THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BATMAN IN AMERICAN SOCIETY: A

Transcription

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BATMAN IN AMERICAN SOCIETY:
A SOCIO-HISTORICAL STUDY OF DAVID S. GOYER’S
BATMAN BEGINS
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
SETIO PUTRO MARDIKO
Student Number: 034214041
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2008
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BATMAN IN AMERICAN SOCIETY:
A SOCIO-HISTORICAL STUDY OF DAVID S. GOYER’S
BATMAN BEGINS
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
SETIO PUTRO MARDIKO
Student Number: 034214041
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2008
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Why do we fall?
So that we might better learn to pick ourselves up.
(Alfred Pennyworth)
WHAT DOESN’T KILL US
ONLY MAKES US STRONGER
It’s not who I am underneath.
But what I do that defines me.
(Batman)
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This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to:
- my beloved parents
- my little brother
- my red_diva
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to thank Allah SWT for His blessing and grace He
give me every time. He is the One who could make all of this happens.
My deep gratitude is for my advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka,
M.Hum., for his time and guidance in helping me finish this undergraduate thesis.
My gratitude is also for Dra. Theresia Enny Anggraini, M.A., my co-advisor, in
helping me by giving me some corrections and advises to complete my thesis
writing. This thesis will not be complete without her suggestions.
My deepest gratitude is especially for my parents for all love, time,
patience, support, and prayer all the time. Thank you for always loving me. Of the
superheroes I know, they are my real superheroes. I also thank my brother for the
support he gives. Keep on fighting, bro....
I would like to thank my lovely Red_Diva, for the love we share. She’s
always been there in my happy and hard time.
For Anto, thank you for your support and motivation. Let’s rock the world,
bro..!! And show who the boss is. Thanks to Anggie, for your help and kindness. I
could not make it without you.
I like to thank F2 Community, especially Guspay, Jambrong, Soejab,
Simbah, Bemby, Andy, Budi, Iqbal and late Emon. Let’s prove we are harder
than the rock. Hail the pain, guys....
I like to thank to the people who underestimate me, to the people who see
me as a small stone among the rock. I have proven you are wrong.
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I like to thank to Slipknot, Avenged Sevenfold, Metallica, limpbizkit,
koRn, Story of the Year, and Captain Jack for the music they made that
accompany me finishing this thesis. They are my sucking fhit. I am a big fan of
you, guys...
Thank you for all the people who I cannot mention one by one who have
helped me in writing this thesis. God bless you all.
Last but not least, to 2003 English Letters: Dodi, Wedhuz, Yerri,
Bendhol, Sushit, Boim, Nitnot, Bayu, Cosmas, Kosep, thank you for all the
memories.
Setio Putro Mardiko
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE………………………………………………………………… i
APPROVAL PAGE…..................................................................................... ii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE…………………………………………..………...... iii
MOTTO PAGE…………………………………………..………………...... iv
DEDICATION PAGE……………………………………………..…….…... v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…...………………………………..………...… vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………... vii
ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………... viii
ABSTRAK……………………………………………………………………. ix
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION……………………………………......….
A. Background of the Study……………………………………….....
B. Problem Formulation……………………………………………...
C. Objectives of the Study……………………………………………
D. Definition Terms…………………………………………………..
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1
6
7
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CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW……………………………...…
A. Review of Related Studies………………………………………....
B. Review of Related Theories……………………………………….
1. Theory on Character and Characterization……………………...
2. Theory of Symbolism…………………………………………...
3. Theory of American Dream……………………………………..
C. Review on the Life of American Society in 1920s – 1930s……...
D. Theoretical Framework…………………………………………….
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9
12
12
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22
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY………………………………………...
A. Object of the Study………………………………………………..
B. Approach of the Study………….…………………………………
C. Method of the Study…………………………………….…………
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24
26
26
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS………………………………………………… 28
A. The Characteristics of Batman……………………………………. 28
B. The Significance of Batman in American Society………………... 39
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION………………………………………..……. 51
BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………. 56
APPENDIX: Summary of Batman Begins……………………………….…. 59
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ABSTRACT
SETIO PUTRO MARDIKO. The Significance of Batman in American Society:
A Socio-Historical Study of David S. Goyer’s Batman Begins. Yogyakarta:
Department of English Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2008.
Batman Begins is the 5th Batman movie since 1989. The character of
Batman is based on its comics strips. The story of Batman Begins was written on
its movie script tells about a man who turns himself to be a crime fighter named
Batman after he witnesses the murder of his parents which takes place in front of
him when he was a child.
In this thesis, which analyzes Batman Begins movie script, there are two
questions formulated as the guidelines in the research. The first question is to
explore the characteristics of Batman. The second is to find out the significance of
Batman in American Society.
The writer applies the socio-historical approach in analyzing Batman
Begins movie script as the object of the study. This library research is supported
by the books, articles, and other related sources.
The analysis shows that the characteristics of Batman are built from his
childhood memory of the murder of his parents that took place in front of him.
This incident makes Bruce Wayne has a will to fight the crimes and injustice in
Gotham City. Bruce turns himself to be a crime fighter named Batman as the
symbol of his will. Talking about the representation of Batman in American
society is also talking about Bruce Wayne as Batman’s alter ego. The significance
of Batman in American Society is the representation of hopes and dream of the
Americans which is well known as the American Dream and we can see them
through Batman and Bruce Wayne. In this thesis, American Dream is described as
a successful and satisfying life which is translated as economic prosperity, having
the technology and gadgets, and automobiles.
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ABSTRAK
SETIO PUTRO MARDIKO. The Significance of Batman in American Society:
A Socio-Historical Study of David S. Goyer’s Batman Begins. Yogyakarta:
Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2008.
Batman Begins adalah film Batman kelima sejak 1989. Karakter Batman
berdasarkan komik tentang Batman. Cerita dalam Batman Begins yang tertulis
pada naskah filmnya bercerita tentang seseorang yang berubah menjadi seorang
pembasmi kejahatan setelah dia menyaksikan pembunuhan kedua orang tuanya
yang terjadi di depan matanya saat dia masih kecil.
Di dalam skripsi ini, yang menganalisa naskah film Batman Begins, ada
dua pertanyaan yang dirumuskan sebagai panduan dalam penelitian. Pertanyaan
pertama adalah untuk menggali karakteristik Batman. Pertanyaan kedua adalah
untuk menemukan arti dari keberadaan Batman di dalam masyarakat Amerika.
Penulis menggunakan pendekatan sosio-historikal dalam menganalisa
naskah film Batman Begins sebagai obyek studi. Studi pustaka ini didukung
dengan buku – buku dan artikel – artikel sebagai sumber kedua.
Analisis menunjukan bahwa karakteristik Batman terbentuk dari kenangan
masa kecilnya akan pembunuhan kedua orang tuanya yang terjadi di depan
matanya. Peristiwa ini membuat Bruce Wayne mempunyai keinginan untuk
membasmi kejahatan dan ketidakadilan di kota Gotham. Bruce mengubah dirinya
menjadi seorang pembasmi kejahatan bernama Batman sebagai sebuah simbol dari
keinginannya tersebut. Berbicara tentang keberadaan Batman juga berbicara
tentang Bruce Wayne sebagai alter ego dari Batman. Arti dari keberadaan Batman
di dalam masyarakat Amerika adalah sebagai sebuah simbol dari harapan dan
impian dari mayarakat Amerika yang dikenal dengan American Dream dan kita
dapat melihat hal tersebut melalui Batman dan Bruce Wayne. Di dalam skripsi ini,
American Dream dijabarkan sebagai sebuah kehidupan yang nyaman dan sukses
yang diartikan sebagai kesuksesan di bidang ekonomi, memiliki teknologi dan
peralatan yang berguna, dan kendaraan bermotor.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Literature cannot be separated from the life of human beings. Generally,
literature describes the reality of human life. In other words, literature is an
imitation of human life. Literary works usually tell about politics, economy, social
life, and culture which are happened in the era when those works are written.
Literary works contain many things which can be analyzed or studied.
There must be some things which we can learn about in them. Literature itself is
any kind of writing that, for certain reasons certain people value highly. Literature
also can be said as the body of written works of a language, period, or culture. Or
imaginative or creative writing, especially of recognized artistic value.
<http://www.answers.com/topic/literature>
The kind of literary works themselves are poem, play or drama, novel,
short story. In much, if not all of the world, texts can be oral as well, and include
such genres as epic, legend, myth, ballad, plus other forms of oral poetry, and the
folktale.
At this time, there is a new “form” of literature becoming a part of popular
culture in society which is called comics, although there are still so many debates
on the problem whether comics can be regarded as literary works or not. Comics
is a kind of popular culture which can easily be found in our society.
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In www.arroweducation.org, popular culture or pop culture is defined as a
shared set of practices and beliefs that have attained global acceptance and which
can be normally characterized by: being associated with commercial products;
developing from local to national to global acceptance; allowing consumers to
have widespread access and are constantly changing and evolving.
<http://www.arroweducation.org/Glossary.htm>
Pop culture is one of the matters which are in the cultural studies. In his
book, The Cultural Studies Reader, Simon During states that cultural studies is, of
course, the study of culture, or, more particularly, the study of contemporary
culture. But this does not take us very far. Even assuming that we know precisely
what “contemporary culture” is, it can be analyzed in many ways- sociologically,
for instance, by “objectively” describing its institutions and functions as if they
belong to a large, regulated system; or economically, by describing the effects of
investment and marketing on cultural production. (During, 1993: 1)
What are contained in pop culture are like comics, fashion, music, sport,
film, and video game. The world of pop culture had a particular influence on art
from the early 1960s, through Pop art. It is characterized by themes and
techniques drawn from popular mass culture, such as advertising and comics
books.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_culture>
Comics itself has great effects for the people; especially they who love to
read it. Those people also have the activities with comics as the object, like
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collecting. Comics can also inspire to do the great things, like make a movie based
on the story of a comics or just the characters contained in it.
There are so many movies making based on comics, like Superman,
Batman, Spiderman, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Ghost Rider, Iron Man, Punisher,
Daredevil, Catwoman, X-Men, and Hellboy.
Besides based on other works exist before which inspire a scriptwriter or a
director to make a movie, sometimes the story of a movie is closely related to the
social reality. It is often used by the scriptwriters and the directors to give the
description about the social phenomena and often bound up with the history when
the stories made and it can also be analyzed through cultural studies.
The definition of film is a form of entertainment that enacts a story by
sound and a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement.
<http://www.thefreedictionary.com/film>
In making a movie, there are many things to be prepared well to result a
good movie. One of them is movie script to make a movie flows like what its
director wants.
Movie script or screenplay is the written text that provides the basis for a
film production. Screenplays usually include not only the dialogue spoken by the
characters but also a shot-by-shot outline of the film's action. Screenplays may be
adapted from novels or stage plays or developed from original ideas suggested by
the screenwriters or their collaborators. They generally pass through multiple
revisions, and screenwriters are called on to incorporate suggestions from
directors, producers, and others involved in the filmmaking process. Early drafts
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often include only brief suggestions for planned shots, but by the date of
production a screenplay may evolve into a detailed shooting script, in which
action and gestures are explicitly stated.
<http://www.answers.com/topic/screenplay>
A movie script becomes one of the most important things which is really needed
to be made as good as possible to make the story in it flows well.
A movie script or a screenplay actually is same with the drama or play: all
of them made to be performed. A movie script has the similar structure with a
drama script. The difference is, the movie script is performed in form of movie
which is produced by recording actual people and objects with cameras, or by
creating images using animation techniques or special effects, than play or drama
is performed on the stage and watched live.
Sometimes, a movie script is made based on the history, a social and or
society phenomena. For that reason there are so many movies which are made
based on the true story or real event.
History and social and society phenomena can also inspire someone to
create something which reflects the idea of someone, like what Christopher Nolan
and David S. Goyer did for their movie, Batman Begins (although most of people
regard David S. Goyer who wrote the movie script).
They made that movie based on Bob Kane and Bill Finger who were the
creators of a super hero named Batman (in this thesis, Batman will be called as a
crime fighter, not a super hero because Batman does not have a kind of super
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power like the other superheroes) in form of comics in 1939. Although, only Bob
Kane who has the official credit of Batman and known as Batman’s creator.
Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer wrote Batman Begins movie based
on and inspired by the social phenomena happened in American society. It is not
first movie which is made based on what the phenomena happened in society.
There are several movies based on Batman character, such as in the
animated series of DC universe, like in Batman: The Animated Series. Batman
also appears in the silver screen movies, like Batman and Batman Returns which
were directed by Tim Burton and Batman Forever and Batman and Robin were
directed by Joel Schumacher. For the last movie, Batman Begins, it was directed
by Christopher Nolan and the movie script was written by David S. Goyer and
Christopher Nolan. <http://www.comicvine.com/batman/1699/>
Although it is the 5th live-action Batman movie since 1989, the movie is
neither a prequel nor a sequel to either the previous Tim Burton or Joel
Schumacher movies, the previous directors of Batman movies, but rather a reboot
into its own movie franchise. The film was both a critical and financial success.
The character of Batman was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill
Finger, though Kane often receives credit as the sole creator. The character first
appeared in Detective Comics #27 (1939) and later became popular enough to
spawn his own books. <http://www.comicvine.com/batman/1699/>
What the writer does in this thesis is his admiration about Batman as a
unique super hero (crime fighter) because he does not have super power. He trains
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his human abilities, learned the martial arts, acrobatics, strength, and escape
artistry which later will be his “weapons” in fighting the crimes.
Batman has provided many of the core story arcs for the DC brand since
his creation. He is unique for the simple reason that he has no super
powers and is an ordinary human relying on intelligence, money,
inventiveness and detective skills to beat his opponents. A regular member
of the Justice League, though not a founder, he makes up for his lack of
super powers with a library of information and weaknesses of numerous
villains and his team mates should they ever go rogue.
<http://www.comicvine.com/batman/1699/>
From quotation above, we can conclude that Batman is more suitable to be
called as a crime fighter. Batman is also the result from what has been
experienced by his persona (Bruce Wayne) in the past and the result of his feeling
about life in Gotham City. Batman becomes the symbol used by Bruce Wayne to
realize what he wants to do toward Gotham City.
Batman Begins movie script written by Christopher Nolan and David S.
Goyer becomes the object of this thesis which discusses about the character of
Bruce Wayne as the main character in Batman Begins movie and the use of “bat”
as his crime fighter’s symbol. This thesis also discusses about representation of
Batman in American life, like how Batman reflects the American Dream and
Batman as the myth in American life.
B. Problem Formulation
These are the problems or questions which are formulated on this
undergraduate thesis:
1. How is Batman characterized in Batman Begins?
2. What is the significance of Batman in American Society?
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C. Objectives of the Study
From this thesis we can know about the intrinsic elements contained in
Batman Begins, like how Batman is characterized in Batman Begins and the
significance of the symbol “bat” for him. This thesis also discuses about the
extrinsic element in this movie: what the significance of Batman in American
Society is.
D. Definition of Terms
1. Crime fighter
Crime fighter is a commonly used to refer to the superheroes without such
powers who have many other common traits of superheroes.
<www.answer.com/topic/superhero>
Batman is a unique superhero, therefore he is called a crime fighter. A
crime fighter can also be regarded as a superhero with no superhuman powers or
abilities. Batman is the example. He is unique for the simple reason that he has no
super powers and is an ordinary human relying on intelligence, money,
inventiveness and detective skills to fight the crimes and the injustice.
<http://www.comicvine.com/batman/1699/>
Batman uses what he got from his physical traits, not the power of a
superhuman, to fight the crime. And he supports himself with the advanced and
modern technology and gadgets.
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2. American Dream
According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, American Dream is the
U.S. ideal according to which equality of opportunity permits any American to
aspire to high attainment and material success (2002: 45). We can say that
American Dream is about the equality of opportunity had by every single
American to gain a successful life.
In his The Epic of America, James Truslow Adams states that American
Dream is a dream of land in which life should be better, richer, and fuller for
everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability and achievement.
American Dream is not a dram of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream
of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the
fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for
what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.
<http://memory.loc.gov/ammen/ndlpedu/lessons/97/dream/thedream/html>
On the other words, American Dream is dreams and or hopes that people
in America try to pursue and seize in order to gain better life and standard of
living.
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
There are many people discuss is about Batman and the other super heroes
(actually we can not say that Batman is a super hero because he has no super
power). A super hero is a fictional hero having extraordinary or superhuman
powers; also: an exceptionally skillful or successful person.
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superhero>
For that reason, in this thesis Batman will be called as a crime fighter, not
a superhero.
Like Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, Green Lantern,
Flash, Fantastic Four, Captain America, Hawkman, Power Girl, Wolverine, XMen, Iron Man, Thor, Captain Marvel, and another super heroes and crimes
fighters comics-based also discussed by people like in www.dccomics.com,
www.kafegaul.com, www.comicvine.com, or the other sites which discuss those
objects which actually based on characters from the comics, which most of them
are from Marvel Comics and DC Comics.
Batman is one of the most discussed super hero characters by many people
who like this character. They like to discuss him because they think Batman is a
character with mysterious background and history. They think that Batman’s
character is so “dark”. It can be seen from Batman’s name given by DC Comics,
“The Dark Knight”.
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Batman Begins is also discussed by critics around the world. They criticize
the movie script written by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer.
Srinivas Kanchibhotla, in her article titled “Some Ramblings on Batman
Begins” posted in www.idlebrain.com says “Batman, is none of the above chose to
become a super hero. The powers that came with the territory came naturally to
them, either congenitally or accidentally. Nobody has worked for them and
nobody has wished upon them. This fundamental difference separates Batman
from the rest. The only thing that ties him with the rest of the group is his mystic
outfit during the hour of duty. He is as human as the one next to him.”
She tells that Batman is just a human who has no super power like the
other heroes such as Superman, Spiderman, Hulk, Daredevil, X-Men, and
Fantastic 4. He gains his “power” from training his physical abilities, learning
martial arts, technologies supports in fighting crimes in Gotham City.
Kanchibhotla adds that Christopher Nolan (the co-writer along with David
Goyer, and the director) pegs his entire script on this believability factor and
makes Batman as human and as normal as can cinematically be possible, stripping
him off the excesses that usually accompany, and naturally encumber, the super
heroes. It means that Batman is described as a human with no super power who
fights the crimes in his city. This movie counts heavily on Batman’s human side
as Bruce Wayne as his alter-ego than Batman’s crime fighter side who fights the
criminals. <Srinivas Kanchibhotla, www.idlebrain.com>
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Kanchibhotla wants to say that Batman is result of what is happening in
his society and finds the way to fight the injustice around him. Although at the
first time he is confused to choose the legal way or the illegal one to fight it.
The movie itself repeatedly stresses the human side of Batman, reminding
us that he has no super powers, just skill, wits and an ability to manipulate fear,
which is one of the film's themes. A lot of attention is also paid to the
accoutrements of the legend and how the suit, the cape, the car, the cave came to
be.
Clint Morris has his own idea in criticizing the script in his article titled
“Script Review: Batman Begins” posted in www.moviehole.net.
“…a good back-story is what will always keep an audience glued to the
screen (Most of us remember the De Niro flashback scenes from
‘Godfather Part II’ as being the guts of the flick) and Goyer’s fleshed this
one out better than a butcher would edible chook….the script immediately
seems more interested in telling us about the man behind the cowl rather
than
the
well-attired
Caped
Crusader
himself.”
<http://www.moviehole.net/news/3738.html>
Morris wants to tell that Batman Begins is a movie based on Batman
comics (in this article he says that Batman Begins is based on Frank Miller's
Batman: Year One). Batman Begins tells about a person witnesses the murder of
his parents in front of him when he was a child. Then he turns to be a crime
fighter after trained his physical abilities and supported by his richness to get the
gadgets and technologies, and fights the crimes in his Gotham City. In the end of
his article, Morris says that Batman Begins is going to be the best “Batman”
movie ever. <Clint Morris, www.moviehole.net>
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B. Review of Related Theories
In analyzing Batman Begins movie script, the writer applies three theories.
They are theory on character and characterization, theory of symbol, and theory of
American Dream.
1. Theory on Character and Characterization
Character is an important element in the literary work. It has a big role to
make a literary work alive and interesting. Character in fiction is indeed imaginary
person. However, Rohrberger states that characters must be credible; that is,
readers must accept them as believable person (1971: 20). Imaginary or fictional
characters have physical appearance as real human being, have feeling, carry out
actions, and experience problems, conflicts, and even development. Thereby,
readers can accept them as believable people.
In his A Glossary of Literary Terms, Abrams defines character as a person
in dramatic or narrative work endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that
are expressed in what they say, i.e., the dialogue, and what they do, i.e., the action.
The grounds in a character’s temperament and moral nature for his speech and
actions constitute his motivation (1981: 20).
Stanton has his own idea about making his characters understandable. First
is by giving his character a name will be helpful to the readers to understand the
character, because sometimes, in some works, the sound of the name fits the
character. Second, it is usually more important, is an explicit description and
comment of the author to the character. This personal description will help the
author and the reader visualize the person and understand his character. Next way
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is other characters attitude, even the minor ones, to the person in a story.
Obviously, their attitudes toward a major character are important. Not so
obviously, their similarities to or differences from him help to define most
significant traits. The last and the most important way is known through the
dialogue and behavior from the person himself (1965: 17-18).
M. J. Murphy, in his An Understanding Unseen (1972: 161-173), states
that to present characters in a narrative or dramatic works, an author may use the
ways a character portrayal which is often known as characterization.
According Baldick, characterization is the representation of persons in
narrative or dramatic works which may include direct methods like the
attributions of qualities in description or commentary, and indirect (or ‘dramatic’)
methods inviting the readers to infer qualities from characters’ action, speech, or
appearance (1991).
Murphy mentions nine ways to establish a character understandable and
lively for the readers.
a. Personal description. The author gives detailed description of the physical
appearance to the person’s character. This will help the reader to have a
visualization of the person’s characters as well.
b. Characters as seen by another. The author described a person by using
another character’s sights and opinion. These can be helpful ways to give the
reader a reflected image of the character.
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c. Speech. Through this way, other’s opinion n and conversation can reveal what
kind of character he/ she has. So the reader can get some clues which are
related to the character.
d. Past life. A description of someone’s past life more or less can help to shape
his character. The author can give this life’s description through his direct
comment, he person’s conversation and thought, or uses the other person or
medium.
e. Conversation of others. Through the conversation of others, the reader can get
some clues which are related to the person they speak about.
f. Reactions. Through the reaction in facing various situations and events, the
reader can get some clues to understand the person’s character.
g. Direct comment. Through his own statement, the author can directly give
descriptions or comments on a person’s character.
h. Thoughts. Through other person’s thoughts, the author gives the readers
knowledge of the person’s character.
i. Mannerism. The reader can understand the person’s character by the author’s
description of the person’s manners, habits, behaviors, etc.
2. Theory of Symbolism
Webster’s Encyclopedia Unbridged Dictionary of the English Literary
defines symbol in its broadest sense as something used for or regarded as a
material objects representing something else, often something immaterial,
emblem, token or sign. Furthermore it also means a letter, a figure or other
15
character or mark or a combination of the letters or the like used to represent
something (1989: 1440)
In Hugh C. Holman and William Harmon’s A Book to Literature, a symbol
is something that is itself and yet stands for or suggest or means something else, a
symbol is like an image that evokes and objective reality and has a meaning that
suggests another level of meaning (1988: 494). Furthermore, Rohrberger in
Reading and Writing about Literature states that symbol by definition stands for
something beyond and itself and often for many things (1971: 15).
According to Robert Stanton in his An Introduction to Fiction, symbol
may be anything from an egg to the story’s setting, a single object, a physical,
type of object, a physical substance, a shape, a sound, a fragrance, and so forth.
They may represent a face of a human personality, futile ambitious, the
romanticism of youth and so on (1965: 31).
Symbol, in fiction according to Stanton’s theory, has three usual effects
depending upon how it is used. First, a symbol appears during an important
moment of the story underlines the significant of the moment. Second, a symbol
repeated several times to remind us. Third, a symbol that recurs in varying context
to define or clarify the theme (1965: 32).
Rohrberger states that one reason why literature can be approached from
so many different directions and by much reason of different generations is by he
appearance of symbols. Moreover she says that putting a symbol is not always
based on a certain object, object details, characters or places. Every action can be
16
endowed with a meaning beyond themselves so that ideas and feeling as
intangible things can be a concrete reality and meaning can be visible 1971: 15).
3. Theory of American Dream
There was an inhabitant land that was still virgin and fertile. The virgin
land was known as the New World, the start of a new good era and a new
beginning for the new people. They, the new people, who came from faraway
places, had longed for a better world where their family could live comfortably.
Finally, those people had found a place that they called New World as a new
paradise for them to realize their dreams. The New World seemed to promise
them a chance to get a better life.
In his An Early American Reader, Leo Lemay states that the very name
calls the New World an idyllic myth, the start of a new golden age, a new
beginning for a new Adam. The name conspired with the idea of nature to ensure
that the prevailing myth of the New World would be that of a new Garden of
Eden. The New World seemed to promise that mankind could recapture the
innocence, joys and eternal life, as well as the freedom from cares and labor that
had existed in the Garden of Eden (Lemay, 1989: 1).
Those immigrants affected people who lived in that time and the culture in
that society. It also affected their dreams as a new comer in the land which later
would be called as America.
The idea of the dream of American or popularly called as American
Dream. In general, the American dream can be defined as being the opportunity
17
and freedom for all citizens to achieve their goals and become rich and famous if
only they work hard enough.
<http://www.ego4u.com/en/read-on/countries/usa/american-dream>
In American Studies Today: An Introduction to Methods and Perspectives,
Amritjit Singh, Max J. Skidmore, and Isaac Sequeira states that Americans have
long been dedicated to the creation of the good society, and they have come close
to fulfillment in the postwar era. They have achieved a remarkable state of
material quantity that is more than enough – good food, comfortable clothes,
convenient homes, fast cars, excellent medical care; to a considerable they have
been relieved from the constant fatigue, the pain, hunger, sickness and misery
which have been mankind’s lot through history. It is a striking fact that with so
much leisure and abundance there has been a little idleness or even relaxation. In
general, Americans show a great fear of wasting time, and furiously pursue new
experiences and higher levels of performance as if they are determined to make
the most of each day and each hour. (1995: 224-225)
In his American Studies: A Conceptual Approach, Irving L. Gordon states that
American and foreign observers have attempted, throughout the history, to
identify “typical American traits”. Americans have been described as possessing
the following traits: (1) hard working, materialistic, and practical, (2)
adventuresome and optimistic, (3) impatient and inclined toward violence, (4)
patriotic and nationalistic, (5) supporters of humanitarian and idealistic goals, and
(6) believers in fair play, equality of opportunity, and individual responsibility
(1984: 385)
18
First, being materialistic relates to the tendency to be more concerned with
material than with spiritual or intellectual goals or values. In short, the only or
highest goals or values are comfort, pleasure, and wealth. Whereas, being
practical concerns with the application of knowledge in actual practice, rather than
with theory. Second, being optimistic has the tendency to take the most hopeful
and cheerful view of matters. In other words, it is the practical of looking on the
bright side of things or of thinking positively. Third, being impatient deals with
the feeling or showing a lack of patience, annoyance, or of not willing to bear or
tolerate. The worst result of it is having involved in violence. Next, having
idealistic goals has something to do with following one’s own ideals to the point
of impracticality. For addition, according to Webster’s New World College
Dictionary, an idealist is similar to a dreamer (1996: 669). The fifth or last trait
supporting the analysis is having equality of opportunity. It is the same as having,
or perhaps demanding, the same chance or possibility as what other people do.
These traits are chosen because they reflect the characteristics of most of
Americans who lived in the twenties. The traits are appropriate for the analysis to
show that most of the Americans have those kinds of characteristics to get what
they want in their lives. In other word, these traits support them to achieve a better
life in personal fulfillment or even in material success.
The American Dream has become the culture in American society. It
consists of body contact and personal expression, social class, class factors and
politics, health and income, political attitudes, economic outlook, popular culture,
technology and gadgets, automobiles, etc.
19
C. Review on the Life of American Society in 1920s and 1930s
The character of Batman was created by Bob Kane and first appeared in
Detective Comics #27 in May 1939 issued by National and All-American which
later known as DC Comics. Bob Kane was in collaboration with Bill Finger in
creating that character. Batman Begins script itself was made in 2004 by David S.
Goyer and Christian Nolan, but this review discusses about the American Society
in 1930s when character of Batman was made.
American society life in 1930s was closely related with the life in 1920s
when 1920s and 1930s were called as the period of Post – World War I. In history
of American Society, Post – World War I brought a quite significant influence in
the development of American civilization. Some of the influences can be seen in
the form of new values and life goals of most American society. 1920s was the
period of prosperity or commonly called as The Golden Prosperity of Industry in
American civilization that was set up with the development of mechanization in
industrialization. Industrialization was the focus of the government under W.
Harding presidency at the time as the answer for the economics needs caused by
the World War I expenditures. (Current, 1976: 274)
1920 was the time when the automobile came into its own with increased
production and absorbed employment more than 3 million persons. It was the time
of the coming numerous household gadgets: radio, refrigerator, vacuum cleaner
and many others. It was an age when the federal government sought to impose a
species intoxicating beverages and an age of what seemed too many like
20
unprecedented license in speech and behavior, the age of “flaming youth” and
unrestrained dances like the “bunny hug and Charleston”
(Current, 1976: 274)
In the development of a mass national culture, Americans live with a
emphasis on leisure, consumption, and amusement that had characterized the
modern era. Its benefits were more accessible to the middle class than to
minorities and other disadvantages groups. (Henretta, 1993: 734)
1920s was a critical decade in the development of the Americans Economy
and it came to its highest peak. The prosperity and economic innovation of the
1920s gave Americans the highest standard of living in the world, although not
every American was lucky enough to benefit from this new way of life. Most
farmers, urban blacks, and recent immigrants could not afford the new massproduced consumer goods and sampled them only selectively, adapting them to
their traditional lifestyle. (Henretta, 1993: 727)
The country had reached a “permanent plateau” of prosperity and need
never worry again about the possibility of a serious slump. Nevertheless,
prosperity, like “normalcy” proved to be only temporary. Eventually the country
fell into much worst economic depression it had ever known. (Current, 1976: 274)
The period of 1930s was the period that absolutely contrasts with the
conditions n the 1920s.the collapse in the stock market in October 1929, The
Great Depression, which resulted from the tensions in capitalism economy,
followed by the widespread of unemployment, deflation, and prolonged crisis.
The Hoover administration, 1928 – 1932, had to subsidize business and to pull in
21
sail. However, it was unable or unwilling to meet the problem confronted the
nation. (Thorp, 1941: 77)
In 1932, millions of Americans were out of work and many of them lived
in squalid shack on the edge of the cities and got their food from charity. Even
those who still employed frequently earned less from farm, job, or investments
than in the previous decade. Psychologically, they were in fear because no one
could anticipate more problem laid ahead. (Youngs, 1981: 160)
The impact of The Great Depression on individual Americans was not
sudden, but gradual. Although most people remained employed day after day,
thousands men and women received severance slips at the beginning. (Norton,
1982: 706)
Million of Americans were not only hungry and ill, they were cold unable
to afford fuel, some huddled in unheated tenements and shacks, families doubled
up in crowded apartments, but some who were unable to pay that rent were
evicted, furniture packing boxes and other debris usually carted away as junk.
Several hundred women took to sleeping in Chicago’s Lincoln and Grant Parks; in
Oakland, California, hundreds of people live in leftover concrete waste ducts f
sewer – pipe city. (Norton, 1982: 709)
The Great Depression left an “invisible scar” on many Americans who
lived through the 1930s, especially on white middle class. (Henretta, 1993: 783)
The Great Depression had caused severe problems to most of the
individual Americans and the impact stayed in an extended condition along with
the struggle recovery. Even after the economy shifted toward war mobilization in
22
the late 1930s, the “invisible scar” of The Great Depression in some individual
Americans still resists.
D. Theoretical Framework
In analyzing the Batman Begins movie script, the writer uses some
theories. They are divided into two parts. One, they are the theories to reveal the
elements inside the story. They are theory of Character and Characterization and
theory of Symbolism. The other is the theory to reveal the extrinsic elements of
the story. It is theory of American Dream.
The first theory is Theory on Character and Characterization. This theory
is used to reveal the character of Bruce Wayne, as Batman’s alter ego, as the
major character on Batman Begins. It is also needed to know about Batman’s
character.
The second one is Theory of Symbolism. This theory is used to reveal the
symbolism of the bat as symbol of a crime fighter who fights the crimes in
Gotham City. It is also used to know why Bruce Wayne uses the symbol as a
crime fighter.
Both theory of Character and Characterization and theory of Symbolism
are used by the writer to answer the first question which is stated in problem
formulation.
The third theory which is used is Theory of American Dream. This theory
is needed to reveal the significance and symbolism of Batman in American
23
society. It is to find out whether Batman is the representation of the American
Dream. It is to answer the second problem formulation.
The review of review of American Society in 1920s and 1930s is for the
comparison for what happened in those eras with what happens in Batman Begins.
It is also useful to see the life in American society in 1920s and 1930s through
Batman/ Bruce Wayne.
All of them are needed to reveal what becomes the purpose of this thesis:
studying the socio-historical contained in Batman Begins.
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
Batman Begins is the 5th movie based on Batman’s character created by
Bob Kane. Batman is a DC Comics fictional character and superhero who first
appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. He has become one of the
world's most recognized superheroes, along with Superman and Spiderman.
What becomes the object of the study in this thesis is Batman Begins
movie script. The script itself tells about a man named Bruce Wayne who
witnesses the murder of his parents in front of him in a robbery. Then, trained
himself, Bruce turns to a crime fighter named Batman. He makes use of intellect,
detective skills, technology, and physical prowess in his war on crime.
The script was written by co-writer Christopher Nolan and David S.
Goyer, although there are many people only regard Goyer as the writer of the
script. This script was taken from www.imsdb.com.
Batman Begins is directed by Christopher Nolan and it was released in
2005 by Warner Brothers Pictures. Christian Bale casts as Bruce Wayne/ Batman,
Michael Caine as Alfred, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox.
Batman Begins won some awards in some movie festivals, like in 2005
Hollywood Film Festival. Batman Begins won Sound of the Year from David
Evans. In 2006 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA, it
won some awards for some categories, like Christian Bale for Best Actor.
24
25
Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer won for Best Writing, and as Best Fantasy
Film. In 2006 MTV Movie Awards, Christian Bale won Best Hero.
<http://imdb.com/title/tt0372784/awards>
Batman Begins tells about Bruce Wayne who turns into a crime fighter
named Batman who fights the crimes in his city, Gotham. Bruce Wayne has a
trauma with bats. It is caused when he was a child. He fell to the deep hole with so
many of bats inside it. Bruce felt so scared when those bats were flying outside
the hole and crossing him. His trauma is haunting him until he learns to face and
conquer it with help from Ducard and Ra’s Al Ghul.
After he has learned and experienced so many things, trained his physical
abilities, learned the martial arts, and supported by technologies and gadgets,
Bruce Wayne decides to get back to his city, Gotham, and becomes a crime
fighter and uses the bat as his symbol. His symbol is known as Batman.
Batman is Bruce Wayne’s alter ego. Bruce Wayne is a billionaire
industrialist, playboy, and philanthropist. Witnessing the murder of his parents as
a child leads him to train himself to the peak of physical and intellectual
perfection, don a costume, and fight crime.
Although it is the 5th live-action Batman movie since 1989, the movie is
neither a prequel nor a sequel to either the previous Tim Burton or Joel
Schumacher movies, but rather a reboot into its own movie franchise. The film
was both a critical and financial success.
26
B. Approach of the Study
Wellek and Warren state that a work may be the result of author
understanding about social problems around him (1956: 95), in other words a
literary work may represent social problems. Concerning that reason, the writer
believes that it will be very suitable to analyze the movie script from the sociohistorical point of view.
Rohrberger states that socio-historical approach inserts the real condition
of social and history that influences the author in making a literary work, because
the work itself cannot be separated from the social milieu and historical when the
play is created (1971: 9-10). It is important because literary works are not made
without any purpose; it usually conveys a significant idea, values, or rules of the
society in which it occurs.
The approaches which are used in this thesis is socio-historical approach
because it is the most appropriate one to answer the question in the problem
questions which is related with society and history. Using this approach, the writer
wants to figure out the condition in America through the movie script which
becomes the object of study of this thesis. Moreover, the writer also wants to
compare the story with real fact and condition of America in that time. It will give
us a description of real society.
C. Method of the Study
It is a library research with the movie script as the object of the study
regarded as the primary data source. The study done by the writer is supported
27
with some books and articles to provide the supporting evidences as the secondary
data sources. It also uses the sources from the articles on internet.
There were some steps used by the writer in analyzing the object of the
study. First step was to read the object of the study the movie script. It was done
in order to understand the story. The movie script was regarded as the primary
data. Second was, to collect the data related to the movie script, including the
theories that would be used. Theory of character and characteristic is used to
analyze Batman’s character and his characteristic in the movie script. The writer
analyzes about what Batman does, says, and thinks. He also does the same to
Bruce Wayne because they are the same person. Theory of symbolism is used to
know the meaning of symbol of bat used by Batman/ Bruce Wayne as a crime
fighter. The writer analyzes the symbol which is used to fight the crimes and the
symbol to hide his identity. Then the theory of American Dream is used to analyze
the representation of Batman in America and his representation for the Americans.
The writer analyzes Batman/ Bruce Wayne’s life to find the dream and hopes of
Americans from him.
Next step was to find the appropriate approach to analyze the script. After
that, the writer answered the problems formulations by applying the theories that
were gained in the previous steps. The fifth step, the last one, was to take the
conclusion from analyzing the object of the study with previous steps.
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In this chapter the writer will discuss the Batman Begins movie script to
answer the problems or questions stated in problem formulation. At first, the
writer will discuss the characteristics of Batman in order to answer the first
question. Including his reason why Bruce uses symbol in fighting the crimes and
why he uses bats as a crime fighter or vigilante. Then, the writer will discuss the
significance of Batman in American society.
A. The Characteristics of Batman
Batman is a unique character. It is like that he has a double life. One side
he is a vigilante or crime fighter who fights the crimes in Gotham City and on the
other side he is a normal or ordinary person who has his own social life as a
billionaire named Bruce Wayne. Both of them cannot be separated into two
persons because actually they are the same person.
What we should know is who the real character inside that body is.
Actually, they are one person who is like to have two personalities which can
support each other. It is called an alter ego.
According to Dictionary of Behavioral Science, alter ego or Alteregoism is
a very intimate friend that is considered by the individual as a second or other self.
Alteregoism is as close feeling about another person in the same situation as
oneself (Wolman, 1973).
28
29
In the analysis of the first problem formulation, the writer applies M. J.
Murphy’s theory of Character and Characterization. The writer applies five of
nine ways to analyze a character: characters as seen by another, speech, past life,
conversation of others, and thought.
The character as a crime fighter named Batman and the character as a
billionaire named Bruce Wayne are found in one body. But those two characters
cannot appear in the same time. Bruce Wayne is the real personality of that person
and Batman is the other personality who becomes a cover for his real personality.
We can conclude that Bruce Wayne is regarded as the first personality than
Batman is the second. That crime fighter is the translation of the real personality
which chooses Batman as his symbol.
When that character is being Batman, he cannot show Bruce Wayne’s
character and vice versa. Bruce tries to do so although he wants to tell the persons
he trusts like Rachel Dodson.
WAYNE: Rachel, all that... that's not me, inside I'm... different. I'mRACHEL: The same great little kid you used to be? Bruce, deep down,
your friends out there are great, too. It's not who you are
underneath...[pokes his chest] But what you do that defines you.
[Rachel moves past him. Wayne stands there, eyes burning].
(Goyer, 2004: scene 72)
As a person who has double life, Bruce also has some kind of double
personalities. Once Bruce Wayne is as a billionaire and the other side Batman is
as a vigilante or crime fighter. As Bruce Wayne, he has to be a billionaire who
likes to have some funs.
WAYNE: What does someone like me do?
ALFRED: [shrugs] Drive sports cars, date movie stars...Buy things that
aren't for sale. [Wayne looks at Alfred. Nods. DOWNS the water,
30
stands straight, feet together- FALLS FORWARD to the floor- into
his dizzyingly fast push-ups. Alfred watches. Concerned].
ALFRED (CONT'D): Who knows, Master Wayne- if you start
pretending to have fun, you might even have a little by accident.
These are done in order to cover the injuries which Bruce may get from his action
as crime fighter. So, the people around him will not have a question about why
Bruce often gets some injuries.
As the main character, Bruce Wayne does not have a dream becoming a
crime fighter in his city. When he is a child, Bruce loses his parents, murdered in a
robbery done by a criminal named Joe Chill. Bruce watches the murder happened
in front of his eyes. This incident makes him so sad.
When he is grown up, Bruce tries to kill the criminal who kills his parents,
Joe Chill as the revenge for his parents’ death. Bruce tries to kill him after the
hearing.
Chill notices Wayne's cold eyes. Has to look away. Bruce RISES, walks
out, all eyes on him. Including Rachel's.
EXT. PARKING LOT, COURTHOUSE -- MOMENTS LATER
Bruce MOVES to Rachel's car. Picks up his GUN, stuffs it up the sleeve of
his overcoat. Waits.
But what Bruce plans to kill Joe cannot be done because he is killed by a
woman sent by Carmine Falcone, a mafia in Gotham City.
Bruce’s initiative to kill his parents’ murderer is based on his will to
avenge his parents’ death. But when he fails to do that, Bruce leaves Gotham City
to find a way to fight the injustice in his city. He does it after Rachel shows him
what happens to the city because of Falcone floods Gotham City with crimes and
drugs which will create new criminals every time.
31
Rachel gestures at the filthy streets. Down dark alleys-shadowy figures
conduct business.
RACHEL (CONT'D): This city is rotting. Chill is not the cause, he's the
effect. Corruption is killing Gotham and Chill being dead doesn't
help that-it makes it worse because Falcone walks. He carries on
flooding our city with crime and drugs... creating new Joe Chills...
Falcone may not have killed your parents, Bruce, but he's
destroying everything they stood for...
There, Bruce realizes that Gotham City needs helps. Bruce's will to fight
the crimes at first is shown when he meets Falcone at basement club where he is
used to be and beats some bouncers who guard him.
BOUNCER: 'Night, Mr.Falcone.
The three men move towards a waiting limo- WHAM- one Thug
takes a kick to the head, goes down- Bruce steps from the shadowsthe Second Thug goes for his gun-Bruce GRABS his arm- CHOPS
his throat- JUDO FLIPS the thug...Bruce turns to Falcone who
looks at him, curious.
FALCONE (CONT'D): You shoulda just sent me a thank-you note...
[Bruce looks up at Falcone. Spits blood].
BRUCE: I didn't come here to thank-you. I came to show you that not
everyone in Gotham is afraid of you.
That means that Bruce is not afraid with Falcone’s power. He is a mafia in
Gotham City. His will to meet Falcone and beats his guards can symbolize his
will to fight the crimes. And we can conclude that Bruce has courage to fight the
crimes, although he is not success to do it in that time. Then, this makes Bruce
leaving Gotham City. He travels to some places.
Later, Bruce meets Ducard. He trains Bruce to be a warrior of The League
of Shadow. Bruce is asked about his reason to leave Gotham City. And what
purpose he wants to find.
32
DUCARD (O.S.): And when you left Gotham... [And we are-]
EXT. HIMALAYAN MONASTERY -- DAY
DUCARD:...what were you seeking?
[Ducard LEAPS up onto a STONE WALL. GRABBING ON using
pikes on his palms and on his feet. Wayne watches].
WAYNE: To lose myself. I couldn't do anything as Bruce Wayne. I felt
useless.
Bruce reasons that he cannot fight the injustice as an ordinary man. Bruce
also tells about his reasons in committing does the crimes when he travels to some
places.
DUCARD (CONT'D): On your journey... you sought knowledge of the
criminal world?
WAYNE: (nods) I needed to understand the thoughts and feelings of those
who stand in the shadows...
WAYNE (V.O.): I needed to feel the fear before a crime...
[The Elderly Man SPOTS a BUSINESSMAN hurrying alongSTEPS into his path, engineering a COLLISION, tumbling to the
pavement. The Businessman and Bruce both CROUCH to help].
WAYNE (V.O.) (CONT'D): And the thrill of success...
[Bruce SLIPS the Businessman's wallet out of his pocket. The
businessman moves off. Bruce shows the Elderly Man the wallet
for APPROVAL. Then HURRIES after the Businessman].
WAYNE (V.O.) (CONT'D): ...without becoming one of them.
Bruce tries to understand the people’s thought who do the crimes and he
does it without a will to be a criminal. He just wants to feel about their feeling
when they are doing their actions and the feeling when they get the result of what
they have done in crimes and why they do them.
WAYNE (V.O.): I thought I would find something...
INT. SMOKE-FILLED BACKROOM, SHANGHAI -- NIGHT
At a table with a CHINESE BOSS and SEVEN CRIMINALS drinking,
laughing, showing each other their spoils [watches, phones].
33
WAYNE (V.O.): I thought I would learn what I needed to do with my
skills and my anger...
By understanding the criminals’ thought, Bruce wants to develop his skills
and abilities in order to fight the crimes one day. So, he can use his anger to
avenge his parents’ death and fight the crimes.
Ducard asks Bruce if he still feels responsible about his parents’ death.
And Bruce answers that he feels his anger than his responsibility.
DUCARD (V.O.): And do you still feel responsible?
INT. PASSAGEWAY, MONASTERY -- DAY
Ducard leads Wayne along a screened passage overlooking extraordinary
mountains.
WAYNE: My anger outweighs my guilt.
(Goyer, 2004: 15)
At first, Bruce feels that it is his responsibility that makes his parents and
him leave the opera earlier and makes his parents get shot by Joe Chill. But his
anger toward the crime which causes his parents’ death, rises higher then his
feeling of that responsibility.
From that answer, Ducard realizes that Bruce is angry with his parents’
death. Then, Ducard trains Bruce to be a great warrior with Ninjitsu techniques.
One of them is that he trains Bruce to use theatrical and deception in fighting.
DUCARD: Advanced techniques of Ninjitsu employ explosive powders.
WAYNE: As weapons?
DUCARD: Or distractions. Theatricality and deception are powerful
agents.
[Ducard hands Wayne a pinch of the powder].
DUCARD (CONT'D): To be a great warrior is not enough. Flesh and
blood, however skilled, can be destroyed... you must be more than
just a man in the minds of your opponents.
(Goyer, 2004: 15-16)
34
Ducard also tells an idea of Ninjitsu that will be one of Bruce’s reasons to
fight the crimes as Batman.
[Ducard puts on his ninja mask. Motions Wayne to do the same. Wayne
STRUGGLES to think through the effects of the smoke... ]
WAYNE: Why The masks?
[As if in reply, DOZENS of NINJAS step forward from the
shadows: the hall is filled with identical Ninjas. Ducard has melted
into the crowd. Wayne raises his guard...]
DUCARD: To conquer fear, you must become fear... you must bask in the
fear of other men... and men fear most what they cannot see[Ducard STRIKES at Wayne- Wayne SPINS, PARRIES- but
Ducard has gone. The Ninjas movie in unison, forming WALLS...]
DUCARD (CONT'D): It is not enough to be a man... you have to become
an idea... a terrible thought... a wraith(Goter, 2004: scene 33)
Ducard tells Bruce that to be a great warrior, he must loose his own fear
then use the others’ fear to loose them. And people are afraid to something which
they do not see. It is like to use the psychological side of the people about fear of
what they can not see. So, the theatrical and deception trained by Ducard can be
useful for Bruce in fighting.
The thought that someone should be an idea in front of the opponents
more than just be a man inspires Bruce Wayne to find a symbol for his purpose,
fighting the crimes and injustice in Gotham City. A symbol which can be used as
an idea which will be the terror for the criminals.
[Wayne stares at the vast city beneath them as the jet BANKS].
WAYNE: Gotham needs me, Alfred. Gotham needs... a symbol.
ALFRED: What symbol, sir?
WAYNE: I'm not sure. Something for the good to rally behind...
EXT. GOTHAM -- SUNRISE
MOVING over SPIRES of the city catching GOLD of first light.
WAYNE (V.O.):...and the criminals to fear.
35
The symbol Bruce needs in fighting the crimes is inspired from his
childhood accident, when he falls into old deep well. There he meets with many
bats which are in that well. The bats which fly toward Bruce because they are
attracted with the light from the hole where young Bruce falls from scares him
and that accident gives him a trauma and fear of bats. Bruce’s fear of bats is taken
out from him by the training of Ninjitsu done by Ducard.
When Bruce decides to find a symbol to fight the crimes in Gotham City,
he sees a bat in his house. Then he tries to find out its nest after Alfred, a Waynes’
servant, tells him that the bats nest somewhere on the grounds. Then, Bruce
checks it by himself. He uses the old well where he falls into it in his childhood
and he finds a dark vast cavern. There, he finds something he needs as his symbol.
An underground RIVER, a JAGGED ceiling, far above, which, as Wayne
PEERS, starts to MOVE- BATS EXPLODE from the ceiling.
THOUSANDS DESCEND, SCREECHING, attracted to the light- Wayne
instinctively CROUCHES. But as they SWARM around him
terrifyingly...Wayne RISES to his feet amidst a CYCLONE of bats,
watching the fluttering blackness with a profound CALM. And he knows
the symbol he must use.
On that cavern, Bruce meets with the bats again which fly over him
because they are attracted the light from the hole where he comes in. At first, he
tries to avoid them by crouching. Then, he realizes that he has no fear of bats
anymore because it has been taken out from him with Ninjitsu training done by
Ducard. Ducard trains him to face his own fear.
Finally, Bruce finds a symbol he needs to fight the crimes in Gotham City:
bats. Bruce’s reason about his choice on using bats is based on his own
36
experience in his childhood when young Bruce falls to a deep well which gives
him a trauma and fear of bats.
ALFRED: Why the design, Master Wayne?
[Alfred indicates the steel carved into a BAT'S WING].
WAYNE: A man, however strong, however skilled, is just flesh and
blood. I need to be more than a man. I need to be a symbol.
ALFRED: And why the symbol of the bat?
WAYNE: Bats frighten me. [slight smile] And it's time my enemies
shared my dread.
His reason using bats as his symbol is, Bruce, in his childhood when he
has fear of bats until it is taken out by Ducard through Ninjitsu training, had a fear
of bats and he wants that his feeling about that fear is also experienced by the
criminals in Gotham City. Bruce wants the criminals are scared with the bats like
he was. So, he wants the symbol he uses, bats, can do frighten the criminals, like
the real bats which frightened him.
There are common believes in some places in the world about bats. And
they can also be one of the reasons of Bruce Wayne in using bats as his symbol.
Throughout Europe and Africa, it is associated with dark powers and the Devil.
They are frequently found in graveyards and crypts, so they also carry an
association with death. In modern culture, the bat is an icon of all things dark and
spooky, including Halloween, the Goth subculture. (www.ancientspiral.com)
It means that a bat represents the bad and dark thing. And Bruce Wayne
use bats as a symbol that can spread something that frighten the criminals and let
them think that they will always face Batman when they do their crimes.
Then with his symbol, Batman begins to fight the crimes in Gotham City
as a crime fighter. Batman is not a super hero because he does not have any super
37
power whose abilities are more powerful beyond the ordinary human. Batman
only has the abilities from the physical trainings he does and the advanced and
modern gadgets to support his action.
In his action, Batman is like a ghost. He can come and go without being
detected by anyone. He does it in order to frighten the criminals. Batman uses
theatrical and deception he got from his Ninjitsu trainings in fighting the crimes.
And these can give the great effect to the criminals.
SECOND THUG: The things they say about him... Can he really fly?
EXT. ARKHAM ASYLUM -- CONTINUOUS
[Batman's cape FLUTTERS as he SWINGS down two stories,
LANDING at the high windows of the derelict corridor].
INT. ABANDONED REFECTORY -- CONTINUOUS
THIRD THUG: I heard he can disappear(Goyer, 2004: scene 88)
It can prove that the methods Batman uses in his action, using the
deception and the theatricality, works properly and does make the criminals
frightened, because they think that Batman really can fly and disappear. And those
methods can make the criminals think that Batman really has the dark power.
Bruce chooses bat because it is an animal which always comes out at the
night. Its skin which is dark makes it difficult to see in the night when it comes
out from where it hides from the light. And its coming is like something that
cannot be predicted. It is suitable with Batman’s characteristic that uses his ability
in using deception and manipulate the criminals’ fear.
By using symbol, Batman is protecting the people he cares from the
revenge from the criminals, although they do not know who Batman is.
38
WAYNE: If he's so benevolent why does he hide his face?
FEMALE GUEST: Maybe he's protecting the people he cares about from
reprisals.
A mask, means symbol, which is used by Batman is also to hide his Bruce
Wayne character and personality and Bruce Wayne is the cover for Batman,
although batman is the real personality of that man, not Bruce Wayne.
The characteristics of Batman can be seen from his way of thinking in
order to fight the crimes in Gotham City, that he will need a symbol to do it. It
means that he is a smart man. He does not want show his social life character
personality as Bruce Wayne in front of the criminals. Besides to hide his social
life identity, it is also useful to protect his beloved persons. It means that Batman
is a person who loves the people around him and does not want them to be in
danger because of his action as a crime fighter.
As a smart man, Batman uses his knowledge about the people’s fear of
what they cannot see. He learns this from Ducard/ Ra’s Al Ghul. He uses
theatrical and deception to fear the criminals and makes an idea among the
criminals that he can fly and disappear.
Batman is also characterized as a person who is fulfilled with the anger
because of the death of his parents. Batman uses tat anger to fight the crimes in
order to avenge his parents’ death.
The other characteristic of Batman is rich. Batman has a social life as a
billionaire industrialist named Bruce Wayne who owns Wayne Industries whose
projects are to serve public needs, like water and power utilities, public
39
transportation system, and fulfill the military supplies. The writer analyzes it more
in the analysis of second problem formulation.
B. The Significance of Batman in American Society
One of Batman’s characteristics is rich. Bruce Wayne, as Batman’s real
personality, is a billionaire industrialist. With his wealth, Bruce Wayne can get
whatever he wants. From his wealth, Bruce can also get the things he needs in his
action as a crime fighter. The existence of Batman has its own meaning for the
people who admire him, especially for Americans and American society, where
this iconic character was created.
Batman was created by Robert Kahn a.k.a. Bob Kane and Bill Finger,
although only Bob Kane who has the official credit of Batman and known as
Batman’s creator. The creation of Batman was influenced by actor Douglas
Fairbanks' movie, The Mark of Zorro, Leonardo Da Vinci's diagram of the
ornithopter, a flying machine with huge bat-like wings; and the 1930 film The Bat
Whispers, based on Mary Rinehart's mystery novel The Circular Staircase.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_kane>
For Americans, Batman represents many things. Batman/ Bruce Wayne
is like an idol for them, and they want be like him. Many people dream to be like
Batman/ Bruce Wayne because he has what the Americans dream on. Their
dreams can be found in a character named Batman/ Bruce Wayne. Those dreams
are often called as the American Dream.
40
Economic prosperity in American Dream is also about having a lot of
money as one’s wealthy, having good houses, automobiles, technology and
gadgets which all of them have part of American culture. And Batman has the
perception had by the Americans about their American Dream.
First, we have to be sure that Batman is the representation of American
Dream by answering the question: in his stories, does Batman live in America?
We can know the answer by analyzing the script to find the evidences which can
prove that whether he really exists in America.
In Batman Begins movie script, there is no exact statement which tells
that the story takes place in America. But we can analyze it to find the evidences
to answer the question above.
First, Batman/ Bruce Wayne is described as the person who lives in
Gotham City and there is no direct statement that Gotham is one of the cities in
America. Actually, Gotham is an old nickname for New York City which was
popularized by Washington Irving in Salmagundi Papers.
<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE0D61431F936A3575AC
0A96F948260>
Washington Irving was an American author of the early 19th century. He
was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van
Winkle". He is best known, however, as the first American to make a living solely
from writing. Initially, he wrote under pen names; one was "Diedrich
Knickerbocker."
<http://www.hudsonvalley.org/education/Background/abt_irving/abt_irving.html>
41
Then, on the movie script itself there is conversation between Ducard (the
real Ra’s Al Ghul) and Bruce Wayne which can be a next evidence about the
existence of Gotham City.
RA'S AL GHUL: No. Billions of lives. Gotham is just the beginning. The
world will watch in terror as the greatest city falls. Anarchy and
chaos will spread... mankind will ravage itself, the species will be
culled and the balance of nature restored. The planet will be saved
for all species.
Ra’s Al Ghul says about the greatest city. In that conversation, it refers to
Gotham City. In the real world, New York City is the biggest city in the world
which is located in America. Then, we can conclude that Gotham City is the
representation of New York City in the real world. And we also can conclude that
Batman lives in America.
There are some “theories” about the existence of Gotham City in America
which can support statement above. This is one of them.
Gotham City, a home for Batman and high crime, is modelled after New
York City, Boston, Chicago and Pittsburgh. To further emphasize the
crime, it's known to be dark, with many shadows and corrupt cops. It also
makes a connection to New York City, because of their high crime rates in
the past. A recurring and emphasized theme for Gotham City is the
corruption with the authorities, especially the Gotham City Police
Department.
<http://www.comicvine.com/gotham-city/23611/>
Flass, Jim Gordon’s partner, is one of the characters that represent the
policemen who are corrupt. Jim Gordon is the good policeman who is not corrupt.
And he becomes Batman’s “partner” in fighting the crimes and injustices.
BATMAN: It's a start. Your partner was at the docks with Falcone.
GORDON: He moonlights as a low-level enforcer.
42
Flass works to Carmine Falcone, a drug dealer and mafia in Gotham City.
It is an irony that Flass is the policeman and Falcone is a criminal. What Flass
does is to protect what Falcone does with his drug dealing. He should protect the
people from the crimes and drugs like what Jim Gordon does.
Flass does not do his job as a policeman well. He often does the things that
he does not do as a policeman. We can see on these statements.
INT. UNMARKED POLICE SEDAN -- EVENING
Gordon, now 46 and a Detective, in the passenger seat. Worn eyes
watching his partner, FLASS, 42, glad-hand the owner of the liquor store
they are parked outside. Flass squeezes into the driving seat holding a
wad of CASH.
EXT. FALAFEL STAND, SURFACE STREET – NIGHT
Raining. Flass stuffs falafel into his mouth. Grabs a banknote from the
VENDOR. Flass walks down a dark street...
(Goyer,2004: scene 76)
They state that Flass often asks some money from the store owners or food
sellers. They prove that what Flass does is the representation from the statement
about the corruption in Gotham City Police Department.
Based on the facts that Gotham City is the old nickname for New York
City, Ra’s al Ghul’s conversation which indicates that Gotham City is the greatest
city in the world, which means Gotham City is the representation of New York
City, and a “theory” about Gotham City, we can conclude that Gotham City is the
representation or symbol of New York City and it means Batman lives in America
and he is an American.
Then, we can find if Batman is the representation of the American Dream
by analyzing the story. First, we should know about the American dream itself.
43
The idea of American Dream is a subjective term usually implying a
successful and satisfying life. Here, the idea of American Dream can be concluded
as the hopes and or the dreams of the Americans. The hopes and the dreams of the
Americans about a successful and satisfying life. In this thesis, the writer
translates a successful and satisfying life as economic prosperity, having
technology and gadgets, and automobiles, like what America had in 1920s. We
will find out whether Batman is the representation of American Dream.
First, economic prosperity. Bruce Wayne is the person who inherits the
wealth from his parents. It makes him a billionaire. His father, Thomas Wayne, is
the owner of Wayne Industries. After, his death, Wayne Industries is owned by
Bruce Wayne, but at the time his parents die Bruce is eight years old. He is
allowed to run it when he is thirty years old. Actually, that fact does not make
mean Bruce loses his family’s company. He is still the owner of it. It just delays
him to run it himself.
EARLE: You think you have authority to decide who runs this company,
Bruce?
WAYNE: It is my company.
Wayne Industries is a company whose projects are to serve public needs,
like water and power utilities, public transportation system.
WAYNE: You knew my father?
FOX: Sure. Helped him build his train. Beautiful project- routed right into
Wayne Tower, along with the water and power utilities. Made
Wayne Tower the unofficial heart of Gotham.
44
It builds many public facilities in Gotham City. So, it makes sense if there
some public facilities named with Wayne family, like Wayne Station, Wayne
Plaza, and Wayne Tower.
Wayne Industries also works some things for military technology in its
applied sciences division, where Bruce Wayne gets some gadgets for supporting
his action as a crime fighter, like kevlar bodysuit, and the tumbler for his ride.
By inheriting the wealthy from his parents and having Wayne Industries,
we can say that Bruce Wayne is a rich person.
There is other fact that tells us that Bruce Wayne is rich. It is from Alfred,
the Waynes’ servant.
WAYNE: [groggy] Bats are nocturnal.
ALFRED: Bats, maybe... but even for billionaire playboys, 3 o'clock is
pushing it. The price of leading a double life, I fear.
It states that Alfred says directly to Bruce Wayne that he is a billionaire.
This characterization is what is called as characters as seen by another by M. J.
Murphy in his An Understanding Unseen.
Then, we will talk about having the technology and gadgets. Batman is a
crime fighter who supports himself with the advanced technology and gadgets to
fight the crimes. There are many things which he uses in his action. Most of them
are gotten from applied sciences division in Wayne Industries. Those things are
the prototypes for the military technology. It means those things have not been put
into production for anyone and Bruce Wayne/ Batman is the only one who has
them.
45
Fox stops at a tall CRATE. Checks paperwork. Opens the crate: a
BODYSUIT- clear silicone over jointed armor.
FOX (CONT'D): Here it is: the nomex survival suit for advanced
infantry. Kevlar bi-weave, reinforced joints... [Wayne feels the
fabric of the suit.]
WAYNE: Bullet-proof?
FOX: Anything but a straight shot.
WAYNE: Tear-resistant? [Fox HACKS at the suit with his pen- it doesn't
even mark.]
FOX: This sucker'll stop a knife.
It is about the bodysuit Batman uses. Bruce gets it from Wayne Industries.
He says to Lucius Fox, a man in charge in applied sciences division and reasons
that he wants to borrow it for spelunking, some kind of cave-diving activity.
The other gadgets are pneumatic magnetic grappling gun and harness.
Pneumatic magnetic grappling gun is used to lift someone’s body by shooting the
hook attached to a long rope to the target and ties it to the harness.
Fox pulls out a box. Inside: a bronze GRAPPLING GUN and HARNESS.
FOX (CONT'D): Pneumatic. Magnetic grapple. Monofilament tested to
350 pounds.
[Wayne feels the weight. It is light. Strong. He picks up the HARNESS that
goes with it. Shoulder straps with a wide, hi-tech BELT. Wayne shoves the
back end of the gun into the belt buckle- it CLICKS into place.]
This harness which is famous called as Batman’s utilities belt where he
puts his gadgets and the things he needs.
On Batman’s bodysuit, there is a cape made from a black piece of cloth. It
is not usual clothing. Bruce Wayne uses it after Fox show it to him.
[Fox hands Wayne a sheet of black fabric.]
FOX: Notice anything?
[Wayne examines it, shrugs. Fox puts on a GLOVE.]
46
54.
FOX (CONT'D): Memory fabric- dual layer polymers with variable alignment
molecules. Flexible ordinarily, but put a current through it...,
[Fox GRABS the fabric- which instantly POPS into the RIGID shape of a
small one-man TENT. Wayne raises his eyebrows.]
FOX (CONT'D): ...the molecules align and become rigid.
(Goyer, 2004: scene 53-54)
This piece of cloth can be tailored to any structure based on a rigid
skeleton. Then, Bruce shapes it like the skeleton of bat’s wing. And he fastens it
on Batman’s bodysuit. This cloth makes Batman having a cape. This cape makes
Batman has another nickname beside The Dark Knight, that is The Caped
Crusader. With this cape, Batman can glide in the air when he jumps from the
high place like from a rooftop of a skyscraper. It becomes like a parachute which
holds Batman not to fall to the ground.
EXT. OVER GOTHAM -- CONTINUOUS
[Batman FREE FALLS, cloak flapping, sliding his gloves into the
activating pockets...
The cloak goes RIGID- SMASHING THE WIND LIKE A PARACHUTE...
Batman's arms CONTROL his cloak, not simply arresting his fall, but
GLIDING GRACEFULLY like a hand glider...
He eyes the moving train and NOSES DOWN, ACCELERATING-]
Batman’s technology and gadgets are made based on the actual
technologies which exist in the real world.
Much of Batman's gear and apparel, including his cape and suit, is based
on actual military technology.
< http://imdb.com/title/tt0372784/trivia>
The last thing from analyzing a successful and satisfying life in this
chapter is about automobiles. Many people, including the Americans of course,
dream having cars which are modern, fast, and luxurious which can mean
expensive. Having luxurious cars may make the owner proud and make their
47
social status gets rising. On the Batman Begins script, it is told that Bruce Wayne
drives a Bugati Veyron.
EXT. HOTEL RESTAURANT, DOWNTOWN GOTHAM -EVENING
A BUGATI VEYRON (looks, and costs, a million) pulls up to the valet
station. Wayne emerges, impeccably tailored, from the driver side. The
VALETS scramble to the passenger side. Open the door to find TWO
BLONDES, one on the other's lap.
Bugati Veyron is a sport car produced by Volkswagen AG. That Germany
company purchased the rights to produce cars under the Bugatti marque in 1998.
Bugati Veyron is able boast a maximum speed of more than 400 km per
hour, the Veyron is unmatched in the super sports category. It offers a total of
1,001 HP, and its ample power reserves even at high speeds are the fabric of
dreams for luxury-class limousines: for a constant speed of 250 km/h, the Veyron
only needs 270-280 HP. The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) ensures the
necessary flexibility and maneuverability at any speed. Adjusting the back spoiler,
reducing ground clearance, opening and closing the lids – it all adds to the perfect
balance between propulsion and downforce. Such a super sports car may not seem
to be brought to a halt easily, but the Veyron’s ceramic brakes slow it down faster
than it can accelerate. While it takes this exceptional car only 2.5 seconds to go
from 0 to 100 km/h, it needs even less time – a mere 2.3 seconds – to come to a
standstill from 100 (reference point). To reduce the risk of injuries in accidents,
Bugatti had a Formula 1 safety concept adapted for the Veyron. All these
technical details combine to make the Veyron a truly exceptional super sports car.
<http://www.bugatti.com/en/veyron-16.4/technology.html>
48
With $1.2 million as its base price, Bugati Veyron must be the one of the
expensive cars in the world. And we need much money to buy it. So, it does not
wonder if only the billionaires who can have it.
Bruce Wayne also rides another car besides Bugati Veyron. It is a Rolls
Royce. Although it is not described what kind of Rolls Royce he rides. Bruce
Wayne often rides this car than his Bugati Veyron.
EARLE: Whose authority?
[Fox points at Wayne's Rolls Royce idling nearby. Earle strides towards it.
Fox quietly smiles, turns to his work.]
INT. ROLLS -- CONTINUOUS
[Earle is BANGING on the window. Wayne rolls it down].
Rolls Royce is a luxury car made by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Although it
is not described what type Bruce Wayne rides, but it can show that the car shows
that Bruce Wayne is rich. Let’s just take an example car from Rolls-Royce Motor
Cars. One of the most famous cars from that company is Rolls Royce Phantom.
The new Phantom is supposed to be the last word in engineering excellence, a
road-going private jet, a luxury yacht with a point, a car that separates and
distances you from both the tedium and the discomfort of travel. You will need
£250,000 to buy it and take it home.
<http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/jeremy_clarkson/articl
e867889.ece>
That’s the fact that we need much money to buy a 2003 Rolls Royce
Phantom. There are no doubt that only the people who have a lot of money to
have it. And we need more money to have Bugati Veyron. And on Batman Begins
49
script, Goyer describes that Bruce Wayne owns a Rolls Royce car and a Bugati
Veyron to show that he is a billionaire who can get what he wants with his wealth.
As a crime fighter, Batman also rides a car which is called The Tumbler
which is also named as Batmobile.. Bruce gets it from Wayne Industries. It is a
prototype car whose model is not familiar. It is like a tank than a car. And it still
becomes a prototype and has not been put into the production, like the others
Batman’s gears and gadgets
P.O.V.: RACING ALONG, INCHES ABOVE A TEST TRACKINT. TUMBLER ON TEST TRACK -- MOMENTS LATER
Wayne pilots using aircraft-like control sticks. Fox, in the passenger seat,
hangs on as Wayne PUSHES the vehicle...
The Tumbler SHOOTS PAST: LOW and WIDE, a cross between a
Lamborghini Countach and a Humvee. Sandy camouflage, stealth-angled
panelling and variable-angle flaps across the back.
Wayne inspects the cockpit: a forward-slung "gunner's" driving position
between their legs, video screens, electronic controls, windows with
HEADS-UP DISPLAY. Wayne ACCELERATES...
The Tumbler/ Batmobile is not a common car like the other mass-product
cars which are easily to get. Actually, it is a military vehicle which is useful to
build a bridge in a combat.
FOX: She was built as a bridging vehicle! (MORE)
55.
FOX (CONT'D): You hit that button- [Wayne reaches] NO, NOT
NOW!! [Wayne recoils] It boosts her into a rampless jump! In
combat, two of them jump a river towing cables, then you run a
bailey bridge across! Damn bridge never worked- but this baby
works fine!
(Goyer, 2004: scene 54-55)
With its body which is like a tank and with what it can do, people like The
Tumbler/ Batmobile and want to have a car like that.
50
The BATMOBILE comes flying out of the darkness... the matte-black,
muscularity of the stealth-finished "car" BLOWS by. Gordon's jaw drops.
GORDON (CONT'D): I gotta get me one of those.
Three of the cars mentioned, Bugati Veyron, Rolls Royce Phantom, and
The Tumbler/ Batmobile, represent the automobiles which want to be owned by
the Americans. Three of them represent the fast, luxurious, and modern cars.
Bugati Veyron is a fast car, Rolls Royce Phantom is luxurious, and The Tumbler/
Batmobile is a modern one.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
In this last chapter, the writer makes the conclusion from the analysis done
in previous chapter. The analysis is done to find out the answers for two problem
formulations stated in Chapter I. It is done by applying the theories stated in
Chapter II and the approach states in Chapter III in analyzing the Batman Begins
movie script which becomes the object of the study.
The first problem formulation is about the character of Batman in the
story. Bruce Wayne and Batman actually is the same person. He has a double life
with two personalities in the same body. Each character can affect another one,
but of them cannot appear at the same time. It is what is called as alter ego with
Bruce wayne as the main character and Batman as the second one. It means that
Batman is Bruce Wayne’s alter ego. The character as Bruce Wayne with his social
life as a billionaire and the owner of Wayne Industries is covered by a character as
a crime fighter named Batman.
Batman is the result of Bruce Wayne’s anger of his parents’ death. When
he is 8 years old, young Bruce witnesses the murder of his parents in front of his
eyes done by Joe Chill. Then, Bruce Wayne is willing to fight the crimes in
Gotham City in order to prevent the other people feel the sadness losing the
people they take care and love like he does.
Bruce Wayne masters the Ninjitsu techniques. He is taught by Ducard,
lately revealed as Ra’s Al Ghul, the leader of The League of Shadow. Ducard/
51
52
Ra’s Al Ghul teaches Bruce to use the theatrical and deception to fight the crimes.
He says that they are the powerful agents to fight the crimes. Ducard/ Ra’s Al
Ghul also teaches Bruce to use the opponents’ fear to fight them, like wearing the
mask using the deception and theatrical as the terror to fear the criminals because
people fear from what they cannot see.
Bruce’s will to fight the injustice results a crime fighter named Batman
and Batman is the real personality of the person who has two different characters,
Bruce Wayne and Batman. Batman is the symbol of Bruce’s will to fight the
crimes. That symbol is the real personality and character of Bruce Wayne.
That symbol is based on the bats. Bruce Wayne has a bad memory about
bats when he is a kid. The bats frighten him and make a trauma until he is grown
up and learn about Ninjitsu when later Ducard/ Ra’s Al Ghul teaches Bruce to
fight and conquer his fear. When Bruce is grown up and decides to help Gotham
City as a crime fighter, he decides to use a symbol to do it. That symbol is
Batman.
The reason Bruce uses Batman as his symbol is based on his childhood
bad memory about fear of bats. The bats frighten him and he wants the criminals
feel the fear like he fears with bats when he is a kid through his symbol, Batman.
Besides of Bruce’s childhood bad memory about bats, the use of bats as a
symbol of Bruce Wayne in fighting the crimes is based on the superstitions that
bats are the animal which is associated with the dark power and the devil. Bruce
makes use of that belief and uses his Ninjitsu techniques to manipulate the
53
criminals’ fear which can make them think that Batman really can fly and
disappear.
The advantages of using a symbol as a crime fighter is to protect the
people Bruce takes care and loves from the reprisal of the criminals who has been
fought by him as a crime fighter and also to protect his social life as Bruce
Wayne.
The fact that Bruce Wayne is angry about his parents’ death has made him
willing to fight the crimes and the injustice. He uses the Ninjitsu techniques to do
it. And Bruce uses a symbol inspired by his childhood bad memory about bats, in
order to frighten the criminals through his symbol named Batman like the bats
frighten him when he is a kid. That symbols also has the other function as the
cover for Bruce Wayne’s social life and to cover the people he takes care and
loves from the reprisal of the criminals he fights.
Batman is characterized as a smart man who uses theatrical and deception
to fight the crimes and his decision to wear a symbol when he is doing his action
as a crime fighter. By using a symbol, he tries to protect the people he loves and
he does not them to be in danger because of his action.
Batman is also characterized as a rich person. It is described from Bruce
Wayne as the real personality of that person Batman/ Bruce Wayne gains his
wealth by inheriting it from his parents and by running his Wayne Industries.
The second problem is about the significance of Batman in American
Society. Batman represents a big role for the Americans. He is the representation
54
of the hopes and or the dream of the Americans which commonly called as
American Dream.
American Dream is about a successful and satisfying life. A successful and
satisfying life can be concluded as immigration, as the dream of religious
freedom, economic prosperity, and opportunity to fulfill the material things. In
this thesis, the writer tends to discuss the American Dream about economic
prosperity. A successful and satisfying life in American Dream is also about
having a lot of money as one’s wealth, having good houses, automobiles,
technology and gadgets which all of them have part of American culture. And
Batman has the perception had by the Americans about their American Dream.
The writer translates a successful and satisfying life as economic prosperity,
having technology and gadgets, and automobiles.
Batman who lives in Gotham City is the representation of the Americans
and New York City in the real world. Batman/ Bruce Wayne has what the
Americans dream on. Bruce Wayne with his social life is a billionaire who owns
Wayne Industries. That fact shows that Bruce Wayne is a wealthy person. It is
about the economic prosperity. Bruce inherits that wealth and company from his
parents who dies in a robbery. Batman/ Bruce Wayne represents the Americans’
dream about economic prosperity.
Batman also has the technology and gadgets, like what most Americans
dream to have. He has them all from Wayne Industries, a company owned by
Bruce Wayne. Those technology and gadgets are kevlar bodysuit, pneumatic
magnetic grappling gun and harness, a cloth which can be rigid. The technology
55
and gadgets he has are the prototype for military technology. And much of them
are the real technology which exists in the real world.
Besides having a lot of money and technology and gadgets, Batman/ Bruce
Wayne also has the automobiles that are dreamt by Americans. Here, automobiles
are translated as having fast, luxurious, and modern cars. In the story Bruce
Wayne rides a Bugati Veyron and a Rolls Royce with Roll Royce that often he
uses for his activity in his social life. Both of them represent the fast ant the
luxurious cars. We need to speed much money to own both of them.
Bruce Wayne also gets a tank-like vehicle called The Tumbler that later
called The Batmobile. It is a prototype vehicle for military purposes. Bruce gets it
in his Wayne Industries. It is an item that has not been put into the production. It
is an advance and modern vehicle. In the combat, it is useful to build a bridge. It is
also armed with the weapons, such as cannons. By having The Tumbler/
Batmobile, Batman is having the modern car.
Economic prosperity, technology and gadgets, and automobiles represent
the life of American society in 1920s when the Americans prosperity came to its
highest peak
What Batman/ Bruce Wayne posseses in his life dreamt by most
Americans: economic prosperity, technology and gadgets, and automobiles,
represents the hopes and or the dream of the Americans which is commonly called
as the American Dream.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. New York: Holt, Rinehart and
Winston Inc., 1981.
Adams, James Trulow. The Epic of America.
<http:// memory.loc.gov/amen/ndlpedu/lessons/97/dream/thedream/html>
(13 July 2007)
Baldick, Chris. The Concise of Oxford Dictionary of Literary Term. New York:
Oxford University Press, 1991.
Bat. 2008
<http://www.ancientspiral.com/bat.htm> (2 February 2008)
Batman.
<http://www.comicvine.com/batman/1699/> (28 June 2007)
Batman Begins Awards. 2007
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APPENDIX
BATMAN BEGINS
Summary
Batman Begins tells about a man named Bruce Wayne who turns himself
to be a crime fighter after witnessing the murder of his parents in front of his eyes
when he is in his childhood.
Bruce Wayne is an ordinary boy whose parents, Thomas and Martha
Wayne, are the billionaire in their city, Gotham City. Thomas is a doctor. Bruce
Wayne has a trauma with bats. It is caused when he is a child, Bruce falls down to
the deep well with many bats. Then those bats fly toward him because they are
attracted with the sunlight comes from the hole where little Bruce falls down.
That trauma, “indirectly”, makes Bruce’s parents die. When watching an
opera with his parents, little Bruce are scared with the characters whose
appearances are like the bats. Then, feeling nervous, Bruce asks his parents to go
out from the theater. Outside the building, an armed man tries to rob them.
Thomas gives his wallet, but the robber also asks Martha’s pearl. When Thomas
tries to protect his wife, the robber, named Joe Chill, shoots him. Martha screams
and Joe shoots her too. Then, he runs away, leaves little Bruce alone with his
parents who are dead.
Rise with care only from his servant, Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne
lives in sorrow. When he is grown up, Bruce tries to shoot Joe after the hearing in
the court, but he does not make it. A woman shoots that murderer first. That
59
60
woman is sent by Carmine Falcone, a mafia and drug dealer in Gotham City.
Falcone kills Joe because he testifies about Falcone’s activities in crimes.
Then, Bruce meets Falcone in his club and says that he is not afraid with
what Falcone does in Gotham City, and he will fight him. After that, Bruce takes
the journey to some places to feel what the criminals feel when they do their
crimes. It ends when Bruce is jailed in Bhutan and meets Ducard.
Ducard trains Bruce to be a warrior of The League of Shadow. Ducards
trains Bruce with Ninjitsu techniques. Bruce also learns about theatrical and
deception. He becomes the best student of Ducard.
When Bruce finishes his training, Ducard points him to be the leader of
ninjas and sends them to Gotham City to destroy the city in order to restore the
balance of nature. Bruce Wayne rejects it and fights Ra’s Al Ghul, the leader of
The League of Shadow. Because of the fight, the dojo where they live to learn the
Ninjitsu is burnt. Then, Bruce Wayne goes back to Gotham City.
Bruce starts to fight the crimes and injustice by finding the technology and
gadgets he needs from the company he inherits from his parents, Wayne
Industries. there, he meets Lucius Fox and gets some things to support his action
as a crime fighter. Then, Bruce chooses bats as his symbol and uses the Ninjitsu
techniques in fighting the crimes and injustice. In his action fighting the crimes
and injustices, Batman only trusts Sergeant Gordon and Rechel Dodson to help
him.
Handing carmine Falcone to the police, Batman tries to catch Dr. Jonathan
Crane/ The Scarecrow who poisons the Gotham City water supply with drug that
61
can cause hallucination. That poisoned water will be dried to be the gas with the
micrometer stolen from Wayne Industries. Catching him, Batman realizes that Dr.
Crane is just the pawn of bigger criminals. He is Ducard, who actually is the real
Ra’s Al Ghul.
Burning down Bruce Wayne manor, Ducard/ Ra’s Al Ghul tries to
vaporize the water supply along with the railway to Wayne Tower with Wayne
Industries micrometer. Then Batman tries to stop him. Ra’s Al Ghul’s men have
released all the prisoners in Arkham Asylum. The police try to catch them back.
Batman’s effort to stop Ra’s Al Ghul’s action takes place on the train.
They fight on it. Then, Batman makes the train slides from its railway. Batman
flies with his rigid cape and leaves Ra’s Al Ghul on it alone. The train crashes and
it causes a massive fiery destruction.
Then, Bruce Wayne starts to take control his Wayne Industries helped with
Lucius Fox. And he tries to rebuild his manor again.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BATMAN IN AMERICAN SOCIETY: A

Transcription

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