Scottie and Masculinity

The first interaction we see between Midge and Scottie shows how Scottie has been castrated because of his vertigo and his injuries due to it. When the scene begins, the spectators are immediately aware that Scottie is injured as he has a walking stick, which makes the audience see him as week straight away. Also, Scottie states that he is wearing a corset due to his injuries, this is commonly known as a feminine item of clothing and therefore it damages his masculinity and feminises him.

When Scottie tries to balance the walking stick on his hand he fails to do so, according to Freud theory this could be seen as a phallic image and represents how he literally cannot keep it up which challenges his masculinity and also hints at reasons for why Scottie cannot obtain a female partner. As well as not having a female partner, Scottie does not have a job therefore as far as the audience are aware he has no income and no control over his life.