REVEALING SELF IDENTITY THROUGH CONQUERING ONE’S OWN FEAR AS SEEN IN DENNIS O’NEIL’S
BATMAN BEGINS THE NOVEL
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
ASSISTA DHYAN PURNAMA PUTRA Student Number: 014214023
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, I would like to express my gratitude to my advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum for the guidance, advice, and constructive critique. Thank you for being so patient and understanding for the past three semesters. I would also thank J. Harris Hermansyah S.,S.S.,M.Hum and M. Luluk Artika W., S.S. for the guidance, and advice. My appreciation is also for the lecturers who have taught me so much knowledge during my study and my thesis writing, especially to my academic advisor, Dewi Widyastuti S.Pd., M.Hum. I also thank the secretary and library staff who have provided me with information that I required all this time.
My deepest gratitude goes to my late Father, my Mother, my Brother and my Little Sister. Thanks for the patience. I dedicate my thesis especially to all of them.
Lastly, my special gratitude goes to my beloved girlfriend, Liza, because without her love, companion, support and patience, I could not finish my thesis. I love her very much.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE……….………. i
APPROVAL PAGE……… ii
ACCEPTANCE PAGE……….. iii
MOTTO PAGE………... iv
DEDICATION PAGE ……… v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……… vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS. ……….…… viii
ABSTRACT ……… x
ABSTRAK ……….. xi
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION………... 1
A. Background of the Study ………. 1
B. Problem Formulation ………... 5
C. Objectives of the Study ……… 5
D. Definition of Term ………... 6
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW……….. 8
A. Review of Related Studies ……….….. 8
B. Review of Related Theories ………. 10
1. Theories of Character and Characterization ………. 10
2. Watson’s Theory of Fear ………..………...… 13
3. Roger’s Theory of Self Identity ……… 15
C. Theoretical Frameworks ………... 19
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY………... 21
A. Object of the Study ……….……….… 21
B. Approach of the Study ……….……… 23
C. Method of the Study ……….……… 24
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS……… 26
A. The Characteristics of Bruce Wayne……… 26
1. Bruce Wayne’s Childhood….………... 27
2. Bruce Wayne’s Adulthood ………... 31
B. The Fear Undergone by Bruce Wayne ……….……… 37
1. Fears of Bat and Dark Places……...……….. 37
2. Fears of Being Blamed as the Cause of his Parent’s Death.39 3. Fears of Power ………..……… 40
C. Bruce Wayne’s Conquering his Fear to Reveal Self Identity….... 42
1. Conquering Fears of Bats and Dark Places ………….…. 43
2. Conquering Fears of Being Blamed for his Parent’s Death……….. 45
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION……….. 49
BIBLIOGRAPHY……… 52
APPENDIX……….. 54
ABSTRACT
ASISSTA DHYAN PURNAMA P. Revealing Self Identity through Conquering One’s Own Fear as Seen in Dennis O’Neil’s Batman Begins the Novel. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2007.
Batman Begins the Novel is a story about Bruce Wayne, a multi-billionaire who has split personalities or an alter ego known as Batman. Batman Begins the Novel is the starting point of the history of the birth of the dark knight, Batman. Bruce Wayne’s true self identity is achieved through the development of his character in the novel. The writer decides to analyze Bruce Wayne’s character because he finds his true self through his journey of conquering his fear.. The main character tries to search his true self, to know the best of him, and to identify himself.
The writer’s objectives in doing this study are: (1) to reveal the characteristic of Bruce Wayne; (2) to reveal the fear undergone by Bruce Wayne character, (3) to reveal how Bruce Wayne conquers his own fear to reveal his self identity.
The writer does a library research by using the novel as the primary source. The writer uses Carl Roger’s theory of self identity to explain the main characters’ self identity, Watson’s theory of fear, and the theories of character and characterization to show the characteristics of Bruce Wayne.
ABSTRAK
ASISSTA DHYAN PURNAMA P. Revealing Self Identity through Conquering One’s Own Fear as Seen in Dennis O’Neil’s Batman Begins the Novel. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2007.
Batman Begins the Novel menceritakan tentang Bruce Wayne, anak seorang billionner yang mempunyai kepribadian ganda atau biasa disebut sebagai alter ego yang dikenal sebagai Batman. Batman Begins the Novel merupakan titik awal sejarah kelahiran sang ksatria malam, Batman. Identitas diri sejati Bruce Wayne tercapai melalui pengembangan karakter Bruce Wayne di dalam novel. Penulis menganalisis karakter Bruce Wayne karena identitas diri sejati yang dicapai oleh Bruce Wayne didapatkan melalui berbagai petualang untuk mengalahkan rasa takutnya.
Tujuan penulis dalam studi ini adalah: (1) untuk mengungkapkan karakteristik dari Bruce Wayne; (2) untuk mengungkapkan rasa takut yang dialami oleh karakter Bruce Wayne dalam novel (3) untuk mengungkapkan bagaimana karakter Bruce Wayne menaklukkan rasa takutnya untuk menunjukkan identitas diri sejati dari Bruce Wayne.
Penulis melakukan studi pustaka dengan menggunakan novel sebagai sumber utama. Penulis menggunakan teori identitas diri Carl Roger untuk memahami identitas diri, teori rasa takut menurut Watson, serta beberapa teori karakter dan karakterisasi untuk menunjukkan karakteristik Bruce Wayne.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
In their life time, human beings, from biologically born as babies, growing into adults, growing old, to the time of death, learn many things throughout the experiences they have when they live. Experiencing different condition and difficult situation will give effect to the development of personal growth; this development is not merely about age. Facts show that human beings (regardless of how young or old they are) will have problems. Human beings might have different problems, such as personal problems, social problems, communication problems, and other uncountable problems. Facing those problems make human beings try to develop their characters according to the environment they live in. Everyone in this world is free in making decisions or even taking risks within the bound of one’s value system and as an individual. It is the fact that they continuously try to discover and develop one’s potentials to its very best.
consequences in every choice that human beings should make and it is not as easy as waving your hand. There are lots of boundaries that force you to give up while trying achieving your dreams. Acquiring personal growth shows how human beings present themselves as self-actualizing persons, who have already achieved and fulfilled all of their needs, desires, and dreams.
Fear is one primary emotion of human life that has to be faced; every human being in this world cannot escape from it. Fear is like a virus, there is no other human being in this world that can help you to escape from it. Only the person himself can cure him/herself from this disease. It needs courage, support, and sacrifice. Even in literature many famous writers have made great literary works through conquering their own fear. By taking the fear into the next level, people are taken to learn and to understand how the writer has an experience to conquer the fear itself which results in revealing who the writer truly is.
Batman Begins the Novel is a movie adaptation novel from famous movie Batman Begins created by Dennis O’Neill. The story is about young Bruce Wayne in search of his destiny. The heir of Wayne Empire disappeared seven years ago. No one knows where he goes. Bruce’s vast fortune has been given away, and the crime began with the brutal murder of his parents and he started to feel living in the hell in Gotham city.
of his childhood. In the darkest place of his own anger, Bruce Wayne will discover his destiny and an ordinary man he will become a legend.
Batman Begins the Novel is a great example how a man tries to reveal his true self by conquering his own fear. The character Bruce Wayne, an orphan who had to struggle alone in the cruel world and had to sacrifice many important things in his life to understand who he really is (try to actualize himself), by creating his other alter ego which later will be well known as Batman: the Dark Knight to conquer his fear. The struggle in finding his true self is the most important thing that will be discussed in this thesis. How he had conquered his own fear by becoming Batman will be the most interesting point to analyze in this thesis. Batman later on will be the most dominant character in Bruce Wayne life.
In this under graduate thesis, the writer is going to analyze the character of Bruce Wayne, the multi-billionaire which had split personalities or an alter ego which known as Batman. Batman Begins the Novel is the starting points of the history of the birth of the dark knight, Batman. Bruce Wayne’s true self identity is achieved through the development of his character in the novel. The writer decides to analyze Bruce Wayne’s character because the true self that he tried to obtain by conquering his fear is obtained through the experience of the journey that Bruce Wayne had in the novel. The writer only focuses in analyzing the main character Bruce Wayne. To gain better understanding of every person in relation with finding true self, the writer determines to apply the psychological approach in this study.
different time and situation because of that many individual are afraid to express who they really are. They fear with the consequences, because once one decided to choose he/she cannot take it back. The decision is final until the day we die. The character Bruce in the novel is good example of an individual who tried to find his true self, by conquering the his own fear and becoming what he think to be the most suitable life for him, by becoming Batman. The writer is really interested in learning about human life. How human struggling for what they will later find it to be the most precious thing in for the rest of the human itself.
B. Problem Formulation
In order to have a thorough analysis, this thesis will focus on the problems stated below:
1. What are the characteristics of Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins the Novel? 2. What is the fear undergone by Bruce Wayne character in Batman Begins the Novel?
3. How does Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins the Novel conquer his own fear to reveal his self identity?
C. Objectives of the Study
The thesis is mainly to answer the problem formulations. Firstly, this study will try to find out Bruce Wayne’s characteristic in order to understand deeper about his views, his thought, and attitudes from his character. Secondly, this study will try to explain the fear undergone by Bruce Wayne, which is seen through the novel. Then, by using the first and second problem formulation and also the theories, which later will be explained further in chapter 2 the writer will try to reveal how Bruce Wayne’s true self identity is revealed.
D. Definitions of Terms
There are some terms which should be defined in analyzing Batman Begins the Novel. These definitions of terms hopefully will help the readers to have a better understanding of this study. They are:
1. Fear
According to S. H. Bartley in Concise Encyclopedia of Psychology, fear is considered as one of the primary emotion along with joy, anger and grief. Fear itself is the emotion of avoidance of a consciously recognized, usually external, eminent danger. A state of arousal that results when, an individual recognizes a lack of power or capability to handle some threatening situation (1987:423). 2. Self identity
conscious as a person who has been learnt a lot, person who has experience lot about life. It can be explained that a person who seeks out the mind in it is subterranean hideaways and behaviorism, and the consequences sometimes that the person itself will be forced to accept the third forces. In the other word, each man potentially is the world’s best expert on himself and has the best information about him. (1965:467)
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
Reviews on the novel, Batman Begins the Novel, by Dennis O’Neill show a discrepancy in many subjects. Many sources are giving more understanding about this work from different articles. The writer will summarize the ones that are significant to the writer’s thesis as stated into the following paragraph.
In the book The Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight (updated version), Chuck Dixon said that “Batman origin was the stuff of classic literature, an orphan alone in cruel world that Dickens never dreamed up. The most self-made of all self-made men in popular culture (2005:6)” Batman is not only a comic book but can be seen as a classic literature, seeing from the history of what this comic achieved and gave to the society of America. Bradford Wright, in St. James of Encyclopedia of Pop Culture: Batman explains that
(http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g1epc/is_tov/ai_2419100098/p g_3)
Because Batman is a symbol of both America's problems with violence and crime, and of American idealism, representing the dark side that lies in each and every person, Batman will likely always retain his place in popular culture.
According to Ed Leed, Batman Begins the Novel has been the best read of a movie tie-in for more in-depth coverage and material after the movie Batman Begins is released. The novel has been enriched by lots of Ra's Al Ghul diary notes and biography, more details about Bruce Wayne's homeless wandering years, and a long, extended Bruce Wayne search for research about Ra's Al Ghul (www. Amazon.com: Batman Begins (TM).html/exec/articles/novel/page_4).
Daniel R. Bills also said the fact that the Batman Begins the Novel is made truly for giving vivid picture of the author’s true feeling, true anger. He made the novel to show how great the great the story of Batman is. It is so perfect about how the adventure starts out for Bruce Wayne and ends up of how there is a world and a city with a hero like Batman. A great ending and a great author goes well together. It is a must to read to say the least. O’Neil proved that he knows how to capture the essence of the character, and convey desperation of a dire situation to the reader. (www. Amazon.com: Batman Begins (TM).html/exec/articles/novel/page_7)
Batman created by Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher. It more closely follows the darker psychological theme of the Batman comics and graphic novels. Batman Begins the Novel explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force for good in Gotham City.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theories of Character and Characterization
character has a specific individual. Both typified and individualized character will relate with the characterization of the character (2004: 17-18).
Klarer further explains that there are two modes of presentation: the explanatory characterization, or telling, to describe the characters through narrator; and dramatic characterization, or showing, to describe the characters without narrator or mediator, so that the readers will be able to perceive the acting as if witnessing a dramatic performance. The image of a person is shown solely through his or her utterances and actions without interfering commentary, so the objective perception, interpretation, and evaluation are in the hands of the readers. (2004: 18-19)
Another theory of characterization is presented by Murphy in his book, Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Students. He claims that there can be nine ways to classify characterization. They are:
a. Personal Description: The author provides the description explicitly in the work;
b. Character as Seen by Another: The author describes the character’s characteristics through other character’s point of view;
c. Speech: The author describes the characteristics of each character through the speech or what the person says;
e. Conversation of Others: Another clue that the author tries to convey the character to the reader is in the conversation by other characters. The person being spoken about by the author in a form of conversation given by other characters; f. Reactions: Through the reactions of the person in a certain situation and events, the author tries to present the character to the reader;
g. Direct Comment: The author gives the character of a person directly through the comment that written down on the book;
h. Thoughts: Through the thoughts of a person, the author tries to give the reader direct knowledge;
I. Mannerism: The author can describe a person’s mannerisms, habits, idiosyncrasies that may also tell something about his character (1972: 161-171).
Meanwhile, stated in the book Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing by Roberts and Jacobs, there are four ways to present information about characters as follows:
a. What the characters themselves say (and think, if the author expresses their thoughts). It is done by paying attention to their speeches; also considering whether those speeches show change or development;
b. What the characters do. It is done by observing the characters’ actions, then interpreting those actions as signs of characters;
d. What the author says about them, speaking as storyteller or observer. In a third-person point of view novel, the author gives extra information about the characters (1989: 147-148).
2. Theory of Fear
J.B. Watson, the behaviorist revolution announced his theory about fear in the book the Psychology of Fear and Stress, fear is a curios feature in behaviors explained to be as a result always and only from the presentation of an independently denumerable list of stimulus. In other words, it was the job of describing such perfect stimulus and response relationships. Watson also invented this hypnotically states that
If we are to discover the way in which the brain is involved in fear, or the way in which fear can lead to learning of new behaviour or the disruption of existing behaviors, or the extent to which a person’s susceptibility to fear is a product either of his environment or of his heredity. If we do this most vital thing, then we will be able to estimate the degree of fear (1974:34).
J.B. Watson’s four general classifications of fear stimulation are: 1. Intensity
Intensity is mode stimulations, which is very intense and capable of creating pains, example: tried to avoid intense sound, intense air blast, electric shock and etc.
2. Novelty
3. Special Evolutionary Danger
Fears towards something in a particular situations is explained to be specials and unusual, example when a particular situation is repeatedly responsible for the death of significantly large portion of the member of a species over a sufficiently large span of time
4. Social Interactions with Conspecifics
As the result of more complex evolutions, involving the development of a mutual interactions form of behavior.
3. Theory of Self Identity
Carl Rogers in the book Theories of Personality: Understanding Persons says that Self identity is tempting to base our own evaluations toward simply ideas of whether we like or dislike the potential goodness and creativity of every human being (2004:434). Roger’s theories have major relevance for psychotherapy. Roger’s made several characteristic in his the self or self-concept theory (2004:417).
a. Individual Differences
Individuals can be said to be different in their level of development and in the conditions they perceive must met to be approved by others.
b. Adaptation and Adjustment
The progress towards adaptations and adjustment in the group of people or society will lead through stages of functioning, leading to greater openness to feelings, the present and choices.
c. Cognitive Process
Thought and feeling of oneself may be impeded by accepting other messages about what should do.
d. Society
Society has tendencies to help the self centered person to improve, including for the improvement of the society itself.
e. Biological Influences
f. Child Development
Children sometimes become the victim of the alienation of the growth forces within themselves if they are raised with conditions of worth.
g. Adult Development
Through the experience of their life the self centered person can change in his adult hood, becoming freer.
According to Roger after experiencing the valuing process, the person will be self actualizing or “fully functioning” and will not lose the use of some human functions through the adverse socialization messages. Roger also made list of characteristic of a “fully functioning” person which can be interpreted as a sign of mental health (2004:420-421):
1.Openness to Experience
The “fully functioning” person is open to experiences, receptive to the subjective and objective happenings of life. In this sense, one might describe such person as having an expanded consciousness.
2. Existential Living
3. Organismic Trusting
Experience had made a person with organismic trust to rely on oneself inner experiences at each moment to guide the inner sense of what is right for him or her and will not depend to outside authorities to say what is right.
4. Experimental Freedom
The “fully functioning” person experiences freedom in each moments oneself have right to choose what is important for himself. Oneself free to choose at least and attitude toward the experiences of life.
5. Creativity
The “fully functioning” person lives creatively, he or she will find new of living at each moment of their live. They will be described as the best able adapt to new conditions.
In Introduction to Personality: Second edition, Roger explains that the theory of self emphasizes the uniquely experienced reality of the person. Behavior of one self is the immediate perceptual events as they actually experience by the individual. Because no one else –no matter how hard he/she tries, can completely assume another person “internal frames of references,” the person himself has the greatest potential for awareness of what reality is for him. In other words, each individual potentially is the world’s best expert on himself and has the best information about himself. The emphasis is on the person’s perceptions as the determinants of his own action, how one sees and interprets events determines how he reacts to them. Roger maintains that
perhaps the best conceptualized as a tendencies toward fulfillment, towards actualizations, toward the maintenance and enhancement of the organism”(1971:105)
That is why the inherent tendency of the organism (human being) is to actualize oneself. Motivation then will not become a special construct, but finally became an overall characteristic of simply being alive. The human beings who in the courses of finding one true self will engage in a valuing process. The experiences that are perceived as enhancing it are valued positively and it influences one perception and behavior. A. H. Maslow explains in his book Theories of Personality: Primary Sources and Research (1965:307-315) that when human philosophy (his nature, his goals, his potentials, his fulfillments) changes then the philosophy of politics, of economics, of ethics and values, of interpersonal relation and of history change by itself. Maslow finds that now humans are in the middle of such change in the conceptions of man capacities, potentials, and goals. New vision has been emerged of the possibilities of man and of his destiny. Maslow concludes the theory of how to help men become what they can and deeply need to become.
optimistic and favorable view of human nature. They believe people are capable of changing into better ones. They state that self-actualization will be experienced by everyone, and it should happen, because people have tendency to actualize. Self-actualization will lead people to a better person, a better self, a more humane individual. A quotation from International Encyclopedia of Psychology:
Thus, according to Rogers, full humanness involves openness to experience of all kinds without distorting them. People thus open to experience will show a flexible, existential kind of living that allows change, adaptability, and a sense of flowing. These people trust their own internal feelings of what are right, and they use the self as their basis for and guide to behavior. (1996: 1485)
Rogers, Maslow, and most self-actualization theorists point out that self actualization is an important part of human life that ought to be achieved.
D. Theoretical Frameworks
he looks and how he speaks and indirect way by showing his action toward society.
The second theory is theory of fear. J.B. Watson made several criteria to show how someone suffers by fear. Bruce Wayne suffers a lot of fear since his childhood; he is on a journey to find his own identity. His past will be the based of his changes in finding his identity.
The third theory is theory of self identity. By using theory of Carl Roger, the writer wants to explain how the Bruce Wayne Character has freedom to self identify himself as the way he wants to be, then by using models and studies of learning process, the writer will show how the changes in the character development of Bruce Wayne.
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The literary work that is going to be discussed in this thesis is Dennis O’Neill’s Batman Begins the Novel. Batman Begins the Novel is an adaptation of famous movie Batman Begins which tells about the finding self-identity as a man from an orphan whose parents are murdered in front of his eyes and this event has created some kind of self- traumatic, which later in the story the main character will be fear of crimes, dark, night and bats. The environment is very cruel, many corrupt cops and judges, crimes. The main character later tries to find his “identity”. Through the conflict within himself and society, he finds his true self identity. He believes that he is a man and he will be a new legend for himself and the community.
Batman Begins the Novel is one of the best novels created by Dennis O’Neill which was first published in New York, 2005 by Ballantine Books. This novel itself contains 305 pages and is well-known to be the most best-seller adaptation novel after the movie tie-in in the same year.
produced several novels and works of non-fiction, including the national bestseller Batman: Knightfall and The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics, as well as hundreds of comic books, reviews, teleplays, and short stories. O’Neil wrote almost all of DC’s and Marvel’s major titles, including Green Lantern, Shazam!, Spider-Man, Superman, Wonder Woman, Iron Man, Daredevil, Justice League of America, and Azrael. As an expert on comics, pop culture, and folklore/mythology, O’Neil is a popular guest at conventions and on radio and television. He lives and works in New York with his wife, Marifran
The story is about Young Bruce Wayne in search of his destiny. The heir of Wayne Empire is disappeared seven years ago, his vast fortune has been given away, and the crime began with the brutal murder of his parents and he started to feel living in the hell in Gotham city. The last holds out against corruption are outnumbered. The other side of the world in a dark Himalayan prison, a nameless, hardened man fights everyday to survive, he spent seven years scouring the globe, studying criminal mind looking for an answered to the ugly riddle (his fear) of his childhood. Here, in the darkest place of his own anger, Bruce Wayne will discover his destiny and an ordinary man will become a legend.
B. Approach of the Study
Since this study focuses more on the development character of Bruce Wayne which is influenced by family, environment, and his dark past, therefore, the psychological approach will be applied. According to Rohrberger and Woods in their book Reading and Writing about Literature, psychological approach is an approach to literature, which “involves the effort to look at and demonstrate certain recurrent patterns”, and which refers to a different body of knowledge, that is psychology (1997: 13-15). It is applied when the attention is focused on psychological interpretation for enhancing the understanding and appreciation of literature. In applying this approach, psychological theories are generally used as the interpretive tools. Further, they say that psychology is a study of man’s life together with his mind and behavior
It is also said by Guerin in his book A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature, that psychological approach is an excellent role for “reading beneath the lines”. It is the most commonly used as interpretive tool by modern critics and shown by examples how the readers may apply this mode interpretation to enhance their understanding and appreciation of literature (1979: 12).
Bruce Wayne. Therefore, the writer will apply the psychological approach to achieve better understanding of Bruce Wayne’s personality development.
C. Method of the Study
The method used in this study is library research. Beside using of Dennis O’Neil’s Batman Begin the Novel as the primary datum, the writer uses many books to support the analysis, which are available in library.
The first step of the study was reading Batman Begin the Novel thoroughly and understanding the story. After that, the writer found the suitable topic. The writer chose to analyze the character development of Bruce Wayne to find out how he conquered his fear. Therefore, the development of Bruce Wayne’s character and the influence of his family accidents and environment toward his personality became the topic of this study. To make the study more focused and comprehensive, it was necessary to state problem formulation.
Beside the primary datum, the help of secondary data were needed. The secondary data were from some books which were taken as guidance and the writer also did internet research to get extra reference to support the analysis. The theories that had been collected would be classified based on the problem formulation to make this analysis easier.
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer will elaborate the answers to the problem formulations. The first section will focus on the characteristic of Bruce Wayne. The second section will focus on the fear undergone by Bruce Wayne. In this part the writer will also do same thing as done in the previous part, which is finding the fear undergone by the character. From both analyses, the writer will answer how Bruce Wayne conquers his own fear to reveal his self identity found in both achievements.
A. The Characteristic of Bruce Wayne in Batman Beginsthe Novel
The character discussed in this thesis is the main character, Bruce Wayne. In the novel Bruce Wayne’s characteristic will be described into two parts, the first part is Bruce Wayne childhood and the second part is Bruce Wayne adulthood.
According to Richard Dewey in The Development of Human Behavior, a person’s personality can be seen through his characteristic. The social behavior of a man arises through the interaction of the humans themselves with the world outside. Every behavior, in which a man has engaged, is engaging, or will ever engage, is a manifestation of human nature. Murphy also explain his theory in his book Understanding Unseen, that personal description of a character can be traced from speech, the author’s direct comment, conversation with other character, thought, and reaction.(1972:13)
In this analysis, the character of Bruce Wayne can be explored from how Bruce speaks, other character’s comments toward Bruce (Alfred the Butler, Ra’s Al Ghul, Henri Ducard, Detective Gordon, Rachel, the Author itself and many others), Bruce personal thoughts. Following are Bruce’s characteristics that build his character in the novel:
1. Bruce Wayne’s Childhood a. Intelligent
Bruce Wayne in his childhood is considered to be an intelligent kid. He is a quick learner. As an heir of Wayne Enterprises, Bruce had been prepared by his family to have great education and knowledge needed to become the successor of Wayne Enterprise.
and refinies, food and agricultural technology, computers, aerospace company, own record label, even the premiere news paper in the world, the daily planet, and many other.
(http://www. wikipedia.com/batman/wayneenterprises.htm)
Having such history, no wonder Bruce’s parents always encourage little Bruce to study more and more. Bruce Wayne’s intelligence is described below through the direct comment of the Ras Al Ghul:
Bruce know that his parents disagreed about Miss Daisy because he had overheard them arguing. Father wanted Bruce to attend a regular public school. He used words Bruce was unfamiliar with, words like “pampered” and “overprotected.” Mother replied that there was no public school near Wayne Manor and to drive Bruce into the city would be a hardship on whoever had to do it. Finally, they compromised: Bruce would be “Home schooled” until he was teenager, at which time he would go to Mark Twain High School in Ossaville, a town that was, apparently, closer than Gotham.
Meanwhile, Mother taught Bruce geography and arithmetic every morning until lunch, and one to three Miss Daisy taught history and English. (2005:13)
Parents always want the best for their children even though it seems ridiculous and too overprotected. Parents’ love is pure. They will do everything to make their children in great care.
Bruce as the heir of a great enterprise, never learns how to fight, he gets beaten up just for fun, or even he has to beg for food or mercy. Bruce really feels all frustrated and scared. But he tries to calm himself then forces himself learn how to fight all. His intelligence in reading the situation or calculating all the action before it happens and brings him to victory. Bruce becomes a fast-learner in close combat strategy, which this later on will be useful to help him fight the crime as Batman. Along the way on his journey, Bruce also learns many things including some tactics and ways how to steal cars, medical treatment, acupuncture, and many more.
b. Adventurous
According to Scott Beaty in his book BATMAN: the Ultimate Guide to Darknight, Wayne Manor, the personal residence of Wayne’s family, belongs to Wayne family for almost 150 years. It is located in the wealthy crest hill community of the Bristol Township. The manor is so old and huge. It is designed as a fortress inspired by the Gothic edifices of old Gotham and later redesigned by the famous architect Cyrus Pinkrey into a Modern Manor (2005:40-41). Having such grand manor made little Bruce Wayne curios and always want to explore. At first little Bruce does not know that it is a mansion, all he knows that his home is only his parents house and garden. The house is located apart from the main manor.
they were all he had ever known, apart from Mother, Father, and funny old Alfred. (2005:6)
Little Bruce Wayne always likes to play at staff house located near the manor. Even though the place is strange, full of different smells and old furniture, it is his favorite place. With Rachel, his best friend, one of the maid’s daughters, he explores every room and then ventures outside. However, still there are places which are forbidden for them to venture.
Over the next three years, Bruce had his mother called “play dates” with the other kids, including some secretly wished would stay away, but Rachel was the friend he saw the most. Sometimes, they would go to where she lived, which seemed very strange to Bruce, full of different smells and old furniture, but mostly they play at Bruce’s. Together, they explored every room and then ventured outside. Once, they asked if they could play at the guesthouse, near the front gate, where Mother and Father sometimes entertained friends over week ends, but Mother thought it was not such a good idea. But they could pretty much go anywhere else on the ground, as long as they still stayed within the high fences (2005:7).
The curiosity of Little Bruce does not ended, until one day, out of his own curiosity Little Bruce and Rachel dare to take their adventure to the next level, they secretly venture beyond the gate. They discover big silvery things. Alfred, Bruce’s loyal butler said it was a “green house”. Later this place will be explained as the place where Bruce got his “Fears”.
No matter what happened to him, Little Bruce never wants to stop to ventures. This later is seen in his action as Batman, working as a detective who likes to venture and explore to find the answer to any cases.
c. Lonely
Bruce does not have a lot of friends, he is a loner. Because of his family status which can be regarded as high society and they stay far away from the main city of Gotham, which Wayne Manor itself is located far away in the hill outside of Gotham city. This situation makes little Bruce does not have a lot of friend. Mother and Father see that this situation cannot be good for little Bruce development. Therefore, they decide at little Bruce fourth birthday, to give a surprise party for little Bruce. They bring a lot of other children to come into the house. They are all having fun, yelling, running around, but still this situation does not change little Bruce situation. Little Bruce understands that he has to like them, he has to play with them, he has to have fun with them, but he could not. Except for one, little Bruce sees a girl which are taller than he is, she does not yell and run around like the others. Her name is Rachel and she is nice. Rachel is little Bruce’s best friend.
During his fourth birthday party, Mother, Father and Alfred brought other children into the house, a lot of other children, who yelled and ran around and give him present. He knew he supposed to like them, but he couldn’t. Except for one, she was a little taller than Bruce and she wore a yellow dress and white shoes and in her hair, a yellow ribbon. She didn’t yell a run like the others. Her name was Rachel and she was nice.
Even though little Bruce born in high society, all the luxury and pleasure does not make him become arrogant. He has a best friend which is a daughter of house keeper. That shows how he respects other and never differentiates people.
2. Bruce Wayne’s Adulthood
a. Having similar characteristics with Siddhartha
The history of Siddhartha reveals that Siddhartha was born to be a holy man, a new savior, a new king. Learning that the new born Prince will become a holy man, the king provides everything that Siddhartha wants or needs. Siddhartha seems to be imprisoned inside the palace, with golden bars and great services, the king never allowed Siddhartha to see the outside world. All Siddhartha could see is “goodness”. He could not see the truth behind the wall of palace, where “darkness” takes place. Siddhartha is a wealthy young prince, whom has been sheltered from harshness of reality until one day he left his father. He grounds and encounters the truth.
Siddhārtha was born in Lumbini, Nepal, under the full moon of the sixth lunar month, in the spring. His father was Śuddhodana (Pāli Suddhodana), of the Kṣatriya varṇa, was the chief (rājā, or king) of the Śākya nation, one of several ancient tribes on the margins of the growing state of Kośala (Pāli Kosala). His mother was Māyādevī, King Sudhodhana's wife. The day of the Buddha's birth is widely celebrated in Buddhist countries as Vesak. Gautama was born a prince, destined to a luxurious life, with three palaces. All traditions agree that the Buddha's mother died at his birth or a few days later. During the birth celebrations, the seer Asita announced that this baby would either become a great king (chakravartin) or a great holy
man. His father, King Śuddhodana, wishing for Gautama to be a great
was provided with everything he could want or need, Gautama was troubled and dissatisfied. (www.wikipedia.com/Gautama Buddha.htm) This situation also happens to little Bruce Wayne. At college, he has an assignment from his professor to analyze the Buddhist’s legend of Siddhartha. After reading the material he realizes that he also has the same experience as Siddhartha, coming from the same wealthy family and is destined to be the successor of great kingdom. He feels that he is imprisoned by his parents. He could not go outside, the only place he familiar with is only his parents mansion, he identifies it as “indoor” and the garden as “outdoors”. After Bruce Wayne’s parents die, he finally realizes that this world is full of “darkness”, not the “goodness” that he always receives inside the Wayne manor. Bruce has to go outside his own “wall”, he has his mission to save Gotham city from the corruption. Bruce makes a journey to find his own self an “answer” and “desperation” to find the true meaning of his life.
b. Full of Vengeance
He mugged then killed both little Bruce’s parents. Joe Chill claims that the mug towards the Wayne’s parents because of the desperation of the times (Gotham was undergoing an economic depression at that time). But not so long after the mugging and the killing Joe Chill has been arrested by the police and gets sentences for life. Bruce is too young and could not do anything to help his parents.(2005:19-20)
c. Full of Hatred toward Crime
Young Bruce lost his parents when he was still a little child. Bruce is really shocked, realizing that he is a little child, he could not do anything to protect his parents toward a man with a gun (2005:19-20). Growing into a young man he realizes that now is the right time to take revenge to the man who killed his parents. He really hates the man who killed his parents. Joe Chill is the first person who makes him experience crime; he is mugging then killing his parents. After Joe Chill has been murdered by one’s of Carmine Falcone follower, Bruce finally realizes that Falcone is one of biggest criminals. Falcone has everything; he has money to buy the city. Many important people in the house of law, the union-official, the councilmen, the off-duty cops, and the judges work under his hand. Knowing that the criminal has more power than the government has made Bruce vow to bring “justice” to Gotham City, not just a mere “justice” but “the real justice”. Bruce needs “power” to obtain his real “justice”. Bruce starts his journey to seek power and conquer his own fear. He wants to destroy crime (2005:38-41).
d. Perseverant
he experiences sleeping in filthy place, on the rags on the corner of engine room, eating everything from everyone had eaten, and working hard although Bruce knows that it is possible to work. He is lifting heavy crates, pulling heavy cables, scraping paint off the ship’s hull, cleaning foul-smelling gunk from the bilges. Everybody in the ship does not really pay much attention to him. On the second week, the tormented time has begun. If one lives his life in the underworld, he has to be prepared. Many people will try to hurt, or destroy you just for fun. Bruce always gets beaten senselessly by many sailors on the boat that he uses to start his journey, but he always survives the beating. Then he meets a Bosun’s mate, named Hector. Bruce thought that he is finally going to make friends, but Bosun is the person who always torments him. They always fight each other. Beating after beating does not make Bruce give up or afraid of Hector or other shipmates. Bruce learns how to fight back, his intelligence does not make him stop studying. Bruce does hard working in lifting heavy crates; pulling heavy cables has given him an extra power to survive from the beating. He finally learns how to defend himself and beat up everyone on the ship who makes fun of him (2005:45-48). Never giving up in trying has made Bruce born into a new person. He learns how to defend himself, how to protect himself, and to protect others.
“answers” that he was looking for the first place. Only wearing a canvas jacket with frayed sleeves, Bruce climbs the mountain, with wind slowly increases in pitch by the time he tops a steep. He climbs in frigid air. He needs food, rest and warmth. The higher he climbs, it is colder and windier, but he passes the test for not giving up his way climbing the mountain with crawling. He finally arrives at the place he was searching for (2005:59-61).
e. Becoming a Multi-billionaire Playboy
After coming back from his journey, Bruce has to cover of his new identity as a crime-fighter; he has to do many things. He makes a phenomenal come back. Bruce as a new-born Prince of Gotham city goes back to town from his exiles, using all of his family fortune to get himself a fun. He wastes a lot of his money, which could be used to buy the entire Gotham city, Bruce’s family since his great-great grandfather runs almost all of the factories that are built in Gotham city, Bruce’s family fortune wouldn’t be running out if it all spent for almost 10th generation or might be more (http://www. wikipedia.com/batman/wayneenterprises.htm)
Batman, in front of them. Vicky Vale, a famous Photo journalist which later on well be will-known as Catwoman; Pamela Isley, later on will be well-known as Poison Ivy; Talia Ra’s Al Ghul, the daughter of Ra’s Al Ghul, Bruce’s first love a famous actress; Julie Madison, and other girls (2005:30-31)
In covering his identity as crime-fighter, Bruce always makes phenomenal things considered crazy or even not necessary. In one of the famous hotel, Gotham Arms, using his brand new Lamborghini Murchielago, and two blond girls, Bruce goes dinner at the Puccio’s, a famous restaurant which occupies the top floor of the hotel. In the dinner both of Bruce’s girls, Kiki and Sooze are making a scene. They are slipping their dress, giggling into pool, which is only a decoration. Maitre d’ then tells Bruce that both of the girls are swimming without a swimsuit inside a pool, which is only a decoration. Bruce then takes checkbook from inner pocket, uncapped a gold fountain pen, and begin to write. Bruce demands the Maitre d’ to give the check to the owner of the Hotel. He wants to buy the hotel, and wants to change a rule about pool area. Bruce then walks to the pool and join with the girls inside the pool (2005:184-186).
Bruce’s crazy action brings many controversies through the high society. Many people then talk about Bruce’s crazy actions, and forget that Bruce Wayne is Batman.
B. The Fear Undergone by Bruce Wayne in Batman Beginsthe Novel
dirt, gasping, and sobbing. He is really terrified with what just happen he just stays there crying and can do nothing until his father and Alfred come and calm him down (2005:8-10)
This incident has caused a major problem for Bruce. His traumas towards dark places and bats have caused him in loosing his parents. According to Watson’s general classification of fear stimulation, Bruce Wayne has experience the Intensity and Novelty, because Bruce’s experience on such an intense creating pain to Bruce psychological development. Watson explains that suddenness is in general an important factor in determining how effective a stimulus in affecting fear (1974:20). Bruce’s sudden incidence has created mixed cases toward the intensity and novelty which will stimulate fear.
2. Fears of the Blame for being the Cause of his Parents’ Death
The incidents that happened towards Thomas and Martha, Bruce’s parents have made Bruce really stress-out. Bruce blames himself for the incident that happens toward his parent’s. His parents get killed because of his fault, because of his traumatic incident towards bats has made him become the most responsible person for killing Thomas and Martha Wayne.
place, and then his father decides to go outside to get some fresh air and had a little walk (2005:18). The problem starts from here. After getting out of the opera house they take a little walk. At a small alley out of the dark, a mugger named Joe Chill comes out. This is the first time in his life that Bruce adding a word “crime” into his lexicon. Another fear has struck him, a mugger with a gun in his hand. As a little child, he cannot do anything to protect himself or perhaps to protect his parents. Then the fear has continued, his father and mother killed in front of him. He cannot do anything, he just stays there, startles, stung on his knees silent, even unable to talk or cry. He stays there until the police find him and bring him back to the Wayne Manor (2005:19-21)
At the cemetery, on Bruce parents’ funeral day, he is still silent just like the day when his parents got killed. He shocks because of the incident that has happen to his parents. After the funeral, he finally starts to talk; he talks without knowing what he is going to say. He talks to Alfred, “It was my fault Alfred, it was my fault” (2005:25). Bruce blames himself for the incident which has happened to his parents. He thinks that if he did not force his parents to get out of the opera house just of because of his stupid trauma this incident would not happen. Bruce would still have his parents. This incidence becomes Bruce reason of choosing to become a crime-fighter. He does not want to see other children end like him, losing their parents.
unusual situation. This situation will develop inside Bruce and will be an innate fear to the stimuli characteristic of the situation and thus he will try to avoid them (1974:21). This situation cannot be easily forgotten, Bruce will always be haunted with the blame, with the insecurity of his own feeling. Bruce still thinks that he has to be responsible with what had happen to his parents.
3. Fear of Power
The last fear which is becoming the most dominant reason for Bruce to start his journey to find his true self is power. With the entire problem which has happened to Bruce, having the incident that finally makes him afraid of bats, and the result of his trauma is his father and mother being killed in front of him. Bruce blames himself for what which had happened. All of the fear that have struck him, finally make him decides to take revenge to the murder of his parents, Joe Chill. Meanwhile, another man named Carmine Falcone, a big boss of a gangster that runs the Gotham city, sends his followers to kill Chill, because Chill wants to testify against Falcone for an early parole. Seeing that his revenge is finally paid even though it is not Bruce who kills Chill, he feels satisfied with what had happened. However, he feels that something is not right. Bruce finally decides to meet Falcone not to thank him for the killing but to say that he is not afraid. Bruce is unable to realize from where he gets such bravery to say such things to Carmine Falcone, the big boss of gangster that rule over Gotham city.
Falcone shows that almost all important parts of this town work under him; he has the “power”, the power that even all of Bruce fortune cannot even buy. Falcone has the “power” of fear.
All those people, watching me get beaten… What had Falcone said? That’s the power you can’t buy. The power of fear (2005:41)
Falcone makes Bruce realize that Bruce means nothing to Falcone. According to Falcone, Bruce is a kind of people who has such an accident, the murder of his parents. Bruce feels like the ugly side of life, but it is not like that, that is only a simple things. Bruce never experiences “desperation” because he is the prince of Gotham city. For Falcone this is a world that for someone likes Bruce is hard to understand, this world is cruel, and this world always brings “fear” to someone who does not understand it. Bruce has tasted another “fear”, “fear” that might guide him to find his true self. Bruce finally decided to start his journey. Bruce wants to obtain the true “power”; he needs to learn “fear”, and use “fear” as “power”.
3. Bruce Wayne’s Conquering Fear to Reveal his Self Identity
The analysis of the main character, Bruce Wayne, will be helpful in revealing Bruce Wayne’s real self identity. In accordance to Carl Roger’s theories of self identity in the book Introduction to Personality, fear can also be a factor to develop on one’s characteristic into a person who has a greatest potential of awareness towards himself, the person who has best information towards himself (1971:106). The analysis of how Bruce conquers his own fear to reveal his true self will be explained below:
a. Bruce’s Conquering his Fear of Bat and Dark Places, and Revealing his Self Identity
Bruce fears towards bat and dark places, have caused him major problem in his life. To conquer his fears, Bruce has decided to go on a journey to find a power to conquer all the fear he had. One of Bruce’s reasons in starting a journey is because he finds his life similar to Siddhartha.
Suddenly Bruce stopped in midstrife as he realized, astonished, that he identified with Siddhartha (2005:06)
truth of life. Life is not as good as what he always thinks; full of laugh and party. Then he decides to start to have himself a journey to find revelation. In the journey, Bruce learns a lot. He experiences becoming a criminal, pick pocket, thief, mugger to survive everyday in life. He has to understand the life of underworld; Bruce needs that to overcome his fear. He keeps on seeking the truth, but nothing comes up. Bruce gets bored living in ‘hell’ and finally decides to give up. Then Bruce meets Ducard, a man with a vision of making this world into a chaos. He promises Bruce that he may get what Bruce seeks if Bruce follows him
My name is Henri Ducard, but I speak for Ras’s al Ghul. A man greatly feared by the criminal under world. A man who can offer a path you a path? What makes you think I need a path? Someone like you is only here by choice. You’ve exploring the criminal fraternity (2005:57)
Bruce decides to follow Ducard. Ducard’s last message to Bruce is if Bruce wanted to find him, Bruce needs to find himself
A rare flower, blue poppies, that only grows in the eastern slopes. If you can carry it to the top of the mountain, you may find what you were looking for in the first place (2005:58)
Bruce starts his journey again to find Ducard. He climbs the mountain which is snowing and incredibly windy and cold. Though many times Bruce has fallen, but he never gives up, he tries patiently finding the blue poppies and climbs to the top of the mountain to find Ducard. After battling against the frosty mountain Bruce finally succeeds and reaches the top of mountain. He finds Ducard. Bruce demands Ducard an answer of what he seeks. Then Ducard replies
Ducard then teaches Bruce how to protect himself. He teaches Bruce Ninjitsu, yoga and meditation. The training of both mind and body is resulted in a relaxed alertness rather that reasoned thought (2005:67-71). The training in the top of the mountain has ended after Bruce decides not to follow Ducard’s evil way. After 7 years searching his self identity Bruce decides to return to Gotham.
I haven’t figure out the legal ramifications of raising you from dead, dead? It’s been seven years, you had me declared dead? Actually, it was Mr. Earle. He wanted to liquidate your majority shareholding. He’s taking the company public. Your shares brought in an enormous amount of capital (2005:98-99)
Bruce decides not to live his life as Bruce Wayne. A man is just flesh and blood and could be ignored or destroyed. A man creates a Symbol, which would be incorruptible, everlasting. A symbol that the underworld would be recognized as a persona to protect those who are about to be endangered from reprisal (2005:95)
Bruce tries to embrace his worst fear, and he realizes that bats and dark places are the safest revelation for his life: “Bats are nocturnal. Bats are symbolic, elemental, terrifying. Bats frightened me and it is time my enemies share my dread.” (2005:181). Bruce intelligent characteristic will create ability for Bruce to adapt his fear toward bats and dark places into a revelation. He uses his weakness to overcome his hatred toward crimes, which is also one of Bruce’s characteristics.
toward bats and dark places even he uses it as weapon to fight crimes. Fighting crimes is the decision Bruce has made and it is resulted Bruce self identity. As a “fully functioning” person or a self centered, who had been explained in Roger’s theory, in the journey Bruce expresses his openness to experience, creativity, existential living and organism trusting. The journey brings him into his final destination as a crime fighter known as Batman.
b. Bruce’s Conquering his Fear of being Blamed to be the cause of his Parents’ Death, and Revealing his Self Identity
Bruce’s fears toward to the blame that Bruce himself is the reason of his parent’s death,
Suddenly Bruce felt the urge to speak swelling within him and without knowing what he was going to say, he blurred it was my fault Alfred, they dead and it was my fault (2005:25)
Ducard broke the silence by asking Bruce a question; do you still fell responsible for your parent’s death? My anger outweigh my guilt, Bruce replies (2005:66)
Having lot of experiences in his journey, Bruce learns to understand the subjective and objective happening of life. In each moment he experiences new things, new ideas, new friends, new enemies, and new facts of life. He learns to adapt and starts to grow bit by bit. Bruce slowly opens his mind to live fully. He is not a loner anymore, as explained as one of his characteristics. Bruce’s characteristic then grows into “fully functioning” and he finally finds his last resort, his true self identity. After learning how to overcome his fear towards the blame that Bruce himself is the reason of his parents’ death by having a journey, Bruce decides to dedicate his life as a crime fighter. Bruce’s main reason why does he choose to dedicate his life in fighting crimes is because he does not want other children lost their parents’ love to experience the same incident as has happened to him. Through the journey he learns that he cannot just stand still do nothing and always blame himself for what has happened; he has to start waking up and to fight back. The only motivation for Bruce to dedicate his life fighting crimes is because he tries to redeem his sins towards his parents’ death. Bruce thinks that his parents will be proud with the decision of what he chooses in his life. For Bruce himself the decision he makes is to conquer his fear and finally to reveal his true self identity.
Finding an aim in his life makes Bruce stronger and more powerful than before. The journey that he has will change his past character and his future. Bruce will be born as a new person. Bruce will achieve a great ‘power’ more than he can imagine. He uses his own fear to protect what or who is important to him. Fear becomes Bruce’s ‘power’. He believes that if he can not defeat the fear, then why not using the fear itself to help him to conquer the fear. Bruce believes that
…if you make yourself more than a man, devoted your self to what you believe, then if they or even society can not stop you, then you will become something else entirely, become a legend (2005:57)
The ‘power’ that Bruce has, become a weapon in fighting crimes. Bruce learns through his journey after living in the underworld that money or something valuables in this world can not be used to buy ‘power’. You yourself have to create the ‘power’. Using fear as ‘power’ will be the answer. If someone is afraid of or fear of something, this something will take over the control of that someone. Fear is a great exception, which is usually the last enemy a man conquers. In order to do so, people must be forced to do whatever is necessary. Unfortunately those people sometimes fail in this ultimate test. Fear becomes the most weakness, and it has great effects toward every human being. Using this ultimate poison is the answer to Bruce conquering his fear. Carl Roger in the book Theories of Personality: Understanding Persons also observed that one unable to change until he/she accepts who really he/she is (2004:423).
experience, creativity, and existential living. All the fears that happen to Bruce Wayne have been conquered. This process makes him able to reveal his self identity as a crime fighter.
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION
Self Identity can be achieved only by going through a process, along with strong motivation and perseverance. For the first time, a person must recognize when this need of self identity to arise. This recognition appears within oneself, and no one could know other than oneself.
In Batman Begins the Novel, the main character feels this need surfaces from within himself, not by force of others. Bruce Wayne thinks it is his time to know the answer of big questions appeared in his mind. He then decides to leave his home, his belonging, even his joy and comfort ness in order to find the answer for his questions. Why would he do that when he already has everything a man could ask for? No one could ever give the exact answer. No one might understand it. Nevertheless, he is very determined to fulfill this need.
comprehend the philosophy of it, as well as the philosophy of life and its essence. He is able to find the answers to his questions, in the end of his journey. By some changes he becomes a self identity person. Being a self identity person helps him in reaching his enlightenment.
The key of Bruce Wayne’s way to self identity is his willingness to confess his defense. He tries to seek the answer from teachers or from teachings, which he thinks he will find in the outer world; but he is wrong. This will only prove that he does not know about himself, because the answer lies within him. After he admits his shortcoming then he knows that he must recognize himself first, that is to be honest with him. He works hard to know more about himself by opening himself to new things. The experiences will finally reveal the real self and give him the fulfillment of his self-actualization.
The truth is Bruce Wayne is afraid of his true identity because between his true identity and what he thinks of who he really is badly different. It may destroy each other. Then he admits that he has to know who he really is. He opens himself to new experiences. He is able to see the other side of the world, also the other option for his life, which is to feel happy. Finally, he realizes that he cannot choose one personality out of the other because it kills his identity. He learns to accept his condition. He learns to lighten up his life, and learns to live better after turning into a better person. To conquer his fear and become a self Identity person, Bruce Wayne decides to protect all the people he love.
identity because he is honest to himself and willing to grow to be better by taking responsibility and choosing wisely. He tries to admit his mistakes, and he works hard to overcome it. Those factors make Bruce Wayne succeed in fulfilling his needs; as the result, Bruce Wayne lives a better life, becomes positive and optimistic after successfully conquering his fear.
The second is the journey and experiences that Bruce Wayne have. Bruce Wayne starts with the recognition about the urge to fulfill a greater need, which is conquering his own fear, then the follows his journey to overcome his fear. Bruce Wayne can get back to his feet again with the help and support of his close friends and even from all the people he meets on his journey as his mentors. Eventually, Bruce acquires the answer he looks for, and become a self identity individual.
The writer finds other significant things in the effort of achieving self identity, which is the importance of motivation and determination. The presence of motivation and determination in each person creates difference realizations. Bruce Wayne’s realization is based on strong motivation and determination. That is why he can fulfill his journey successfully. Bruce Wayne then becomes strong-willed and motivated by the help of his friends.
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APPENDIX
Appendix Summary of Dennis O’Neil’s Batman Begins the Novel
Batman Begins the Novel is a novel based on the comic book character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The novel is more focussed on the darker psychological theme of the Batman comics and graphic novels. It was a financial and critical success.
The story is about Young Bruce Wayne in search of his destiny. A young 8-year old Bruce Wayne ,while playing with young Rachel Dawes, falls down a well and is attacked by a flurry of bats. After his father, Thomas Wayne, pulls him from the well, Bruce begins having nightmares about bats. One night, the Waynes go to the opera where Bruce becomes scared at some of the dancers' portrayals of bat-like demons (from Mefistofele). Bruce experiences a panic attack and begs his father to leave the theatre early. The family exits into an alley where they are confronted by a mugger, who, despite the calm submission of Thomas, shoots both him and his wife. Fatally wounded with a bullet in his chest, Thomas Wayne's last words to his son are, "Don't be afraid." Bruce is left physically unharmed, but in a state of total shock.
which was arranged as part of a deal to testify against the crime boss Carmine Falcone. Rachel Dawes is now a Gotham City Assistant District Attorney. The
killer is granted parole, but is murdered immediately after the hearing by a mob operative. Bruce Wayne was planning to kill him as well, but was robbed of the opportunity. When Rachel learns this, she explains the difference between vengeance and justice to Bruce, and then tells him that his father would be ashamed. Bruce becomes ashamed of himself and promptly goes to confront Falcone. After the fateful meeting, a disillusioned Wayne steals away on a cargo ship, and travels the world for seven years, seeking the means to fight injustice and "turn fear against those who prey on the fearful."
Bruce Wayne journey has brought into arrested and jailed by Chinese police for the theft of goods that, ironically, belong to Wayne Enterprises. In jail he is approached by Henri Ducard (representing Ra's al Ghul of the League of Shadows, a group of fanatical assassins. Traveling to the home of the League of Shadows in the Himalayas, Wayne learns to use theatrics and deception as his greatest weapons. However, after his training, Ra
