Summary
Today we talked about the first six chapters of Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. One of the first things we went over was the "typical" characteristics that make a hero, and those of heroes we've seen so far this semester. We also talked about characteristics that are more specific to comic book heroes, as Watchmen is a graphic novel. Those characteristics include costumes, fighting super villains, alter egos, etc. However, the main characters in Watchmen are anti-heroes.
Anti-heroes are protagonists in the story who do not fit the mold of a typical hero, like Superman. Most of the vigilantes in Watchmen pursue their lives of "heroism" for selfish reasons, such as fame and personal fulfillment. Other anti-heroes from texts this semester include Satan, Medea, and Hedda Gabbler. At times they can seem very amoral, and essentially the opposite of Superman as far as their qualities go. For example, The Comedian is still considered a "hero" in Watchmen although he attempts rape, and kills women and children. It can be seen that the anti-hero is tragically flawed in comparison to Superman. This is also true with Rorschach, as he appears flawed in the sense that he is mentally unstable and will use absurdly violent means to achieve what he believes is right.
We also talked about the visuals of the novel and the ending excerpts of each chapter. The words and the artwork work together in Watchmen to portray a the bleak world view displayed by the creators. This, along with the ending excerpts, work to capture a more realist appeal from the author linking us back to post-modernism. This depressing, gritty perspective is revealed not only by the pictures, but also through text. It takes the classical comic approach and adds a very real aspect to the story.
Word Count: 300
Passages
Chapter 2, Page 2
"I mean, without your health, where are you?"
In chapter two, the panels flashed back and forth between the scene with the two Silk Spectre's, and the scene at the Comedian's funeral. Laurie and her mother are talking in California, but their words are carried over and apply to the scene at the funeral. Here, Laurie's mom is promoting the importance of sunny weather, and asks the above question. However, her words carry over into a frame from the funeral, where Blake is being lowered into the ground. It reiterates the fact that without health (or here, life at all), a person doesn't have anything. It also keeps with the bleak outlook present throughout the novel. This technique is used purposefully and shows how much the visual aspect of the novel is important.
Chapter 6, Page 28
"We are alone. There is nothing else."
These words are spoken by Malcolm. At the beginning of the chapter he is described as upbeat, and is easily tricked by Rorschach to believe that Rorschach is getting better. After hearing about the horrors that Rorschach has seen, however, he grows more pessimistic and by the end of the chapter he is repeating Rorschach, and joining him in his bleak world view. Malcolm is one of the few characters we had seen with a positive attitude. The fact that even he becomes depressed when he sees what the world really is emphasizes the dismal perspective portrayed in Watchmen.
Chapter 1, Page 1
In a panel with blood draining into a gutter in the street and a smiley face pin with a drop of blood on it: "Dog carcass in alley this morning, tire tread on burst stomach. This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face."
This passage is taken from Rorschach's Journal and comprises the very first panel of the novel. As you see the smiley face button in the gutter with blood on it you pick up on the symbolism and forshadowing as Rorschach explains "I have seen its true face." It is as if the button is the face everyone wants to think the city has but really the streets are covered in blood and the city is much darker than it appears. From the beginning, the reader has a very dark and seemingly hopeless, vulgar realism presented to them. This sets the tone for everything that is to come.
Terms
hero: A person that people admire with just and desireable characteristics. Helpful in nature and willing to risk their lives for what is right.
anti-hero: Protagonists who do not fit the mold of a typical hero, such as Superman. They pursue a life of "heroism" for selfish reasons, such as fame and personal fulfillment, and often are less concerned with morals than a typical hero.
realism: A form of expression revealing the world for how it truly is, rooted in objectivism