of the disruption
• a restoration of equilibrium- which may be a new equilibrium

Q5) What questions are you left with?

A5) The questions I am left with after the first scene is; Why does the main character always in a constant battle between his body and his mind? Does this fight between the mind and body ultimately lead to his life being taken away, because it seems he always takes the wrong advice?