The Child Hero in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds (1963)

In many Alfred Hitchcock films, children’s primary significance resides in their relation to adults, and often, when children are accorded a measure of importance, it is when they are examined through a psychological lens. The Birds (1963) is no exception, as 11-year-old Cathy Brenner is usually discussed in relation to the conflict between Melanie Daniels and Lydia Brenner. But viewing “Cathy [as] significant primarily for her role in another woman’s psychodrama” reduces her to the shadow of a human rather than celebrates her as a being with agency.1 Psychological interpretations limit Cathy to “a stand in for Melanie as a girl,” another victim.2 However, Cathy is no Melanie. Even after witnessing horrific acts of violence against her friends and family, and after enduring them herself, Cathy does not behave as a victim who needs rescuing. Instead, she becomes the voice of reason in a time of crisis. And, in fact, a political analysis of the film allows viewers to see her as a leader in a new political landscape, which calls for the rejection of universal stereotypes and fear-based judgments.