Outline for Watchmen - Alan Moore PDF

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Possible midterm essay topics for a deconstruction of Alan Moore's "Watchmen," complete with thesis options and relevant connections. Can be used as an assignment template for Introduction to Literature taught by Prof. Kent Lewis....

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Outline for an answer to question #10 Thesis: Watchmen deconstructs three conventions of the superhero genre: the clear division between heroes and villains; its pro-American nationalism; and the normalcy of a masked identity. Topic One: Watchmen deconstructs the clear separation between heroes and villains by presenting characters who have aspects of both -Rorschach is a hero but he tortures suspects he considers evil, and murders Captain Carnage/ Gerald Grice; justifies crimes with absolutist morality -Adrian Veidt saves the entire planet from certain destruction, but murders his workers, the Comedian, and two million innocent New Yorkers; justifies crimes with relativist morality -Hooded Justice stops crimes, but is so violent he cripples people for life; protagonist in Black Freighter tries to save family, but ends up killing them Quote: “Yes, we were crazy, we were kinky, we were Nazis . . . We were also doing something . . . to make our country a safer and better place to live in.” (III, Under the Hood, 8)

Topic Two: Watchmen problematizes the implicit nationalism of the superhero genre by making readers uncomfortable with superheroes who fight for their country. -Comedian dresses himself in an American Flag based costume and fights for American causes; claims he is the embodiment of American Dream; “It came true. You’re looking at it” (II 18) -his pro American activities involve assassination, voter suppression and murder of innocent Vietnamese civilians, even a pregnant woman carrying his own child. -Dr. Manhattan also fights for American causes, forcing American enemies to surrender to his overwhelming forces; war not just; -Quote: “They call me "Doctor Manhattan". They explain the name has been chosen for the ominous associations it will raise in America's enemies. They are shaping me into something gaudy. Something lethal.”

-Hollis Mason: “He was being groomed into some sort of patriotic symbol” (IV, Under the Hood 11)

Topic Two: While most superheroes have a secret or masked identity, Watchmen suggests that habit is a sign of criminality or mental psychosis. -All characters wear masks because they are vigilantes breaking the law; mask is necessary to hide criminal activities. E.g. Keene Act outlaws masked vigilantes; Rorschach refuses and becomes wanted criminal -many characters suggest that characters wear masks to get perverse thrills denied in normal society; e.g. Comedian’s “gimp” mask; Hooded Justice likes violence -some characters’ masks seem to be a deep-rooted form of mental illness; e.g. Rorschach believes mask is his true face, and Walter Kovacs is his disguise. -Quote by Dan: “Over the years, that mask has eaten his brain” (VIII 9)...