Throughout Batman Returns, we see Batman conflicted with the similarities he shared with the Penguin due to their pasts. In the first Batman, the hero is not conflicted with the Joker because Batman feels no sympathy for him. He knows the Joker does evil things for power, but they are not as similar as he and the Penguin. In Batman Returns, Batman and the Penguin both share a sense of abandonment, confusion about their identity, and reclusive natures. These similarities cause Batman to feel conflicted about what the Penguin's real motives are.
In terms of abandonment, Batman and the Penguin both acted in different ways. For example, while Batman turned to fight crime because his parents were killed by a person from the city, the Penguin chooses to make crime. The Penguin chooses to retaliate against his parents who have carelessly disposed of him. Consequently, when Batman and the Penguin meet, one is trying to stop the crime that killed his parents and the other is trying to create crime because of his parents. Both characters were abandoned, but one chooses to act violently and the other chooses to act against violence.
This concept of opposing reactions to their similar situations can also be applied to Batman and the Penguin. For instance, they are both hermits, however, Batman chooses to be a hermit even though he is seen as a well liked philanthropist by the public. On the other hand, the Penguin does not really have a choice but to be a hermit because the media portrays him as a villain. These reactions cause conflicts because when the Penguin emerges, he creates chaos and takes revenge on those who misunderstand him. Meanwhile, Batman fights for those who do not understand him.
Finally, both characters feel the need to understand who they really are and what their place in society is. The Penguin claims his quest is to find out who he really is and Batman initially defends him until he sees the Penguin suspiciously looking through birth certificates. Batman acts on the need to understand himself through good deeds. Again, the Penguin acts as a juxtaposing force because he searches to find who he is through violence.
In Batman Returns we see two characters, Batman and the Penguin, affected by similar situations. However, their reactions prove to be completely different. These different reactions cause conflict between the two characters. Batman and the Penguin are both abandoned and secluded, but Batman chooses not to act out in public and to be a hermit. Conversely, the Penguin chooses to create violence and chaos and is rejected by society. Consequently, he has less of a choice to stay away from the public than Batman. They both remain lost and confused about their identity. Batman chooses to seek his identity through heroic acts while the Penguin acts out violently. In Tim Burton's Batman Returns, the hero and the villain are both affected by similar pasts, but act oppositely, thus causing conflict between the two.
Emily, you did a really great job with your blog post. The way you compare the crises that afflict and affect both Batman and the Penguin was done in a really great and effective way. I especially liked reading about how the deaths of Batman’s and the Penguin’s parents effected them. It is very interesting to realize that both Batman and the Penguin have been through the same ordeal of losing their parents, but the pair uses that event to fuel two entirely different agendas. I think it is crazy to see how the same event can cause such drastic outcomes on opposite sides of the spectrum. Another great and effective thing you did was your comparison of Batman and the Penguin and how they live their lives. It is sad that the Penguin had no choice in being a hermit, and maybe if the media did not treat the Penguin as a villain, he could have possibly been a great ally to Batman.
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