The Birds

The narrator never describes Nat’s “war-time disability.” What could be the explanation for du Maurier hiding this detail about Nat? Study the text to find clues as to what Nat’s disability could be and how he may have acquired it. Use evidence from the text to support your conclusions.

It is common for a work of fiction to belong to more than one genre. Identify another genre of fiction to which “The Birds” belongs, besides Gothic horror. Describe the genre’s defining characteristics and identify specific textual examples of those characteristics.

Alfred Hitchcock’s film adaptation of “The Birds” made many alterations to the story to render it an effective thriller. Watch the film and then compare it to the short story. In what ways are the two different? Look at characters, settings, plot structures, and points of view. Which version do you think is the more effective horror story? Explain your answer with support from the sources.