Tools of Characterization

Characterization in The Birds

Direct Characterization

The Birds isn't all that interested in characterization, really; it wants to terrorize you with bird attacks. Even though the first half of the film seems to be establishing a romance between Mitch and Melanie, it doesn't spend much time developing its characters. Direct characterization is the quickest way to do this.

Take Lydia, Mitch's mother. Annie tells Melanie that Lydia is clingy and possessive and nervous about Mitch having a girlfriend. And then, Lydia herself tells Melanie:

LYDIA: But, you see, I don't want to be left alone. I don't think I could bear to be left alone … Oh, forgive me ... This business with the birds has upset me. I don't know what I'd do if Mitch weren't here.

Annie also clues us in on Mitch, telling Melanie that he attracts a lot of women but doesn't seem interested in keeping relationships going. That's something we wouldn't know otherwise; we never get to find out whether it's true or not because the bird attacks end the relationship plot.

Similarly, we hear a lot from Mitch and Lydia about Melanie's shenanigans in San Francisco and Rome. Direct characterization—it gets the job done.

Actions

Melanie is the only one whose behavior throughout the film changes in important ways, making us more sympathetic to her as the film progresses. At first, she's smug, flirtatious, and pushy. She likes playing practical jokes on people and seems to have a lot of time on her hands—enough to drive up to Bodega Bay just to deliver some lovebirds to Mitch and barge into his house. She even has the chutzpah to impose on his ex for a place to stay.

Once the attacks start, we see a different side of her, as she becomes protective of Cathy and tries to help the family deal with the attacks. She even tries to warn the townsfolk about it. From how her character is developed before the attack, you'd think she'd just dive under the bed and worry about her hair.

Lydia doesn't have to do much to let the audience know what she's about. One look at Melanie, and we know everything we need to about how she feels about Mitch having a girlfriend.

Annie is the most consistent character, always down to earth, helpful, and stable. She's decent to Melanie and helps protects the kids during the attacks.

Clothing

Melanie Daniels is dressed, as they say, to the nines. She wears very stylish and expensive clothes, including pearls and a fur coat. For most of the time, she wears a tasteful green dress more suitable for an evening out than for tramping around Bodega Bay delivering lovebirds and fighting off seagull attacks. Her appearance in the little seaside town is jarring. She stands out because of her fancy city clothes, and people notice. It's our first sense of something not quite right; she doesn't belong there.

It's notable that Melanie is stuck with the same set of clothes for the duration of the time in Bodega Bay. In her pre-bird life, that would have been her worst nightmare. As the plot progresses, her clothes eventually end up in tatters, as does Melanie.

In contrast, Annie wears comfortable clothes and casual sweaters. She's more genuine and unaffected, the unglamorous but dependable type. Melanie is the big-city socialite, slumming it in the country. And, of course, important for Hitchcock, Melanie is blonde and Annie is brunette.

Occupation

Melanie doesn't really have a job; she's a socialite, which implies she's frivolous, self-absorbed, and untrustworthy. Mitch, on the other hand, is a defense lawyer, which is supposed to be shorthand for "smart and righteous good guy." And, Annie is self-sacrificing and good because she's a schoolteacher.

Mrs. Bundy, the amateur ornithologist, is totally on the side of the birds, and she is convinced that they are too lovely to ever flock together and attack humans. She completely disbelieves Melanie until she sees an attack with her own eyes.