Friday, September 13, 2013

Vielma - Joker the Trickster




The Joker. A classic character we all know, and most love. we love him because he is the underlying sinister self we all have inside. the most obvious trickster element of the Joker is seen in his attire and personality. he is naturally a trickster looking character. Not only does his appearance hint towards his trickster side but his actions do. He manipulates his business partners, he exposes the true greed of Gotham and also creates chaos just to create chaos. Burton shows the true trickster in the Joker with his obvious criminality but also undermines it with the business side the joker appears to have. With the makeup the joker wears he fully embraces the sinister and the trickster in him. He manipulates, lies and tricks the city of Gotham. He brings out the city's true colors and their greed within them but they repress it. the trickster in Joker that burton made supports that the idea of trickster is essential. His makeup is the clear indicator of how the joker embraces the trickster in himself. He uses that to his advantage. As mush as Burton supports the idea of the trickster as a necessary evil he also undermines the idea of the trickster within the joker. With the character of the Joker Burton creates a side of business and stature. Without the classic joker makeup the Joker does business. His official deeds are done without his calling card makeup. He uses his old self as a window to making official business and does everything with a proper form. When addressing the city about his confrontation with Batman and how he will be giving away millions of dollars in cash, he is without his makeup. The joker completely uses his old self, Jack, as his business attire. He only does business without makeup, he knows that his trickster appearance won't cut it to convince Gotham that he is more "trustworthy" than Batman and how since he doesn't hide behind a mask even though his true self is completely covered in makeup as his own mask. The way Joker conducts business and then his criminal acts Burton conveys a vision of how the trickster himself can hind behind someone who isn't a trickster in appearance. The joker, as burton creates him, knows that his trickster traits won't always be the way to his evil goals, he must be able to create a normal version that others can trust so he can then manipulate. 

3 comments:

  1. I also noticed how The Joker manipulated his face with makeup so he could manipulate the people of gotham city. But when he is actually doing evil he is in his standard Joker makeup. So he has many different sides which usually is stereotypical of a trickster

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  2. I like your idea about how Tim Burton uses the Joker's change in makeup to do official business. What does this say about tricksters in our society? I wonder if Burton used that concept to say business men today are tricksters and like the Joker cover it up with their own form of "makeup."

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  3. I like how you say he embraces the trickster role. All three faces of Jack Napier are sinister, there is no wholesome side of Jack. This further proves how a trickster is truly evil and/or dark. The different personas Jack has also proves that tricksters can be anywhere and anyone. Burton is certainly sending a warning.

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