Tuesday, March 17, 2009

End of the World?

I'm interested to know what everyone thinks was meant by Rorschach, unmasked, carrying signs predicting the end the world, but still requesting his daily paper be available the next day?

7 comments:

detecktive said...

While I certainly think that he obviously has a few mental health issues, I also think he was a realist in many ways.

He knew the world was hurtling towards armageddon, but at the same time new it may happen any time - now, next week or maybe never.

Why he was out on the street with an end of the world plaque though I'm not sure. My guess is that due to the way he views the world as a cesspool of evil and corruption, he is (in line with his uncompromising character) 'telling it like it is', until he can put his 'real face' on and become what he truly is.

I thought the end of the book (and movie), where his journal is discovered by the New Frontiersman editorial staff is a powerful one. In many ways, Rorschach won. He didn't compromise and knew that even if he died, his story would be told (and hence Veidt's plan goes to hell). He didn't care it may bring about the armageddon they were initially trying to stop because of the need for the truth to be told.

Nic said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
detecktive said...

I guess what I'm trying to say is that he is always Rorschach - there is no Walter Kovacs anymore. When he can't wear his true face, he walks around with the end of the world sign warning people of the 'truth': that there world is going to end because it is a corrupt, evil place ruled by megalomania and mistrust (as far as he can see).

His mission is his life. All of it. Why he keeps buying New Frontiersman though I am still unsure - they seem to be the only people he trusts. Maybe because they tell a story no matter what it is...without regard to convention.

Nic said...

I think it's very interesting that they can only be who they are behind a mask, but for Rorschach the mask is his face and none of the Watchmen ever know him as anything other than Rorschach. But then at the end he takes it off - so did he die as Kovacs or Rorschach? Maybe stripping away his only deception?

I also find it interesting that none of the girls were masked.

detecktive said...

Maybe Rorschach wanted Jon to see the face of the person he was going to murder to maintain the lie... and make it harder for him to do it (humanising himself).

Unfortunately Jon was still so out of touch with humanity it didn't matter. In the movie I got the impression Jon did think about it though before he killed him?

Nic said...

I think you are right, I think he wanted to humanise himself, but not in the sense that he wanted Jon to think better of it. I think that was the moment Rorschach accepted Kovacs, knowing death was imminent. I think he wanted Jon to see all of him.

Hettie Betty said...

Wow, that's deep guys.
I was having trouble posting for a while, but I had thought before about Rorschach being the existentialist to Veidt's utilitarian (more philosophy jargon). One of the issues existentialism had was 'existence preceeds essence' which means that you exist first, then you create your existence and I guess meaning throughout life. And the other reason Rorshcach reminded me of this is that he is uncompromising- and Satre had this thing for the weak who gave in to religion because the knowledge that everything is up to YOU in the end. He called it bad faith. Rorschach's refusal to compromise on his belief, even to the death, when it would be much easier to go with the rest of the group and live a lie (like religion?? don't get me wrong, I'm not a believer, but each to their own...) sort of echoed these existentialist themes.