Rear Window (Vocabulary Flashcards)

Vocabulary-style flashcards capturing key terms, symbols, and ethical concepts from the lecture notes on Rear Window.

"Bikini bombshells"

Describes women as sexualized objects observed by Jeff; highlights the male gaze

“Plaster cocoon”

Phallic metaphor for broken masculinity, having two casts at the end questions if Jeff has changed at the end

“Queen bee with her pick of the drones”

Metaphor for Lisa as the dominant female selecting among available men

Miss Fremont

Neighboring woman referenced to discuss private vs. public observation

Jeff

audience’s proxy

Lisa

challenges Jeff’s voyeurism and debates ethics

“Rear Window ethics”

Moral questions about spying and invading privacy

Feminine intuition

Stereotype of women’s perceptiveness and empathy, contrasted with male gazes

"That’s a secret private world you’re looking into out there; people do things in private they couldn’t possibly explain in public"

illustrating the private-vs-public dichotomy and context needed to understand private actions

“Can you see me driving down to the fashion salon in a jeep wearing combat boots and a three-day beard?”

Shows Jeff’s insecurity and need to appear masculine

“(Being an outcast/alone is) something you’ll never have to worry about”

Emphasises how men base observations off physical appearance and societal expectations, highlighting gender dynamics

“How far does a girl have to go before you’ll notice her?”

reflects the challenges women face in gaining attention and recognition, emphasising the struggle for validation

“With long faces plunged into despair because we find out a man didn’t kill his wife. We’re two of the most frightening ghouls I’ve ever known”

critiques societal obsession with crime and drama, revealing how individuals become desensitized to real human suffering.

Sculpter/Miss hearing aid

Creating a hunger statue as we hunger relationships, but at the end of the film she has abandoned it and has switched off - has learnt to tune out social expectations and pressures

“You don't know the meaning of the word 'neighbours'! Neighbours like each other, speak to each other, care if anybody lives or dies! But none of you do!”

highlights the disconnect and apathy among the residents, contrasting their isolation with the ideal of a caring, connected community.