The goal of this blog post is to continue with my previous work with regards to gender roles and masculinity within Rear Window and create a connection to one of the sources I am interested in writing about for my thesis, Giovanni’s Room. Last time I argued that Jefferies is subservient to Lisa. He is less wealthy that she is, and physically less able, thus the position of power, on the surface, seems to lie with Lisa.
Yet, as Belton argues, Jefferies still holds an incredible amount of power in the relationship. He is in charge, in large part because he has an absolutely beautiful woman falling over herself to try to win him over. The reason that Jefferies is opposed to entering into a relationship with Lisa is because he is scared of commitment, and instead finds he would prefer to continue his life as a bachelor. In Rear Window Jefferies is the central masculine figure. As Belton points out, he is the only competent man in the entire movie. The detective is bumbling and slow, and the other male character who has dialogue is a murder who buried part of his wife in his flower beds. Thus, Jefferies cements himself as the main masculine figure in the movie.
Part of my interest in writing the Senior Thesis is on the role of masculinity in the plot and decision making in male main characters. This stems mainly from my interest in the novel Giovanni’s Room. The novel and Rear Window are similar in that the narrator of the novel, David, and Jefferies are opposed to entering into a relationship with their main love interest. David’s reasoning is very different from Jefferies’. David’s main concern is that he does not believe it is possible to achieve happiness in a homosexual relationship, and two he is terrified by the potential social stigma he would face. For David living a life with Giovanni is an impossibility. While Jefferies’ main concerned is with a loss of independence.
Yet, the central concern for both main characters is a loss of a part of themselves. Jefferies believes once he’s married, he will no longer be able to be the exciting and risk-taking photographer. While, for David, entering into a relationship with Giovanni would mean the death of the version of himself that he has believed to exist for his entire life. It means completely reinventing himself as a new man.