Character Analysis of the Joker in The Dark Knight Essay Example

Although heroes are perceived as the idols in modern society, the heroes that have come to be adored for their perfection and altruistic nature would be nothing without their enemies. The villain is the essential piece of every hero, and establishes the opposite end of the moral compass and represents all evil that must be overcome. The antagonist will attempt to bring the hero down to their level by vitiating their image and tearing down everything the hero stands for to prove the hero is not as perfect as they seem to be. The exemplary villain not only appeals to the bad side of the audience, but also looks for the audience's sympathy, while simultaneously trying to convince others their twisted view is correct, inducing them to evil as well. In today's society, modern antagonists mainly try to use manipulation and create chaos, but their end goal is always to break the moral righteousness of the hero and allow evil to triumph over rectitude. The modern day is exposed to an era of comic book movies, with vigorous, heroic protagonists saving the world over and over again from lackluster bad guys. Nearly every antagonist committed to screen in recent years has fallen into the same tidal tropes of men in suits, crazy people with paper thin motives for trying to take over the world, or exact retribution on our heroes. There have been other psychopathic villains before. Other antagonists with convoluted plans and ideologies. But there’s something unique about the Joker. Something that isn’t present when looking at other villains. Played by Heath Ledger, he embraces and embodies his darkness perfectly. The shadows of his legacy echo through the minds of viewers alike and his very presence is chilling, and scarily enough, is realistic enough to be found in even ourselves. But what really makes the clown prince of crime so special? Is it just Heath Ledger’s amazing performance? Or is there something more going on? This essay will examine the Joker’s appearance, competence, and even the salient morals learnt from him; and how these make the Joker the perfect opponent for the Dark Knight, and any other protagonist alike.

Fascinating characters can help us understand ourselves better. Common among villains, they are purposely riddled with imperfections, and mixed with the occasional virtuous action to create more depth within them. The audience of the story perceive the villain(s) however they please, yet there are consistent general themes and morals present in the characterization of modern antagonists. The Dark Knight’s Joker psychologically thrilling nature is admired and feared by viewers worldwide. Although a morally questionable figure, one of the main reasons the Joker is unrivaled is because of his ability to teach audiences some valuable and salient morals. While no rational person would ever condemn the Joker's acts, it doesn't mean there isn't something audiences can’t learn from the character. The first lesson we can learn from the character is that money cannot buy happiness. For decades, philosophers and other intellectuals have struggled to grasp the elusive sensation of happiness, which can arise from a rush of endorphins and can dissipate just as quickly.  Many people think that money is the solution to any problem they could ever have. Unfortunately, that modern ideology is wrong, and the Joker is cognizant of that. In the 2008 film “The Dark Knight”, Heath Ledger's Joker infamously burns a huge pile of currency to demonstrate the fact that “it’s not about money…it’s about sending a message.” His motives and aspirations in life go beyond monetary possessions. The Joker finds true happiness through chaos and ruination. What the viewer can learn from this is that true happiness arises from within, and not from without. Beyond the ability to pay your bills, happiness is a state of mind that is short-lived when you base it on physical objects and the numbers in a bank account. Happiness is a matter of outlook and attitude towards life, or, to put it in another way, a choice. It is not a goal that can be attained by simply purchasing an expensive item, but can be found inside you by embracing gratitude and optimism. The Joker peculiarly teaches us that you can have the alternative to become never-satisfied janitors of your possessions, or adopt his ethos, and find joy in doing something that you truly find pleasure in. Secondly, the Joker teaches us that people are only as good as society allows them to be. “Don't talk like one of them. You're not! Even if you'd like to be. To them, you're just a freak, like me! They need you right now, but when they don't, they'll cast you out, like a leper! You see, their morals, their code, it's a bad joke. Dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you. When the chips are down, these... these civilized people, they'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve.” This is one of the Joker’s most remarkably logical perspectives on society, a theory in which he suggests that people aren't inherently good or bad, they're simply a product of their circumstances. Every species has a natural instinct to survive. This instinct isn't concerned with whether good or bad; all it cares about is our survival. In today’s era, we have been bombarded with circumstances of civil war, murdered family members, drug addicted parents, physical abuse, poverty, theft, gang culture, and street life. Whereas many fortunate people have had the freedom to make good decisions, the less fortunate have been forced to decide between bad and worse for their own survival. It’s the reason why a child from an affluent, stable family is less likely to become a criminal in maturity. On the contrary, if you give that same exact kid a poor childhood, then they probably won't have the same luxury of living crime-free. In order to survive, this child may presumably run forth stealing with the intent of bring food to the table, or drug addiction to cope with all the emotions they’re feeling. Even the Joker is a product of such awful circumstances, and the 2019 film “Joker,” gives insight on such events. The story revolves around Arthur Fleck, an impoverished, aspiring stand-up comedian who suffers from a neurological condition which causes pathological laughter. Due to Fleck’s mental illness in the film and the spiral of tragedies that follow, he becomes Batman’s most famous nemesis, the Joker. In The Dark Knight, the Joker is essentially trying to tell audiences that sometimes not all bad people choose to be bad. Society just throws some in positions where they need to execute a transgression for their own survival in some way, shape, or form. What we can learn from this is that we should try to be surrounded by people of benignant nature, with people who make us better people, and try to leave environments where you would have to condone such wrongdoings, and if you are in such situations try withdrawing or getting help from either a doctor, police officer, or other support services.