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Storytelling
Output Report
for
"Rosemary's
Baby"
ANALYSIS
INFORMATION:
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Complete |
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Complete |
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Complete |
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Complete |
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Author:
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Screenplay by Roman Polanski, based on the novel by
Ira Levin |
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Analysis sources:
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Film(full length video tape)-Paramount Pictures film
Novel by Ira Levin.
Confessions of a Cultist: On the Cinema. Sarris, Andrew.
New York: Simon and Schuster. 1970. Final Draft
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Genre:
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Suspense/Thriller |
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Setting:
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New York City |
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Period:
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1966 |
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Analysis by:
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Mark Harrison |
Comments:
A gothic horror
story without the blood and gore. Rosemary's Baby depends on the audience
having an understanding of Satan, and what the coming of his son means
in Biblical terms.
Brief Synopsis:
Rosemary and Guy
Woodhouse move into the Branford, where Guy becomes a member of a Satanic
cult and assists in forcing his wife to become the mother of Satan's
son.
Objective Character
Mini-Synopsis:
Rosemary and Guy
Woodhouse are an idealistic young married couple. Against the advice
of Hutch, a dear friend, they move into the Branford, an old, gothic
apartment building inhabited by a Satanic cult. The cult members, represented
primarily by Minnie and Roman, are focused solely on finding a mother
for Satan's baby. They approach their houseguest, Terry, with the request,
but the ex-hooker and drug addict is so repelled she commits suicide.
Disappointed but not discouraged, they set their sights next on Rosemary:
What is frightening
about Rosemary's condition is her suspicion that she is being used by
other people for ulterior purposes. She has no family [nearby] of her
own to turn to, but must rely on a husband who seems insensitive to
her pain, neighbors who seem suspiciously solicitous, a doctor [Abe
Sapirstein] whose manner seems more reassuring than his medicine, and
a world that seems curiously indifferent to her plight. When she tells
her story to a disinterested doctor [Dr. Hill], he dismisses it as pure
paranoia, as most doctors would if a pregnant woman walked into the
office and told them the plot of Rosemary's Baby. The disinterested
doctor calls the witch doctor, and Rosemary is delivered to her satanic
destiny. And then comes the final twist. After spitting in her husband's
face, Rosemary approaches the rocker where her yellow-eyed baby is crying,
and by slowly rocking the infant to sleep acknowledges her maternal
responsibility toward a being that is after all a baby and ultimately
her baby. (Sarris 375)
THE
OBJECTIVE CHARACTERS:
Name: Rosemary
Woodhouse
Gender: Female
Description:
Young wife; easily led; trusting; more a product of the 1950's than that
of the rebellious 1960's. Blond and pretty; waif-like. Has an untapped
inner strength that she must learn to rely on. She wants very much to
be a mother.
Role: Mother
Characteristics:
Motivation:
Feeling; Uncontrolled; Avoidance; Faith;
Methodology: Certainty; Inaction; Reaction; Induction; Nonacceptance;
Evaluation: Proven; Hunch; Effect; Trust; Determination; Ending;
Purpose: Ability; Thought; Aware; Perception; Inertia;
Name: Adrian
(Satan)
Gender: Male
Description:
Evil
Role: Rosemary's
Baby
Characteristics:
Motivation:
Reconsider; Temptation;
Methodology: Proaction;
Evaluation: Test; Cause; Unending; Process;
Purpose: Self Aware; Change;
Name: Diego
Gender: Male
Description:
Wealthy; attractive; sophisticated Spaniard
Role: Cult
Member
Characteristics:
Name: Donald
Baumgart
Gender: Male
Description:
Blind and bitter; in the film, only his voice is heard in a telephone
conversation with Rosemary.
Role: Actor
Characteristics:
Name: Dr. Abe
Sapirstein
Gender: Male
Description:
Older gentleman; opinionated; manipulative; controlling. A mix of grandfatherly
concern and a narrow-minded short temper.
Role: Cult
Doctor
Characteristics:
Motivation:
Control; Oppose;
Methodology: Evaluation;
Evaluation: Accurate;Purpose: Chaos;
Name: Dr. Hill
Gender: Male
Description:
Young; sincere; "a dreamboat"
Role: Kind
Doctor
Characteristics:Evaluation: Non-Accurate;
Purpose: Order;
Name: Elise
Dunston
Gender: Female
Description:
Sophisticated; attractive; concerned
Role: Friend of Rosemary
Characteristics:Purpose: Equity;
Name: Grace
Cardiff
Gender: Female
Description:
Caring; gentle
Role: Hutch's Friend
Characteristics:
Motivation:
Help;
Name: Guy Woodhouse
Gender: Male
Description:
Handsome, arrogant actor who desires stardom so badly he will "sell"
his wife to the devil to further his career.
Role: Husband
Characteristics:
Motivation:
Logic; Disbelief;
Methodology: Potentiality;
Evaluation: Result;
Purpose: Desire;
Name: Hutch
Gender: Male
Description:
Hutch is an older man who has been friends with Guy and Rosemary for years.
He is wary of their move and of their new friends.
Role: Old Friend
Characteristics:
Motivation:
Consider;
Methodology: Possibility; Production;
Evaluation: Unproven; Expectation;
Name: Laura-Louise
Gender: Female
Description:
Older, a bit senile, but an active member of the cult.
Role: Cult Member
Characteristics:
Motivation:
Hinder;
Name: Minnie
Castevet
Gender: Female
Description:
Elderly, nosy, determined busybody. Minnie lives in the apartment next
door. Watches over the pregnant Rosemary like a hawk.
Role: Cult Member
Characteristics:
Methodology:
Probability; Reduction;
Purpose: Inequity; Speculation;
Name: Roman
Castevet
Gender: Male
Description:
Worldly, traveled elderly gentleman next door. Suave, convincing, and
in control.
Role: Cult Leader
Characteristics:
Motivation:
Pursuit;Methodology: Protection; Deduction; Acceptance;
Evaluation: Theory;
Purpose: Knowledge; Actuality;
Name: Rosemary's
girlfriends
Gender: Female
Description:
Young; caring; funloving
Role: Friends
Characteristics:
Motivation:
Support;
Methodology: Reevaluation;
Purpose: Projection;
Name: Terry
Gender: Female
Description:
Hooker and drug user, she is taken in by the Castevets as a possible consort
for Satan. She believes they are a God-send, but kills herself when she
finds out the truth.
Role: Houseguest
Characteristics:
Motivation: Conscience;
Name: Dr. Shand
Gender: Male
Description:
Plays the recorder
Role: Cult Member
Characteristics:
Name: Elevator
guy
Gender: Male
Description:
Service oriented
Role: Elevator guy
Characteristics:
Name: Mr. Nicklas
Gender: Male
Description:
Role: Cult Member
Characteristics:
Name: Mrs.
Gilmore
Gender: Female
Description:
Role: Cult Member
Characteristics:
AUDIENCE
AND STORY DYNAMICS APPRECIATIONS:
Nature as it relates
to Actual Dilemma:
Rosemary wants to
become a mother, however, she is faced with an actual dilemma when she
realizes she has given birth to evil, not to an innocent baby. She must
choose between raising her Devil child, or killing him. She is able to
fulfill her desire of motherhood once she accepts her child for who he
is.
Essence as it relates
to Positive Feel:
The feel of the story
is positive, as all of the characters are focused on the goal--the successful
birth of Rosemary's baby.
Tendency as it relates
to Willing:
Rosemary is a more
than willing participant in her pregnancy. She is so desirous of having
a child and doing the right thing for her baby, that she eats and drinks
Minnie's distasteful herbs and cakes, allows herself to be put in care
of the Castevet's doctor, and bravely suffers considerable pain. When
she discovers there is a conspiracy, she puts her efforts into protecting
her unborn baby. Despite the fact that she gives birth to the Devil, she
is still willing to care for him.
Reach as it relates
to Female:
Women will feel a
kinship with Rosemary during the pregnancy and subsequent birth of her
child.
Resolve as it relates
to Change:
Rosemary changes in
her feelings toward Guy (evidenced by spitting on him), and in her refusal
to accept that anything is wrong with her child. Her ambivalent feelings
about Catholicism are resolved as well. At the climax of the story, Rosemary
overcomes her revulsion to the baby and chooses to be a mother to him,
despite the fact that Satan is the father.
Approach as it relates
to Be-er:
Rosemary tries to
accommodate everyone before herself. She agrees to the dinner invitation
with the Castevets, even though she doesn't want to go. Then she feels
obligated, but tells Guy that it's all right if he doesn't want to attend.
When Rosemary learns she is pregnant, she lets the Castevets push her
into giving up a doctor she likes for one they recommend. Even though
she is in great pain, she finds a way to adapt to it rather than confront
her doctor:
Tiger:
You've been in pain since November and he
(Dr. Sapirstein) isn't doing anything for you?
Rosemary:
He says it'll stop.
Joan:
Why don't you see another doctor?
Rosemary shakes her
head.
Rosemary:
He's very good. He was on "Open End."
Direction as it relates
to Start:
Rosemary must take
charge of her own life and that of the baby's.
Mental Sex as it
relates to Female:
The female mental
sex character resolves problems by comparing surpluses to deficiencies,
and then taking steps to create a balance. When Guy first refuses to go
to the Castevets for dinner, even though Rosemary makes it clear that
she promised Mrs. Castevet, she begins reasoning out loud why they should
stay home--creating a surplus of reasons to do what Guy says. She doesn't
push Guy, but eventually he says, "Let's go." When her pregnancy
becomes a seeming never-ending agony, and no one will listen to her, she
throws a party where her friends can tell her she needs a new doctor.
When she grows weary of Minnie's meddling, she accepts Minnie's "herbal"
drink, but then pours it down the drain. Thus she is dealing with the
immediate surplus, but not yet taking steps to resolve the whole problem.
When she discovers the truth about her baby, she is armed with a butcher
knife as if she is willing to strike at one of the perpetrators, or even
her baby. But she is confronted with a different inequity: the need of
her baby. The story ends with Rosemary "becoming" the mother
to her child, having seen the real deficiency in the situation, the baby's
lack of a mother.
Outcome as it relates
to Success:
The Satanic cult has
a mother for the Devil; Rosemary gets the child she longs for, and she
becomes the baby's real mother in every sense of the word.
Judgment as it relates
to Good:
Rosemary is finally
in control of the situation and she has the baby she has longed for.
Work as it relates
to Decision:
Rosemary and Guy's
decision to break their lease and take the apartment at the Branford is
the initial catalyst for the story. Guy's agreement to have dinner with
the Castevets leads to the unspoken offer of trading his wife for his
career. It is Guy's decision to agree to the scheme that puts the plot
in motion. At the climax of the story, it is Rosemary's decision to become
a real mother to her child that resolves the story problem.
Limit as it relates
to Optionlock:
There are only so
many people Rosemary can turn to for help. One by one they are eliminated
until the baby is born.
THE
OBJECTIVE STORY THROUGHLINE:
Throughline Synopsis:
A Satanic cult resides
at the Branford apartment building when Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse move
in. The cult is determined to find a woman to bear Satan's child. By
promising Guy a successful acting career (through the use of witchcraft)
they persuade him to give Rosemary to Satan. She is drugged, raped,
and impregnated by Satan. She learns too late that there is a conspiracy
to take her child, and ultimately discovers the entire truth--she has
given birth to the Devil.
Backstory:
The Devil wants
a child and the cult is charged with finding a mother. Guy has been
an actor for some time and wants to become a star. Rosemary wants a
baby, and trusts that Guy has her best interests at heart. The country
has fallen into a spiritual decline represented by the "Is God
Dead?" headlines of the magazines.
Domain as it relates
to Physics:
The objective story
takes place against the endeavor to bring Satan into the world in the
form of a baby. The cult makes a deal with Guy to coerce his wife into
bearing Satan's child. Guy stakes his future career on this agreement.
The entire cult participates in the rape. Minnie makes herb drinks and
cakes; she checks in on Rosemary at all times. Guy rushes home to stop
Hutch from interfering with the cult. Rosemary's friends try to tell her
what a pregnancy should be like, encouraging her to take action. The activity
builds as Rosemary begins to discover the truth. She runs away, thinking
Dr. Hill will help. The cult immediately forces her back, drugs her, and
takes away her newborn. Rosemary takes the initiative to find the baby,
and upon discovering that it is the Devil--she attempts to kill it. The
baby cries out for his mother, thereby saving his own life.
Concern as it relates
to Obtaining:
Rosemary wants to
live in the Branford, despite Hutch's warnings. She longs for a child.
The cult wants an heir for Satan. Guy wants fame and money, starting with
the part he lost to Donald Baumgart. Guy gets the part when he sells his
wife to the Devil. Donald "mysteriously" loses his eyesight.
When Rosemary finally expresses her dislike of Dr. Sapirstein, she proclaims,
"I want Dr. Hill!" The baby wants his mother.
Range as it relates
to Morality:
Terry kills herself
rather than doing what is best for the cult--submitting herself to the
Devil. Rosemary consistently puts the interests of others before her own,
making her a perfect candidate for the cult. Rosemary does what Guy, Minnie
and Roman, and Dr. Sapirstein want her to do. When she tries to escape,
it's because she is looking out for her baby. Dr. Hill believes he is
doing what is best for Rosemary and her baby when he betrays her trust.
In the end, it is the needs of the baby that override Rosemary's idea
to eradicate the evil being.
Counterpoint as it
relates to Self Interest:
Rosemary's moment
of self interest comes at the beginning of the story, when she insists
on moving into the Branford. The cult acts purely out of self interest--they
want an heir for Satan. Guy acts out of self interest--he wants fame and
fortune no matter what the cost is to Rosemary or any others:
Guy
They promised me you wouldn't be hurt, and you
haven't been, really. I mean, suppose you'd had
a baby and lost it; wouldn't it be the same? And
we're getting so much in return, Ro.
Thematic Conflict
as it relates to Morality vs. Self Interest:
Rosemary's moment
of self interest comes with a heavy price. She insists on moving into
the Branford, and ends up in the hands of the cult. Guy gives into self
interest and agrees to drug his wife and give her to Satan. He gets his
career, but loses Rosemary. Rosemary consistently puts others' needs ahead
of her own. This leads to her being overwhelmed by the interests of the
cult. At the end, she is sure her baby is alive, and she intends to save
him. Only when she sees him does the whole truth become clear. At that
moment she finally comes into a kind of balance between morality and self
interest: she gets the child she wants, and puts his interests ahead of
her own.
Problem as it relates
to Disbelief:
"Disbelief"
is the source of the objective story's problems. Hutch warns Rosemary
and Guy about the Branford, but they do not believe him. As evidence begins
to build against the inhabitants of the building (not to mention the inhabitant
inside her body), Rosemary still refuses to believe anything unnatural
is occurring. Her friends influence her to question the way her doctor
is treating her, but her pain suddenly stops and she becomes even more
blind to what is happening. When Rosemary discovers there is a conspiracy
and turns to Dr. Hill for help, he finds her story unconvincing and simply
turns her over to Guy and Dr. Sapirstein. After the birth of the baby,
she doesn't believe her baby is dead and forces the issue with the cult.
Solution as it relates
to Faith:
"Faith"
is what is necessary to solve the objective story problem of "disbelief."
The cult has faith that Guy can be corrupted. Hutch dies confident that
Rosemary will be able to decode his message and discover the truth. Rosemary
has to trust her old friend and her own instincts even though hard evidence
doesn't really exist. For example, after Guy throws away Hutch's book,
she buys her own books on witchcraft. Rosemary believes her child is alive
even before she begins to hear him crying. This unfounded belief drives
her to ultimately discover the child in the apartment next door. Rosemary's
faith in herself as a mother, and Roman's unquestioned trust that she
would never harm her child, allows her to take her rightful place as Satan's
caretaker.
Focus as it relates
to Conscience:
The objective characters
deal with the effects of the problems caused by "disbelief"
by focusing on "conscience." Guy's conscience is pricked momentarily
when he is informed of Donald Baumgart's accident. Rosemary's conscience
is an easy target for the cult, her doctor, even Guy. She is so determined
to do what is right for her baby she is willing to tolerate great pain.
When she doubts the wisdom of the advice she is given, she is told it's
"all for the baby."
Direction as it relates
to Temptation:
The objective characters
direct their efforts toward "temptation." Guy's conscience is
assuaged once he is offered Donald Baumgart's part. Rosemary finally has
to give in to the temptation of her own instincts. She reads books on
cults and decides to take action. But the ultimate temptation is to become
mother to the child of Satan, the Biblical Anti-Christ, without apparent
regard for the consequences.
Stipulation as it
relates to Learning:
Progress in the objective
story is measured by how much information is gathered. The cult acquires
information about Rosemary. "Do you have children?" Do you want
children?" "Do your sisters have children?" Guy learns
about the cult. Rosemary tries to learn everything she can about pregnancy.
When she begins to suspect a problem, she has to gather information about
witchcraft and Satanic cults. At the end she is driven to learn the truth
about her baby.
Catalyst as it relates
to Approach:
The methods in which
the objective characters use to solve their problems--witchcraft in particular--accelerates
the story forward.
Inhibitor as it relates
to Obligation:
The Castevets play
upon Terry's obligation to them in hopes she will bear Satan's child.
Her refusal is a temporary interruption in the progress to achieve their
goal. Rosemary's sense of obligation to Guy, to the Castevets, and to
Dr. Sapirstein, keeps her from fleeing to another doctor even when the
pain is great. Guy uses Rosemary's sense of obligation stop her from seeking
a second opinion saying, "It wouldn't be fair to Sapirstein!"
Goal as it relates
to Obtaining:
The goal of
Rosemary's Baby
can be synopsized in one sentence as the adventures of an actor's wife
delivered to the devil and his worshippers by her ambitious husband
so that she might bear the devil's baby . . .
(Sarris
374)
Consequence as it
relates to Becoming:
If the child is not
born, Rosemary will not become a mother and the Anti-Christ will not become
a new life force.
Cost as it relates
to The Future:
The birth of the child
means a dark and foreboding future for humankind. Donald Baumgart is condemned
to a future of blindness. Hutch's life is cut short by the cult.
Dividend as it relates
to The Subconscious:
An example of a dividend
accrued on the way to the goal is Guy's desire to become a famous actor
is fulfilled.
Requirements as it
relates to Learning:
The cult learns that
Rosemary is a viable candidate to bear Satan's child, and that Guy is
willing to make a deal for stardom. Rosemary learns that Guy is suddenly
ready to have a child.
Prerequisites as
it relates to Conceiving:
Following Terry's
suicide as an attempt to escape the cult, the witches conceive of Rosemary
as a possible mother for Satan's child.
Preconditions as
it relates to The Present:
The world is in a
state of ambivalence about religion. Even national magazines ask, "Is
God Dead?" Rosemary states, "I was raised a Catholic, but now
I'm not sure."
Forewarnings as it
relates to The Conscious:
After confiding in
her friends about her painful pregnancy, and taking into account their
advice, Rosemary contemplates seeking another opinion, which could lead
to a possible abortion.
THE
SUBJECTIVE STORY THROUGHLINE:
Throughline Synopsis:
While the cult wants
an heir for Satan, and goes to great lengths to assure success, the
story hinges on the developing relationship between Rosemary and her
baby. The concerns of the rest of the characters can only be resolved
based on Rosemary's decision. Ultimately, Rosemary's maternal instincts
will rule the day, despite the consequences for anybody else.
Backstory:
For the evil lineage
of Satan to continue, new life must be created. Rosemary wants to be
a mother, and conveniently for the cult, has a husband ready to exchange
her for fame and fortune.
Domain as it relates
to Psychology:
The obstacle character
is Rosemary's baby, represented by the cult. Rosemary is manipulated by
the obstacle character from conception to birth. For example, she is drugged
and raped, not exactly what she had in mind for "baby night"
with her husband; she is put into the medical care of a cult member, and
ministered to daily by the witch next door. The ultimate manipulation
Rosemary is vulnerable to is the baby's cries for its mother.
Concern as it relates
to Becoming:
Satan is concerned
with becoming a physical presence, a life force on earth, which conflicts
with Rosemary's religious beliefs. However, because Rosemary literally
embodies the Devil child, and subsequently gives birth, her concern for
becoming a mother overrides her conflicting feelings about evil.
Range as it relates
to Responsibility:
The cult judges Rosemary
to be the best candidate for Satan's consort. She judges herself to be
the best possible mother to her baby.
Counterpoint as it
relates to Commitment:
Rosemary sticks with
her pregnancy despite great pain. She even declares to her friends, "I'm
not getting an abortion!" She ultimately chooses to keep her commitment
to the child even though his father is Satan.
Thematic Conflict
as it relates to Responsibility vs. Commitment:
This particular thematic
conflict is an example of excellent encoding. While Rosemary doesn't proclaim
to have great religious principles, the audience has a shared understanding
of the stakes involved. Rosemary is compelled to choose between good and
evil--the twist being a mother is "good" even though her child
is undeniably "evil." As she considers her parental responsibilities,
she is forced to see the child for what it really is, and at the same
time, she must weigh her responsibility to the world. Rosemary's commitment
to her child wins out.
Problem as it relates
to Uncontrolled:
It is a problem for
Rosemary that she has no control over the conception of her child, her
pregnancy, or even the birth. For the cult, (and the baby) it becomes
a problem that they cannot always control Rosemary. This is the dynamic
conflict at the climax of the story. Rosemary is brought to a defining
moment of choice--remaining steadfast in her beliefs, or changing to become
a mother to her own child. In that moment, the obstacle character has
made its case, but cannot control Rosemary's choice.
Solution as it relates
to Control:
Rosemary is manipulated
by the baby's cries to accept her role as mother to Satan, thus resolving
all conflict.
Focus as it relates
to Conscience:
Satan compels Rosemary
to focus her attention on what is best for the baby using foul herbs,
intrusive neighbors, and excruciating pain, thus effectively avoiding
the real problem between them.
Direction as it relates
to Temptation:
Rosemary occasionally
falls to the temptation to rebel against Dr. Sapirstein; it is her attempt
to control her pregnancy.
Stipulation as it
relates to Conceiving:
As Rosemary quite
literally conceives baby Satan, and eventually accepts the idea of becoming
his mother, the conflict between them dissipates.
Catalyst as it relates
to Rationalization:
The use of "rationalization"
acts as the catalyst to move the subjective story forward. Guy rationalizes
going forward with the baby's conception, despite Rosemary's drugged induced
state; Rosemary rationalizes that the pain must be normal because Dr.
Sapirstein says so; Dr. Sapirstein and Guy use Rosemary's pregnancy as
an excuse for her "crazy" behavior to Dr. Hill; and so forth.
Inhibitor as it relates
to Attitude:
When Rosemary's attitude
changes, for example she demands a party despite what Guy says, she comes
close to upsetting the plans of the cult. When she finally decides to
escape, she almost gets away with it.
Rosemary
Woodhouse's THROUGHLINE:
Role:
Mother
Description:
Young wife; easily
led; trusting; more a product of the 1950's than that of the rebellious
1960's. Blond and pretty; waif-like. Has an untapped inner strength
that she must learn to rely on. She wants very much to be a mother.
Throughline Synopsis:
Rosemary has very
specific ideas about what her life, her marriage, and her child should
be like. She will have to come to grips with the fact that she is wrong
on all counts. Her struggle to maintain her belief, and her eventual
giving in to the truth, is what her journey is about.
Backstory:
Rosemary comes from
a large Catholic family with sisters who all have children. She very
much wants and expects to be a mother. She is not particularly religious,
but hasn't quite joined the "God is Dead" movement either.
Her nature is to be very trusting and compliant.
Domain as it relates
to Mind:
Rosemary is determined
to become a mother, despite the danger to herself and eventually to humankind.
Concern as it relates
to The Subconscious:
Rosemary's essential
feelings of love and protection for her unborn child drive her to become
a mother.
Range as it relates
to Dream:
Rosemary lives in
a kind of dream world. She believes her husband will put her needs first,
although his actor's ego make it highly unlikely. She believes her mother
love will transcend the evil of Satan.
Counterpoint as it
relates to Hope:
Rosemary is optimistic
events will turn out all right. As an example, when she escapes to see
Dr. Hill, she fully expects him to believe her story and help her to safety.
Thematic Conflict
as it relates to Dream vs. Hope:
Rosemary's eternal
optimism allows her to maintain her dreams. For example, it is the hope
that all will be well that allows Rosemary to believe in the dream that
she can be successful at mothering the son of Satan.
Problem as it relates
to Disbelief:
Rosemary wavers in
her religious beliefs: "I was raised a Catholic, but now I don't
know what I believe." She refuses to accept that her husband could
betray her, and the notion that her next-door-neighbors are witches is
absurd. As her pregnancy becomes increasingly painful, she refuses to
admit anything is wrong. Once Rosemary accepts the truth she has a new
set of problems, she now distrusts her husband and the cult--she does
not believe that her child is dead, despite the word of Guy and the doctor.
Solution as it relates
to Faith:
Rosemary has faith
that she can take the child to term. Without proof, Rosemary holds to
the belief that her child is alive and she can free him. By choosing to
be a real mother to her child, she ultimately chooses faith in the Devil.
Focus as it relates
to Support:
Rosemary focuses on
emotionally supporting her husband, although he does not return the attention.
She wants Guy to be more supportive, but excuses his behavior. She views
the attention of Minnie and Roman as being too supportive--to the point
of meddling.
Direction as it relates
to Oppose:
Rosemary opposes Minnie's
unwanted ministrations when she stops eating the herbs. She protests against
their senior citizen social circle when she plans a party for only their
young friends:
Rosemary
Minnie and Roman are not invited. Neither is
Laura-Louise. Neither is Dr. Sapirstein and
Dr. Shand. This is a very special party. You
have to be under sixty to get in.
Stipulation as it
relates to The Conscious:
The more Rosemary
considers the evil she is enmeshed in, the more she is concerned with
the state of her pregnancy and future of her child.
Unique Ability as
it relates to Closure:
Rosemary's pregnancy
ends with the birth of Satan, and her resolution to become his parent
ensures the story's success.
Critical Flaw as
it relates to Preconception:
Even in the face of
her memory of being raped, Rosemary lets Guy convince her it was a nightmare.
She listens to Hutch, but chooses to ignore the information. She is in
great pain, but continues to believe in her doctor.
Adrian
(Satan)'s THROUGHLINE:
Role:
Rosemary's Baby
Description:
Evil
Throughline Synopsis:
The obstacle character
is Rosemary's baby, represented by the actions of the cult until its
birth.
Backstory:
Satan wants his
child born into the world. The cult is looking for the right woman to
fulfill a Biblical prophecy.
Domain as it relates
to Universe:
For most of the story,
the obstacle character is represented by an unseen presence--the unborn
child. While the fetus grows and changes, the fact of the pregnancy is
the situation that occupies the attention of all the objective characters.
Concern as it relates
to The Future:
The unborn child represents
the Biblical coming of the Anti-Christ.
Range as it relates
to Choice:
The child forces Rosemary
to choose between good and evil.
Counterpoint as it
relates to Delay:
The baby is able to
force its mother to defer seeking medical attention outside of Dr. Sapirstein.
Thematic Conflict
as it relates to Choice vs. Delay:
As the evidence mounts
that something is wrong, Rosemary's desire to have a child and take care
of it slows her decision to take action. She makes the choice to ride
out the pain, not really believing the depth of the conspiracy, until
the choice is actually made for her. The pain subsides just as she is
ready to take action, so she gives up. By the time she tries to fight
the cult, she is unprepared, and her child is stolen. Even the climax
comes down to a choice that is born of her delay. To be a mother to her
child, she can only choose to give in to the cult.
Problem as it relates
to Feeling:
The baby is driven
to survive; to do so, it must play upon its mother's maternal feelings.
Solution as it relates
to Logic:
A rational sense of
the relationship between mother and child is what will satisfy the baby's
drive. This point is better illustrated in the novel. At the end, after
all the emotion, Rosemary makes a cold, logical decision to be the mother
of her child. She realizes that the baby is not just the Devil's, but
hers as well. The only way to have her child is to BE its mother.
Focus as it relates
to Conscience:
Rosemary tolerates
pain, apparent misinformation from her doctor, foul tasting herbal drinks,
and the indifference of her husband for the sake of her baby. She is determined
to have a child. This point also illustrates how the obstacle character
is shared by the cult. They act as the voice of the unborn child, telling
Rosemary what the baby needs. And because of her conscience, she listens
to them.
Direction as it relates
to Temptation:
The cult successfully
tempts Guy to give Rosemary to Satan. Then the baby itself tempts Rosemary
to be its mother, even though the Devil is the father.
Stipulation as it
relates to The Present:
The current situation
of Rosemary's pregnancy is the standard against which Satan's concern
for the future is measured.
Unique Ability as
it relates to Openness:
The baby successfully
forces Rosemary to re-evaluate preconceptions about the Devil in order
to be a mother to her own child.
Critical Flaw as
it relates to Denial:
The cult almost loses
Rosemary because of her stubborn refusal to give in to them once she understands
what they want. Even though they re-capture her, at the end she will not
let go of her baby, and thus is a force to be reckoned with.
ACT
PROGRESSIONS:
The
Objective Throughline Act Order:
Objective Story Signpost
#1 as it relates to Doing:
The beginning of the
story is filled with activity. Rosemary and Guy are looking for an apartment.
Rosemary supervises workers as they paint and lay carpet. Guy acts in
a commercial and auditions for parts. The cult chants.
Objective Story Journey
#1 from Doing to Obtaining:
The Woodhouses take
the apartment, move in, make love. While doing laundry, Rosemary meets
Terry just before she kills herself. Minnie makes her presence known,
insisting on Rosemary and Guy coming to dinner. Guy is auditioning, but
missing out on the roles he wants. Roman tells him that he should be a
star but he needs the "right breaks." The two men have a long
secretive talk. Guy becomes very interested in Roman. Minnie gives Rosemary
the foul smelling locket that was Terry's. Suddenly Guy gets a part he
wants because the other actor had an accident. After being distant and
cold to Rosemary, Guy decides he wants a baby--immediately.
Objective Story Signpost
#2 as it relates to Obtaining:
Rosemary is drugged
with the desert given to her by Minnie, and her body is possessed by Satan.
She unknowingly is impregnated with the Devil's child.
Objective Story Journey
#2 from Obtaining to Learning:
Rosemary learns she
is pregnant. Minnie, Roman, and Guy insist that she stop seeing Dr. Hill
and be put under the care of Dr. Sapirstein. Rosemary attempts to learn
everything she can about pregnancy, but her new doctor advises against
it. Once Rosemary learns that Roman Castevet is really Steven Marcato,
she passes that information onto Guy and Dr. Sapirstein--with the request
her family have nothing more to do with the Castevets. At this point,
Rosemary learns from Dr. Sapirstein that Roman is dying.
Objective Story Signpost
#3 as it relates to Learning:
Rosemary's friends
learn of her pregnancy--and that's she's been in pain for far too long;
Hutch learns more about Roman Castevet and the cult, but has a stroke
before he can meet with Rosemary and pass on the information he has acquired.
Later, Rosemary learns that Hutch has died, and she is given a book he
wanted her to have--informed that his last words were, "It's an anagram."
After reading the book, she learns about the history of witches in the
apartment building, and with the help of a scrabble game, she realizes
that Roman Castevet is the notorious Steven Marcato.
Objective Story Journey
#3 from Learning to Understanding:
Dr. Hill does not
understand the predicament Rosemary and her baby are in; Guy and Dr. Sapirstein
learn from Dr. Hill that Rosemary is trying to escape from them. She gives
birth and the child disappears. She is told by the doctor and Guy the
child has died, but she believes he is alive.
Objective Story Signpost
#4 as it relates to Understanding:
Determined to find
out if her baby is indeed alive, Rosemary breaks through the closet door
into the Castevets' apartment and learns the truth: her child is also
the child of Satan--she understands he is the Anti-Christ; Roman appreciates
the only one who can truly mother the baby is Rosemary, and is able to
make her understand this notion as well.
The
Subjective Throughline Act Order:
Subjective Story
Signpost #1 as it relates to Conceptualizing:
The cult envisions
Rosemary as the replacement for Terry. Guy drugs her with Minnie's desert,
the "mouse." She is led to believe the rape experience was a
dream.
Subjective Story
Journey #1 from Conceptualizing to Being:
Rosemary discovers
she is pregnant and must give in to the plans of the Castevets and Guy
regarding her pregnancy. She has a world of expectations about being pregnant,
but the reality is harsher than she imagined.
Subjective Story
Signpost #2 as it relates to Being:
Rosemary must deal
with being pregnant as the Devil develops inside her body. She eats raw
meat, lives with pain, loses weight, and tries to believe everything is
okay.
Subjective Story
Journey #2 from Being to Becoming:
At her wits end, Rosemary
seeks the advice of her friends. She wants her baby to be okay, but the
pain frightens her. The baby stops the pain, and then only the information
in Hutch's book indicates there is still something very wrong. She becomes
stronger in her resolve to protect her child.
Subjective Story
Signpost #3 as it relates to Becoming:
The realization that
Dr. Sapirstein is a witch drives Rosemary to escape. She has become the
protecting mother. Even when she is caught, she finally fights for her
child.
Subjective Story
Journey #3 from Becoming to Conceiving:
Even though she is
told her child is dead, Rosemary knows it's alive and is determined to
save it. She has literally become a mother, but she must devise a way
to find the child. She secretly refuses to take the drugs and eventually
breaks through to the Castevets' apartment.
Subjective Story
Signpost #4 as it relates to Conceiving:
Rosemary is stunned
by the reality of who her child's father is. But in order to be a mother,
she must conceive of a way to do it. The novel describes the inner process
she goes through more clearly, but the film does show Roman coaxing her
to "just look at the child." As Rosemary stares at the child,
she begins to see herself as the mother of the child, despite who he is.
The
Main Character Throughline Act Order:
Main Character Signpost
#1 as it relates to Memory:
Rosemary recites Guy's
resume from memory to their new acquaintances. She reminisces to Minnie
about her childhood and family.
Main Character Journey
#1 from Memory to The Preconscious:
Rosemary has dreams
of her childhood which seem to bleed into her present. She regards her
awareness of being raped as a dream, but she does remember some details.
Main Character Signpost
#2 as it relates to The Preconscious:
Rosemary discovers
she is pregnant, and almost immediately her instincts are questioned.
She is told to go to a different doctor even though she likes Dr. Hill.
She is told not to take vitamins or read about pregnancy even though her
instincts tell her to do so. Her pregnancy becomes quite painful, but
her doctor tries to convince her everything is fine.
Main Character Journey
#2 from The Preconscious to The Subconscious:
Rosemary's pain continues.
She holds a party against everyone's wishes and tries to stand up to Guy.
The pain suddenly subsides and Rosemary goes back to being a compliant
wife. Hutch's book alerts her that there is a problem. She discovers who
Roman is, and is moved to protect her baby.
Main Character Signpost
#3 as it relates to The Subconscious:
The discovery that
Abe is part of the cult moves Rosemary to try to escape to protect her
baby. She lies on a bed in Dr. Hill's office telling her unborn child
that all is well.
Main Character Journey
#3 from The Subconscious to The Conscious:
Rosemary fails to
escape, and her child is stolen. She is told he is dead, but she is sure
he is alive. She discovers all the facts surrounding her baby.
Main Character Signpost
#4 as it relates to The Conscious:
Once Rosemary has
all the facts and knows the truth about her baby, she decides to be a
mother to the child, despite the consequences to humankind.
The
Obstacle Character Throughline Act Order:
Obstacle Character
Signpost #1 as it relates to The Present:
As of now, the cult
is seeking a woman to bear Satan's child. Terry is their current choice.
Obstacle Character
Journey #1 from The Present to Progress:
Rosemary meets Terry,
not knowing she is the current "candidate" for the cult. Rosemary
is established as a viable alternate after Terry's suicide. Guy is convinced
to make his deal with the Devil. Guy drugs Rosemary to effect the process.
Obstacle Character
Signpost #2 as it relates to Progress:
The baby develops
in Rosemary's womb.
Obstacle Character
Journey #2 from Progress to The Future:
The baby's development
is threatened when Rosemary decides to investigate the pain it is causing.
Once the baby stops the pain, its future is assured.
Obstacle Character
Signpost #3 as it relates to The Future:
At the threat of Rosemary
seeking medical help outside of Dr. Sapirstein, the baby stops causing
pain.
Obstacle Character
Journey #3 from The Future to The Past:
The baby's future
is protected by Rosemary. Satan will assert the authoritative evil as
he has done in the past.
Obstacle Character
Signpost #4 as it relates to The Past:
The baby is the spawn
of the devil. He has cat eyes, horns, cloven hooves for hands and feet.
He represents the Biblical Anti-Christ of the past, and will destroy the
world.
Miscellaneous
Other Storytelling Items:
All Concerns:
Simply put, it's all
about Rosemary's baby. All the desires of the objective characters are
connected to the baby. Rosemary wants a child, Guy wants a career, and
the cult wants the birth of the Anti-Christ. The success of these desires
becomes dependent on Rosemary's subconscious drive to become a mother
and ultimately all the characters are left waiting to see what she will
do: will she literally become the mother to this child or not? Is there
a future for evil?
Master Plot Synopsis:
An idealistic young
couple, Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse, move into the Branford building despite
a warning from their old friend, Hutch, about its dark and foreboding
history. An elderly couple, Roman and Minnie Castevet, befriend the new
tenants following the suicide of their young houseguest, Terry. After
a mysterious conversation between Roman and Guy, Rosemary is drugged by
her husband and raped by a being with evil, cat-like eyes. As soon as
she discovers she is pregnant, every decision is taken out of her hands
by Guy and the Castevets, including her choice of doctor. Rosemary's pregnancy
leaves her in crippling pain, but she tries to persevere. Her friends
counsel her to get a second medical opinion. After threatening to do so,
the pain subsides and she is once again mollified. Hutch dies (it is implicated
by witchcraft) leaving her a book that reveals her neighbors are witches,
and she discovers that even her doctor and husband are part of some conspiracy.
Rosemary fails in an attempt to escape, her baby is born, and she is told
he died. In disbelief, she manages to discover that the child is alive,
and the real father is not her husband, but Satan himself. Her child is
the Anti-Christ. She decides to be a mother to her baby, in spite of the
truth.
Master Theme Synopsis:
The objective story
thematic conflict of morality versus self-interest is given an interesting
twist in this story, in that what is socially acceptable is challenged.
The audience is aware that the cult represents an evil presence, yet their
self interest is necessary to the success of achieving the evil goal.
Rosemary's thematic argument is provocative as well--does she kill the
child and save the world, or does she become a mother because she wants
her baby? Does she kill the child out of revenge against Guy and the cult,
or does every child deserve the chance to live? The story doesn't so much
answer the questions as pose them to the audience. The novel took these
questions further by demonstrating that Rosemary was actually seizing
a position of power in the cult. But it is precisely the fact that the
issues are never quite settled that makes the journey through the story
enjoyable. The audience is left to ponder what the ending means.
Subjective Character
Synopsis:
Rosemary believes
she is pregnant with an innocent child, unaware of the evil developing
inside of her body. She is also unaware of the evil forces around her
that represent her child. The defining moment of the subjective character
relationship is when she does discover the truth and chooses to remain
the child's parent.
Master Character
Synopsis:
Rosemary Woodhouse
believes so strongly in a normal family life that she doesn't immediately
see the danger around her. She is easy prey for the cult. When her child
is born, it is a combination of her desire to have some semblance of a
family, coupled with an inner strength that she only discovers at the
end, that allows her to take on the role of mother to her own child. Guy
Woodhouse is self-centered, arrogant, and ambitious. He is so desperate
for stardom that he is willing to literally make a "deal with the
Devil." He even believes to the end that no real harm came to either
of them. He says to Rosemary, "Look at what we got in return."
The cult is represented by several characters, most principally Minnie
and Roman Castevet. She is conniving, manipulative, nosy, and quite determined.
He is cool, suave, controlling, and persuasive. Their focus is to bring
the child of Satan into the world. Like all the cult members, they are
willing to do whatever is necessary, whether it's lying or murder or just
keeping Rosemary on a short leash. The character of the baby is only a
presence that is talked about, but has a deep effect on Rosemary and her
choices. Ultimately, it is Rosemary's maternal instincts that will allow
the baby to thrive.
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