Darkness brought by light

Monique 2022-04-21 09:01:10

Darkness is pure.

The shadow of darkness always comes with the light while there could be no light in the endless night.

The film itself could be simply interpreted as the process of how Arthur was gradually swallowed by the Joker inside. It is noteworthy that both Arthur and his mother have serious delusional disorders, which means it is hard to determine what proportion of the story is true, or even the whole film is a delusion of Joker in Arkham Asylum. The first half of the story is mediocre, but every artistic choreography and metaphorical scene foreshadow the climax of the film – the birth of the joker – in which Joker led his disciples to bring chaos and darkness to the Gotham City.

What impressed me the most about Joker before this film is that he put a fire on a hill of money. Following a traditional storytelling mode, such a “bad actor” is unreasonable at all, but that's exactly what Joker wants. “Reason” and “money” are all products of the existing social order. The order, the light of the world, is the authoritarianism under individualism. The best antithesis is disorder.

Only disorder can claim the existence of the deprived people living at the edge of the city, who are bullied, ignored, and forgotten in a series of good names – justice, stability, net happiness, and long-term development. It is a simple call to make, whether a clown to make a smiling face for others or a joker to make fun of the world. I believe the latter may echo more people.

We are the forgotten children of history. In our times, there is neither World War nor Great Depression. We want to be a part of something that is greater than ourselves. Our fights throughout our lives are to reach out something that might not been written in the destiny, but “something” is the expectations from your parents, the assessments of the society, and even the attitudes towards you from strangers. “Laughing at the poor, not the whores.” That's the standard of our society.

Therefore, Arthur wrote "I just wish my death makes more sense than my life." There is no way for Arthur to find a way out of his awkward living situation. Moreover, when an individual has already become the "crooked man", still , "people expect you to behave as if you don't."

If this society suppressing me till my death, why not burn a fire on it? If the city is built on the skeletons of the deprived, why so serious about its fall? If this world only kneels to power, why not be the one that destroys the world?

Following the idea of ​​utilitarianism, we cannot help but ask that is there anything wrong with the order apart from its nature of deprivation? Darkness is pure, it burdens no responsibility for its poetic and philosophical destruction.

"Rain does not wash away the zebra's stripes", says Masai proverb.

Blood can.

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Extended Reading

Joker quotes

  • Arthur Fleck: [Arthur goes to Wayne Manor where he sees young Bruce and does a clown rooting form before talking to him through the gates] Hi. What's your name?

    Bruce Wayne: I'm Bruce.

    Arthur Fleck: Bruce. I'm Arthur.

    [He sticks his hands through the gate, puts his fingers on Bruce's face lifting the corners of his mouth as if to make him smile]

    Alfred Pennyworth: Bruce! Bruce! Get away from that man.

    Arthur Fleck: It's okay. I'm a good guy.

    Alfred Pennyworth: How do you do? Who are you?

    Arthur Fleck: I'm here to see Mr. Wayne.

    Alfred Pennyworth: Well, you shouldn't be speaking to his son

    [Giving back the fake flowers Arthur gave Bruce]

    Alfred Pennyworth: Why did you give him these flowers?

    Arthur Fleck: No, they're not real. It's magic. I was just trying to make Bruce smile.

    Alfred Pennyworth: Well, it's not funny, is it? Do I need to call the police?

    Arthur Fleck: No, please. My mother's name is Penny. Penny Fleck. She used to work here years ago. Can you please tell Mr. Wayne I need to see him?

    Alfred Pennyworth: You are her son?

    Arthur Fleck: Yeah. Did you know her? I know about the two of them. She told me everything.

    Alfred Pennyworth: There's nothing to know. There is no "them." Your mother was delusional. She was a sick woman.

    Arthur Fleck: Don't say that.

    Alfred Pennyworth: Just go. Before you make a fool of yourself.

    Arthur Fleck: Thomas Wayne is my father.

    Alfred Pennyworth: [Alfred starts laughing, causing Arthur in anger to put his hand through the gates around Alfred's neck and starts to choke him] Let go of me! Let go! Let go of me!

    [Arthur looks at Bruce watching with fear, he turns and runs off]

  • Detective Garrity: Mr. Fleck. Sorry to bother you. I'm Detective Garrity this is my partner, Detective Burke. We have a few questions for you, but you weren't home. So we spoke with your mother.

    Arthur Fleck: Oh. What did you say to her? Did you do this?

    Detective Garrity: What? No.

    Detective Burke: No, no, no. We just asked her some questions. She got hysterical. Hyperventilating, collapsed...

    Arthur Fleck: Yeah, but the doctor said she had a stroke.

    Detective Garrity: We're sorry to hear about that. But like I said, I still have some questions for you. They're about to subway killings that happened last week. You've heard about them right?

    Arthur Fleck: Yeah. It's horrible.

    Detective Garrity: Right.

    Detective Garrity: So we spoke with your boss, over at Ha-Ha's. He said you were fired for bringing a gun into the children's hospital. Is that true, Mr. Fleck?

    Arthur Fleck: It's a prop. It's part of my act. I'm a party clown.

    Detective Burke: All right, so why were you fired?

    Arthur Fleck: They said I wasn't funny enough. Can you imagine that? Now if you don't mind, I have to go take care of my mother.

    Detective Burke: Your boss also gave us one of your cards. This condition of yours, The laughing, is it real, or some sort of clown thing?

    Arthur Fleck: A clown thing?

    Detective Garrity: Yeah. I mean, part of your act?

    Arthur Fleck: What do you think?

    [Arthur turns and starts walking towards the hospital doors, but walks into the glass door]

    Detective Garrity: It's exit only.