In the
graphic novel Watchmen, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons utilize the graphic novel
form to highlight the shock of same characters for example, showing how Laurie
Juspeczyk deals with the rape of her mother by the hand of the Comedian and how
the murder of a young girl transforms Walter Kovacs into Rorschach.
However, one
character's story connects the personal trauma with one of the novel's main
themes and one of the major global issues discussed today, the fear of nuclear
devastation. That character is John Osterman, the man who becomes Dr.
Manhattan.
After his
father realizes the power of the Atomic Bomb and after hearing of its effects
on Hiroshima, a watchmaker, force his son to enter a career as an atomic
physicist.
In an unexpected accident at work, Jon is
vaporized in an experimental intrinsic field chamber. However, Jon does not die
in the experiment; he slowly reassembles himself, using his new ability to
"control atomic structure" (Moore 4: 13). Reformed into a human-like
(God figure) being with blue skin and blank white eyes, Jon tries to return to
a normal life.
Nevertheless,
because of his appearance, his super-human powers, and the lasting emotional
consequences of his accident, he cannot. His powers make him crucial to
America's defense strategy and the government even renames him Dr. Manhattan.
Although the
fear of nuclear weapons and the devastation they can make, is an important
global issue still present today, because of the many unstable nations like
North Korea and some Islamic countries that are in possession of nuclear
weapons.
That fear in
the decade in which the novel was published was present in the everyday life.
The fear of a possible atomic war between America and Russia was the central
focus of the cold war, and is even the main reason of the plan architectured by
Ozymandies to re-establish the peace and a worldwide cooperation.
As we all
know the power of nuclear weapons and the destruction they can provoke is a
major global issue still discussed today.
Sources: http://www.cfr.org/proliferation/global-nuclear-nonproliferation-regime/p18984
RispondiEliminahttp://www.dccomics.com/watchmen
Good point, fre p! I agree that this is one of the most important aspects of the novel, both in terms of themes and character motivation. It is also a very prevalent issue today. Do any of you out there on the www think that no country should have nuclear weapons? Or is it okay for some countries and not others?
RispondiEliminaI liked your point of view fre p, especially the fact you listed the fact that today some countries have nuclear power. It is too strong to have and too difficult to control, for this reason, it should be banned by the state in order to prevent future catastrophees.
RispondiEliminaI agree with you richyrich. There should be no nuclear power and no wars...this world should be more worried about having a good economic time instead of declaring war one with the other which only has negative effects.
RispondiEliminaI agree with part of your point of view. Still i think that the possession of nuclear weapons cannot be stopped, the main question that always comes out is: Is it right to have many countries posses them so that no one will start a nuclear war since it might be the end of the world, or no one should even invent them. The solution to the last one is quite impossible to start, because the world is full of secrets and you might never know which small or big individual or group could be attempting its escalation to power through weapons of mass destruction. Jeff tW
RispondiEliminaInteresting questions, Jeff te wizard. I am American, and gun control is a major topic in my country. There are some people who say no one should have guns, and others who say everyone should have guns! There are of course then some people in between. Can the same logic for those arguments be applied to nuclear weapons and their control?
Elimina