Which brings me to this week’s post and I’ve been sitting here unable to think of what to type….
I never considered the possibility of including graphic novels into the reading list for this type of course. However, I think it is a good idea and would like to make a suggestion for two others. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson – adapted by Steve Niles and Elman Brown. That is just such a wonderful novel that it is fun to see it presented in different formats. And then there’s the series The Walking Dead. I can’t remember the channel, but the current series on television by the same name is based on the set of graphic novels. Just throwing an idea out there.
I love the scene where the Joker declares: “I’ve demonstrated there’s no difference between me and everyone else! All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy.” It sounds like the claim of every insane person out there. I thought it was interesting that the situation that drove the Joker insane is mirrored with two other characters: Gordon and Batman. Gordon’s daughter is shot and kidnapped; Gordon is kidnapped, shown photos of his daughter, and stripped and caged. Batman visits Gordon’s daughter Barbara in the hospital and learns the extent of her injuries. Now, I don’t know what the relationship is between those two or how close they are (and that’s probably my lack of Batman knowledge), but this does seem to be somebody that he cares about. So both of these men have had to deal with potentially losing someone they’re close to; whereas the Joker lost his wife and unborn child. The situations are not exactly the same, but they are close enough to compare how the men react.
The Joker is the only one who loses it and goes over the edge. Gordon and Batman both maintain their sanity, which is evidenced in how they go after the Joker. Gordon says, “I want him brought in…And I want him brought in by the book!” And Batman complies. Both of them would be justified in seeking revenge, but they don’t.
The Joker seemed a little off to begin with. When we get some of his backstory and see the interaction between him and his wife, he is stressed about being a failed comedian. He flips out when his wife says, “Oh.” It does not see like it would take much more to send him over the edge.
So, let’s take this back to the scene about it only takes one bad day to make someone crazy. While part of me agrees with that idea (even the sanest person can take so much before they snap), this does not seem to be an idea that is supported by the rest of the book. There are two other examples of men going through the loss or abuse of a loved one; the Joker is the only person to go crazy. Gordon is even captured and tortured, and he still maintains his sanity.
I think all of this is what makes these characters interesting. Both Batman and the Joker have troubled pasts, but react in very different ways. Batman takes the more mature path, the higher road, and is dedicated to his cause. Who wouldn't want to be like that? There is a certain physical and emotional strength that is admirable. Then there’s the Joker. He has a crappy past, he’s lost it, and don’t get in his way. Who doesn’t want to be that some days? Everyone has their own unique pile of crap that they have to deal with (and some have a lot more than others); so who wouldn’t want to just say, “Screw it,” and go on a rampage? Most of us have a little voice in our heads that stops us, but I think for a lot of us that crazy rampage is a fleeting thought every now and then.
In my opinion Batman did not maintain his sanity when he lost his parents. No one who is "normal," especially a billionaire who could have or do anything he wants, dresses up like a bat and works as a vigilante. Gordon's reaction to Barbara's shooting is almost *too* sane, like someone trying very hard to to convince you that they aren't crazy. His commitment to bringing in The Joker non-violently, after what he did, is not the reaction you'd typically expect from a parent. A cop, maybe, but is being a cop more important than being a father? That's a little nuts.
ReplyDeleteAnd just FYI because, as I mentioned in my own blog, I'm a Batman nerd: Barbara was Batgirl, and after the shooting she became Oracle (Batman's personal computer whiz), so that's why Batman has such a close relationship to her.
Good post, Stephanie. I really enjoyed your final paragraph, where you contrasted Batman and the Joker in terms of their reactions to adversity. There's a lesson of characterization in that, right? While I agree with Jenn about the thematic concerns behind the story, I think your point about characterization and likability is really important to us writers. People like to read about extreme characters. They like injured heroes who rise to the occasion, and they enjoy villains with twisted pasts who've mutated into monsters... whether that mutation is figurative or literal. Really, we're dealing with two characters dealt similar hands by fate; the difference is how they play their hands.
ReplyDeleteTo echo Jenn, I'd have to argue that Batman is clearly sociopathic. He operates outside the laws because he truly believes he's the only one who can, and that the laws don't apply to him. What happens when someone else dons a pair of tights and tries to assist? According to the comics, Batman is the first one there to put them away for their vigilantism. It's wrong for them, not for him.
ReplyDeleteI also think Gordon is a bit of a nutter because of his fanatical dedication to the law, but that's just me.
On the other hand, I really enjoyed the contrast you pointed out between Batman and Joker. I think the only real difference between them is methodology. I really feel that Batman and Joker should be fitted for matching strait jackets. But then, again, that's just me.
Good post!