It's hard to know how the ending of Psycho would play to someone who'd somehow avoided spoilers all these years, but I do continue to find the beginning and middle somewhat surprising, because I keep forgetting they're made entirely of red herring. Plot threads are spun, characters introduced, only to be ruthlessly snipped a scene later. I think it's true that part of Hitchcock's plan was to make the audience identify with Norman, because he's the only continuous major character.