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Rear Window by Director
Alfred Hitchcock – Study Notes
Vocabulary Sheet
Background & Context
Film Structure
Characters & Relationships
Theme, Ideas, & Values
Vocabulary Sheet
1. THEMES – Definitions & Synonyms
,Voyeurism – Gaining pleasure or knowledge from watching others without their
consent
Synonyms: surveillance, observation, spying
Privacy – The right to keep one’s personal life hidden from others
Synonyms: seclusion, confidentiality
Isolation – Emotional or physical separation from others
Synonyms: loneliness, alienation
Loneliness – Feeling emotionally alone despite being surrounded by people
Synonyms: solitude, isolation
Suspicion – Doubt or mistrust about someone’s actions
Synonyms: distrust, scepticism
Surveillance – The act of closely watching or monitoring
Synonyms: observation, scrutiny
Community – A group of people living in the same area
Synonyms: neighbourhood, collective
Conformity – Following social rules and expectations
Synonyms: obedience, compliance
Ethics – Moral principles that guide behaviour
Synonyms: morality, values
Compassion – Concern for the suffering of others
Synonyms: empathy, kindness
Paranoia – Excessive fear or mistrust without full evidence
Synonyms: anxiety, suspicion
Male gaze – Viewing women from a male, objectifying perspective
Synonyms: objectification, patriarchal viewpoint
Patriarchal – A society dominated by male authority
Synonyms: male-dominated, hierarchical
Domesticity – Focus on home life and traditional family roles
Synonyms: homemaking, family life
Masculinity – Traits culturally associated with men
Synonyms: manhood, male identity
Femininity – Traits culturally associated with women
Synonyms: womanhood, female identity
Ambiguity – Lack of clarity or certainty
Synonyms: uncertainty, vagueness
Moral ambivalence – Uncertainty about what is right or wrong
Synonyms: ethical ambiguity, moral uncertainty
Scopophilia – Pleasure derived from looking at others
Synonyms: voyeuristic pleasure, visual fixation
, Panopticism – The idea that constant observation controls behaviour
Synonyms: surveillance culture, social control
Alienation – Emotional or social disconnection from others
Synonyms: estrangement, isolation
Spectatorship – The relationship between the viewer and what is viewed
Synonyms: audience engagement, viewing position
Power dynamics – The balance of control between characters
Synonyms: control relationships, dominance structure
Psychological tension – Emotional strain created by uncertainty and anticipation
Synonyms: mental suspense, emotional pressure
Appraisal – the act of assessing something or someone
Synonyms: observations, evaluations
2. FILM TECHNIQUES – Definitions & Synonyms
Mise-en-scène – Everything placed within the frame (setting, lighting, costume)
Synonyms: visual composition, staging
Diegetic – Sound or action that exists within the film’s world
Synonyms: on-screen sound, internal
Telephoto lens – A lens that magnifies distant subjects
Synonyms: zoom lens, long lens
Binoculars – Visual tool used to observe from afar
Synonyms: viewing device, field glasses
Flashbulbs – Bright camera flashes used for dramatic effect
Synonyms: camera flash, light burst
Suspense – Tension created by anticipation and uncertainty
Synonyms: anxiety, dramatic tension
Thriller – A genre designed to excite and create tension
Synonyms: suspense film, mystery
Climax – The most intense point of the narrative
Synonyms: turning point, peak
Vignette – A short, self-contained scene
Synonyms: snapshot, episode
Visual elements – What the audience sees on screen
Synonyms: imagery, visuals
Chiaroscuro lighting – Strong contrast between light and shadow used to create
tension and moral ambiguity
Synonyms: high-contrast lighting, shadow-heavy lighting
Restricted narration – When the audience only knows what the protagonist knows
Synonyms: limited perspective, subjective narration
Rear Window by Director
Alfred Hitchcock – Study Notes
Vocabulary Sheet
Background & Context
Film Structure
Characters & Relationships
Theme, Ideas, & Values
Vocabulary Sheet
1. THEMES – Definitions & Synonyms
,Voyeurism – Gaining pleasure or knowledge from watching others without their
consent
Synonyms: surveillance, observation, spying
Privacy – The right to keep one’s personal life hidden from others
Synonyms: seclusion, confidentiality
Isolation – Emotional or physical separation from others
Synonyms: loneliness, alienation
Loneliness – Feeling emotionally alone despite being surrounded by people
Synonyms: solitude, isolation
Suspicion – Doubt or mistrust about someone’s actions
Synonyms: distrust, scepticism
Surveillance – The act of closely watching or monitoring
Synonyms: observation, scrutiny
Community – A group of people living in the same area
Synonyms: neighbourhood, collective
Conformity – Following social rules and expectations
Synonyms: obedience, compliance
Ethics – Moral principles that guide behaviour
Synonyms: morality, values
Compassion – Concern for the suffering of others
Synonyms: empathy, kindness
Paranoia – Excessive fear or mistrust without full evidence
Synonyms: anxiety, suspicion
Male gaze – Viewing women from a male, objectifying perspective
Synonyms: objectification, patriarchal viewpoint
Patriarchal – A society dominated by male authority
Synonyms: male-dominated, hierarchical
Domesticity – Focus on home life and traditional family roles
Synonyms: homemaking, family life
Masculinity – Traits culturally associated with men
Synonyms: manhood, male identity
Femininity – Traits culturally associated with women
Synonyms: womanhood, female identity
Ambiguity – Lack of clarity or certainty
Synonyms: uncertainty, vagueness
Moral ambivalence – Uncertainty about what is right or wrong
Synonyms: ethical ambiguity, moral uncertainty
Scopophilia – Pleasure derived from looking at others
Synonyms: voyeuristic pleasure, visual fixation
, Panopticism – The idea that constant observation controls behaviour
Synonyms: surveillance culture, social control
Alienation – Emotional or social disconnection from others
Synonyms: estrangement, isolation
Spectatorship – The relationship between the viewer and what is viewed
Synonyms: audience engagement, viewing position
Power dynamics – The balance of control between characters
Synonyms: control relationships, dominance structure
Psychological tension – Emotional strain created by uncertainty and anticipation
Synonyms: mental suspense, emotional pressure
Appraisal – the act of assessing something or someone
Synonyms: observations, evaluations
2. FILM TECHNIQUES – Definitions & Synonyms
Mise-en-scène – Everything placed within the frame (setting, lighting, costume)
Synonyms: visual composition, staging
Diegetic – Sound or action that exists within the film’s world
Synonyms: on-screen sound, internal
Telephoto lens – A lens that magnifies distant subjects
Synonyms: zoom lens, long lens
Binoculars – Visual tool used to observe from afar
Synonyms: viewing device, field glasses
Flashbulbs – Bright camera flashes used for dramatic effect
Synonyms: camera flash, light burst
Suspense – Tension created by anticipation and uncertainty
Synonyms: anxiety, dramatic tension
Thriller – A genre designed to excite and create tension
Synonyms: suspense film, mystery
Climax – The most intense point of the narrative
Synonyms: turning point, peak
Vignette – A short, self-contained scene
Synonyms: snapshot, episode
Visual elements – What the audience sees on screen
Synonyms: imagery, visuals
Chiaroscuro lighting – Strong contrast between light and shadow used to create
tension and moral ambiguity
Synonyms: high-contrast lighting, shadow-heavy lighting
Restricted narration – When the audience only knows what the protagonist knows
Synonyms: limited perspective, subjective narration
