The Lodger: Week 1 blog post

Alfred Hitchcock’s, The Lodger: A Story Of A London Fog incorporates symbolism in its narrative, as a tool to mark out important characters within the story.

The triangle, the pagan symbol of initiation, is first seen in the narrative when the police come across a note from the avenger. The note has the avengers name within the triangle. This note is found in the hand of the murder victim after the avenger has left the scene. We never see the avenger through the movie but the triangle marks his initiation into the narrative as an important character. The story revolves around the discovery of the avenger’s identity.

The triangle is again seen in the narrative when we come across the name Daisy, for the first time in the movie. Daisy’s name is not within the triangle but outside. Daisy, though not a central character to the plot of the movie plays a big part in helping the lodger, escape his unfortunate destiny.  She falls in love with the lodger staying at her house and due to her help, the lodger, who as everyone was made to believe is the avenger, escapes his death, when he is faced with an angry mob who have taken to the belief that he is the avenger.

 The first time we are introduced to our protagonist, the lodger, he knocks on the door of the house, numbered 13. The number 13 stands out, as it symbolizes misfortune and bad luck. We see the lodger knock on its door and go in to face his unfortunate fate. Even when we see the lodger for the first time, he is masked in smoke, another device used to add to the mystery off the lodger’s identity. He is dressed in similar clothing to what we believe the avenger to be wearing that night.