Batman: Good and Evil
Emily Woodward
Mrs. Degnan and Mr. Dowling
Humanities-4
April 29, 2013
Vigilantes and Heroes In our world, it is widely accepted that Good and Evil are two opposing forces, completely contrasting each other. Through all eras, Good and Evil are depicted as starkly conflicting as black and white. This, however, is a false dichotomy, the continuation of which creates heroes out of those who do not deserve to be worshipped, and villains out of those who do not deserve to be ostracized. This disunion of similar forces is often perpetuated in popular culture and the media. In children’s shows, there is a clear hero and a clear villain (i.e. the Powerpuff Girls vs. Mojo Jojo.) In the news, when a crime is committed, the police forces are almost always depicted as the inherently good force, and the person who committed the crime as the inherently evil force. However, in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins screenplay, this idea is challenged. In this screenplay, Nolan shows that Good and Evil are, in fact, two sides of the same coin, and it is often hard to label a character or entity as one or the other. Furthermore, when two forces engage in conflict, it is not always a clashing of Good against Evil. Nolan shows that the human condition makes it very easy for Evil to infiltrate and corrupt Good. It is much easier, in fact, for Evil to overtake Good than for Good to overtake Evil. In order to avoid this corruption, one must achieve balance between both sides, instead of trying to suppress one. Much of this concept is explored through the character Batman, in his many faults and strengths. Batman is supposed to be a “hero”, but many times his weaknesses get in the way of his quest to bring justice to Gotham City(which is also a very flawed, Evil-ridden place,), making it hard to decide if he is good or evil, and, in fact, where the line between Good and Evil lies; this is a truth that is seen more in the real world than the(commonly accepted) idea of Good and Evil in
Mrs. Degnan and Mr. Dowling
Humanities-4
April 29, 2013
Vigilantes and Heroes In our world, it is widely accepted that Good and Evil are two opposing forces, completely contrasting each other. Through all eras, Good and Evil are depicted as starkly conflicting as black and white. This, however, is a false dichotomy, the continuation of which creates heroes out of those who do not deserve to be worshipped, and villains out of those who do not deserve to be ostracized. This disunion of similar forces is often perpetuated in popular culture and the media. In children’s shows, there is a clear hero and a clear villain (i.e. the Powerpuff Girls vs. Mojo Jojo.) In the news, when a crime is committed, the police forces are almost always depicted as the inherently good force, and the person who committed the crime as the inherently evil force. However, in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins screenplay, this idea is challenged. In this screenplay, Nolan shows that Good and Evil are, in fact, two sides of the same coin, and it is often hard to label a character or entity as one or the other. Furthermore, when two forces engage in conflict, it is not always a clashing of Good against Evil. Nolan shows that the human condition makes it very easy for Evil to infiltrate and corrupt Good. It is much easier, in fact, for Evil to overtake Good than for Good to overtake Evil. In order to avoid this corruption, one must achieve balance between both sides, instead of trying to suppress one. Much of this concept is explored through the character Batman, in his many faults and strengths. Batman is supposed to be a “hero”, but many times his weaknesses get in the way of his quest to bring justice to Gotham City(which is also a very flawed, Evil-ridden place,), making it hard to decide if he is good or evil, and, in fact, where the line between Good and Evil lies; this is a truth that is seen more in the real world than the(commonly accepted) idea of Good and Evil in