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Vigilantism In The Killing Joke

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The passage is from the very first panel of the book. Bruce Wayne is no longer Batman. Bruce grew a mustache and is wearing a racing helmet with the upper face being covered. The mustache indicates the amount of time that has passed since Bruce’s retirement as Batman. However, the resemblance of the helmet as his Batman costume foreshadows the inevitable return of Bruce Wayne as Batman. Therefore, the motif is established right away.
2. B) The passage is from almost the end of the book, when Batman chases after Joker, who is running around in the abandoned amusement park mirror room. Joker constantly uses the pronouns “you, as if he is talking to the reader. This enables the reader to feel more engaged in the work, trying to understand and answer the questions Joker is asking. The significance of this passage is that Joker is staring at himself in the hollowed mirror but appears as if he is staring right at the reader. By asking the why although the world is “a black, awful joke, … but you can’t see the funny side”. The joke he refers to here has a negative connotation, possibly indicating the actual killing of people, hence the title of the book The Killing Joke. As Joker is asking himself the questions through the mirror, he notices the defense of absurd …show more content…

The Dark Knight Returns proposes that vigilantism is not only a preferable course of action in light of civil indifference, it is the correct choice. I agree with this statement, as the public display of vigilant justice portrayed by Batman ultimately shows hope and confidence in the civilians. In contrast to the typical hero figures, Batman is more aggressive and violent in order to get the job done and pursue his needs. This reinforces the idea of standing up to what the individual thinks is right, the power to fight back against the broken system and the assailants. Batman as the figure of vigilante justice shows enhances the strive for freedom for the population, against the government and the

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