Psycho
Translated by Senarathne Weerasinghe
Prabha Publishers, Veyangoda
Reviewed by R.S. Karunaratne
Senaratne Weerasinghe’s ‘Psycho’ is the authentic Sinhala translation of Robert Bloch’s popular thriller by the same title. Even if you have not seen Alfred Hitchcock’s film ‘Psycho’, you can enjoy the thrilling moments by reading the book. The translator has been successful in representing the protagonist Norman as a sympathetic character haunted by issues that seem well beyond his understanding.
For those who love to read thrillers ‘Psycho’ is the ideal book. If Alfred Hitchcock found it good enough for a film, there is no reason why we should not read the original novel in full in Sinhala. The story begins with Mary Crane driving through a downpour with $40,000 stolen from her employer. While driving she takes a wrong turn and finds herself lost in an unfamiliar area.
However, she sees the welcome sight of a resting place – Bates Motel – and decides to stay there for the night. The proprietor Norman Bates is living there with his mother. After the construction of a new road, not many guests are coming to the motel.
Norman, a fat and unattractive man, has never fallen in love with a woman. He spends his time reading books on psychology trying to understand his relationship with his overbearing and cruel mother. In the meantime, Mary who is running away with the money wants to marry the man she loves. At times she feels guilty and wonders whether she should return the money to its lawful owner.
The real shock factor rests on the shower scene followed by a major twist at the end of the story. Norman has a penchant for pornography and his relationship with his mother is quite abnormal. The emphasis of the novel is very much of the psychology of the people involved. Although Mary commits a crime, she looks after her mother and is concerned about her sister’s future. She also wants to marry Sam and settle down.
As the novel goes more deeply into the psychology of the characters, it becomes a psychological novel more than a mere thriller. Robert Bloch manages to hide the truth until the end. Sometimes ‘Psycho’ the novel is more interesting than Alfred Hitchcock’s film.