27 pages • 54 minutes read
Cornell WoolrichRear Window
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1942A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
What is the significance of Hal Jeffries’s physical injury? How are other bodies marked as being ill, fragile, or otherwise impaired? How should we interpret these vulnerabilities?
Compare and contrast the character of Sam with his counterparts (Stella and Lisa) in Alfred Hitchcock’s film adaptation. What do these different relationships reveal about each version of Jeff and the story?
What are the ethics of voyeurism in “Rear Window”? Does Woolrich judge his protagonist for his hobby or celebrate his ultimate discovery of the truth?
How do the two titles for the story (“It Had to Be Murder” and “Rear Window”) each frame the story? What does each emphasize?
How do Jeff’s point of view and first-person narration shape the story? Is he a reliable narrator? How do readers know?
Jeff’s voyeurism in the short story (unlike the film) seems to lack the sexual component frequently associated with voyeuristic desire. If you disagree, defend your interpretation. If you agree, tell the reader what replaces sex in Jeff’s peeping.
Examine the other neighbors introduced at the beginning of the story. What do these brief portraits contribute to the narrative, and how do they set up any of its themes?
Jeff and Lars Thorwald each feel trapped. How does each struggle to free himself, and what do their relative successes suggest?
Explore the role of interpretation in the short story. Where are there multiple possibilities? Who tries to control the interpretation and how?
Consider the roles of light and darkness in the text. What dangers are associated with each, and what does this suggest about the ways people are vulnerable to one another?
