Rorschach In The Film Watchmen

Through the character Rorshach, The Watchmen explores the issues of nature verses nurture for him. Moore adds that a super hero, can be a psychological argument. A super hero is neither born nor shaped by environment, it is the creation of an alter ego to suppress childhood conflicting inner issues. Rorshach dealt with issues as a young child that rationalized in his mind to hide behind a costume and a mask in order to live.

Hero: comic book characters saving the world, firefighters, policemen, military personnel we call heros but makes them a hero? A true hero continues to fight a battle even when it is hard, they are brave in the face of fear, but heroes are not always confident.

There is no doubt that the popularity of the anti-hero as we know it has increased in recent times. With unlikely, yet popular moral gray protagonists like Jack Bauer, Dexter, and Gregory House leading some of the most popular TV shows and characters like James Bond, Lisbeth Salander, Tyler Durden (from Fight Club), and Jack Sparrow being some of the most memorable in movies, it is not surprising that there has been an increased interest to understand what causes this characters to be so popular (Peter Jonason in et al., 193). What is it that makes them as likeable, if not more, than a normal hero? How come we relate to characters that perform actions that, if done in real life, would cause us to see them in a whole different light?

Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman—what do all these characters have in common? They are all products of the human aspiration to be saved. The word hero is passed around too much these days. A hero is not a football player that scores the game-winning touchdown or the goaltender who saves his team from a loss. A hero is usually an ordinary person that did extraordinary things. A true hero is really never a hero at all; at least not in their own mind. However, there are various cases today in which we see the exact opposites of these characters, the anti-heroes. The anti-hero is one who cannot be classified as a hero, for that said character lacks natural heroic qualities. However, the anti-hero cannot be described as a villain either.

Batman, Superman, and Catwoman are all examples of a vigilante, any person who takes the law into his or her own hands, as by avenging a crime. We have come to love and grow close to the idea of superheroes saving the day, but whether or not they’re doings are good, many debate. When there is a government that fails to fulfill its responsibility to its citizens, waves of rebellion from the people longing for a higher more just power are created. Vigilantism is justified when the government has failed to fulfill their duties in protecting their citizens.

Arthur Miller wrote the crucible as an allegory to the red scare because he saw the madness he saw the fear and he wanted to shine light on the dark red subject. Using the evidence provided here it's easy to see where Humanity needs to take a step back and look for the goodness in people and judge them

Many people think Batman and Superman are heroes because of their bravery and daring personalities but they are not true and honorable heroes. True and honorable heroes have to sacrifice for others, have good intentions to their actions, and make a difference in other’s lives. Others may argue that there is more to a hero than those traits or that you only need one of the traits but you can’t be a hero without all three traits even if you have other good traits to make up for it.

I think some people who fit this description are, to be honest Batman because he is willing to sacrifice himself for others. He wanted to do this because he thought that Gotham needed someone to be there, someone to protect it. A person who actually existed that I think fits the category of a hero is Martin Luther King Jr. He knew something was wrong with the world so he fought to protect the people who were being wronged. He didn’t use violence unlike Batman, but they both got the word across to the people and in each of their worlds they made a huge difference one that will not be

In the reading, “Why We Love TV’s Anti-heroes” by Stephen Garrett, he points out that anti-heroes are becoming more popular than the traditional hero. Garrett states, “the word hero is abused in the news, the sports reports, and even in conversation” (318). For example tabloids recognize someone who battles a drug addiction and overcomes it or a substitute kicker for the football game kick the winning field goal (318). You see he argues that traditional heroes are “boring” and that there are no longer any more real heroes (318-321). Anti-heroes are characters or people who are just evil but still get the viewers to like

Anti-heroes do not solely exist in the fictional world. There are people in the real world, everyday who fit the anti-hero description. They are… the Mob. In ancient times loyalty was purest form of respect. It was a way of life. One was loyal to his or her family, govern, king, and God. Hand in hand with loyalty, comes the right to revenge. The Mob is one of the few “societies” that has reserved that tradition. For example: when a family member is assassinated, it is not only the right, but also the duty of the surviving family to avenge that death. This loyalty to one’s own, coupled with the fierce determination to protect them, are incredibly heroic qualities. Organized crime families are oohed and ahhed by the press and pop culture, and have their own fans. While these people are not ideal role models, they possess heroic qualities worthy of aspiration.

In modern stories, the protagonist anti-hero displays trends to either invoke more empathy or less empathy from the audience. The three types of anti-heroes are satanic, promethean, and byronic. A satanic anti-hero is an individual who seeks an evil goal. Macbeth, a satanic anti-hero, is dauntless and a courageous warrior who values his pride and is apathetic towards others safety. A byronic anti-hero is an individual who has unclear goals and questionable means. They are unpredictable, moody, mysterious, and is often self-destructive. Pink is both a byronic anti-hero and a satanic anti-hero. Due to the trauma he has endured, it has caused him to alienate himself from all humanity. Pink does not have a clear path to follow and needs

Because Rorschach grew up experiencing injustice and constant humiliation from other children, he sees his barbaric acts as being equitable, almost as if they redeem him of the rightful childhood he never had. On page 182, panels 4-6, Rorschach’s mother relentlessly beats him after one of her patrons storms out on her. Rorschach tries to explain his actions to his mother, stating that he thought the man was hurting her, this can arguably mean he was coming to her aid. Still, she beats him mercilessly. This is a brief example of what he endured in childhood that later manifests itself through his troublesome adolescence and haunts him into adulthood. On page 203 panel 8, Rorschach stands outside a man’s home, watching as it becomes engulfed in flames, notably, this man was allegedly responsible for the murder of a little girl. Rorschach interprets slaughtering him as an act of redemption, especially because the victim was a small, helpless child. We see his character illuminated by the bright orange embers as his own dark shadow is cast behind him. This panel essentially captures Rorschach’s character, his face covered and his hands resting in his pockets, giving the reader a sense of his cool yet dark demeanor stemming from a troubled past. Similarly, he stands tall in the panel, a metaphor that could interpreted as standing tall in the face of injustice knowing justice has been served on his own terms. His character is misunderstood and seen as cold-hearted. Often

“ The newspapers call me a crimefighter, so the Pentagon says I must fight crime.” (Moore and Gibbons 4:14) Doctor Manhattan was put into the category of a crimefighter but this does not necessarily mean he is a superhero. This is another difference between Doctor Manhattan and Superman. Superman’s way of thinking is that he needs to help everyone and try save everyone from everything bad. Doctor Manhattan does not think this way, he may know what is going to happen because of his perception of time but he knows that if he does this one thing, that eventually something else will cause a butterfly effect. “Manhattan pushes the idea of fate being set in stone.”(Wu) They each have different morals and the great thing about Watchmen is that there is no clear protagonist or

The hero archetype has prevailed throughout literature and media for thousands of years. This quixotic character completes a quest or expedition with little to no faults. In recent times, the ideal hero archetype is challenged by the untoward anti-hero archetype. Today, the anti-hero is largely represented and featured in recent film and society. The hero archetype is losing prevalence in modern fiction stories due to the increasing demand of the anti-hero.

An anti hero is said to have flaws, he is gritty, and he often looks for redemption or for his own revenge satisfaction and sometimes for the greater good of society. One more significant point is that unlike tragic hero who thinks of what is a right or a moral thing to do at times, an anti hero does what appears to be right to him. He is often misunderstood by the society; he could perhaps be called as a noble criminal or a vigilante and their mostly motives are fulfilled by breaking the law a.k.a “the ends justify the means”. The last characteristic of an anti hero is his increased moral complexities and rejection of traditional