Violence

"Some men just want to watch the world burn"-Alfred

Although there is much violence in the movie, history in America contains probably ten times more violence than the film. But there is always reasons why people resort to violence and a specific reason that is presented in both the film and in history is the use of violence to generate attention for an idea of an individual or group. One particular event in history that applies this idea was during the Industrialization Era of the Haymarket Tragedy. Terrence Powderly, leader of the Knights of Labor Union, insisted that the use of strikes in the union would “jeopardize the union’s public standing.” He proved to be right when the union went on strikes and lead to the tragedy in the Chicago’s Haymarket Square. This accidentally resulted in the idea that the Knights of Labor were anarchist by popular belief. The only difference of this event to the movie is that Joker purposely thought out his acts of violence, such as blowing up the hospital, to express his idea of anarchy and “wanted to see the world burn” as described by Alfred.

Soldiers in Vietnam fighting to preserve ideas

            One major era in United States history where violence was waged to preserve the idea that capitalism is better than communism was throughout the Cold War wars. In the document “Diplomat George F. Kennan Advocated Containment” implies that the U.S. must contain the growth of communism, and they did this through fighting wars that attempted to keep the Soviets at bay and keep the “dominoes from falling.” Those bloody and grotesque wars were the Korean War, Vietnam War above all, and the operations in Cuba.

            One specific event that closely resembles Jokers spread of an idea through violence is the bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City, by Timothy McVeigh in 1995. McVeigh’s intention for his actions was because he frustrated with the government and expresses his idea of anti-government through his act of violence. I am sure that there are many more acts of violence that had a motive to express an idea, but throughout American history, I believe the ones listed above are the most important and relate to the film.