JournalofReligionandFilm

TheJokerIsSatan,andSoAreWe:Girard
andTheDarkKnight
ByCharlesK.Bellinger
TheologicalLibrarian
Assoc.Prof.ofTheologyandEthics
BriteDivinitySchool

Vol.13,No.1April2009
TheJokerIsSatan,andSoAreWe:
GirardandTheDarkKnight
ByCharlesK.Bellinger
TheologicalLibrarian
Assoc.Prof.ofTheologyandEthics
BriteDivinitySchool
Abstract
ThisessaycommentsonTheDarkKnightfromthepointofviewofRene
Girard'stheoryofviolence.ThenotableGirardianresonancesofthefilmare
mentionedinconnectionwithsuchthemesassociallymediateddesirefor
money,romanticrivalry,andscapegoating.TheJokerisinterpretedasa
particularlypowerfulSatanfigure,whoilluminatesGirard'sconceptionofthe
satanicbasisofhumanculture.
Article
[1]TheDarkKnightisamoviethatisbreakingboxofficerecords.Why?Becauseitisapowerful
expressionoftheologicalideas.Ineedtoelaborateabitonthisapparentlyoddstatement.Let'slist,in
noparticularorder,someofthemainthemesofthemovie:TheJoker'smaingoalisnotacquiring
money,butsowingchaosanddestructionBruceWayneandHarveyDentarerivalsfortheaffectionof
RachelDawesthepoliceforceisfilledwithcorruptionBatman'sexploitshaveproducedcopycats,
imitatorsthe"lawabidingcitizens"andthe"criminals"aredistinctgroupsofpeople...aren'tthey?..
.oraretheyallinthesameboat?asymbolof"justice,"suchasHarveyDent,canbeseducedtojoin
"thedarkside"criminalsoftenkilleachother,takinggreedtoanirrationalextreme.Thesethemescan
beelucidatedveryeffectivelywithreferencetothewritingsofRenGirard.
[2]IfyouarenotfamiliarwithGirard,Iwillprovideabriefoutlineofhistheoryofculture.Thetheory
beginswiththeconceptofdesire.Humanbeingshavebasicnaturaldesires.Ifmystomachsendshunger
signalstomybrain,thenIhaveadesireforfood.Butbecausehumanbeingsarehighlysocialcreatures,
ourbasicnaturaldesiresveryquicklybecomeoverlaidwithcomplexpatternsofsocialmediation.Imay
feelhungry,whichisaninternal,naturaldesire,butifIseeacommercialforBurgerKinganddecideto
satisfymyhungerbyeatingaWhopper,thenmydesirehasbecomesociallymediated.
[3]Girardusesthephrase"mimeticdesire"todescribethisbedrockphenomenonofhumanpsychology.
Wemaythinkthatourdesiresareinternallygenerated,butmostofthetimewedonotknowwhatwe
shoulddesireuntilwelookaroundatothersandseewhattheyaredesiring.Wemime,mimic,imitate
thedesiresofothers,particularlythoseotherswhoappeartousasmodelsofsuccessfulliving.The

modelsstrikeusashavingagreaterfullnessofbeingthanwehaveinordertobelikethemwemust
desiretopossessthethingsthattheypossess.Therearemanyexamplesofmimeticdesire.Iftwosmall
childrenareinaroomthathasmanytoysinit,whatwillhappen?Onechildwillstartplayingwitha
particulartoyandtheotherchildwillthenwantthattoyalso,andatugofwarwillensue.Thiswill
happenevenifthereisanidenticalorequivalenttoyintheroom.Thisisaperfectexampleofthe
phenomenonofmimeticdesire,whichisnotpredicatedonscarcitythescarcityofobjectsisnot
relevantbecauseanartificialscarcityiscreatedbytheprocessofmimickinganotherperson.When
childrengrowintoadults,mimeticdesiredoesnotfadeawayitsimplytakesmoresophisticatedforms.
Ihavealreadyreferredtoadvertizingasakeyshaperofsociallymediateddesires.Ingeneral,the
strategyofadvertisersistopresenthappy,beautiful,successfulpeoplewhoownoruseacertain
product.Youshouldowntheproductalsoifyouwanttomimictheirsuccessinlife.Inmanywaysthe
stockmarketisamimeticphenomenon,asisfashion.Theconceptof"fashion"isnotlimitedonlyto
clothingitalsoincludeslifestyleitemssuchasiPods,cars,computers,andaviddevotiontosports
teamsorNASCARdrivers.Thephenomenonoftheromantictriangle,twomenfightingoverawoman,
isacommonthemeinliterature,television,andmovies.Inhisworksofliterarycriticism,Girardtraces
therootsofromanticrivalryasitisunveiledintheworksofkeyauthorssuchasShakespeare,
Cervantes,Flaubert,andDostoevsky.
[4]ThisconceptofrivalryisthesecondmajorelementofGirard'stheoryofculture.Ifhumanbeingsare
copyingthedesiresofotherhumanbeings,thestageissetforenvy,rivalry,conflict,andviolence.IfI
amimitatingsomeoneelse'sdesireforanobject,thenbydefinitionIamsettingmyselfupasarivaland
potentialenemyoftheotherperson.Ifmimeticdesireisthebedrockofhumansocialpsychology,then
humansocietyisalwaysaconflictualfieldofmutualantagonismswhichcanleadtogeneralizedchaos.
IfIimitateothersthenthoseothersarealwaysstumblingblocksforme,impedingmyabilitytogetwhat
I(andthey)want.Thephenomenonofthestumblingblockisdesignatedbyaverypreciseterminthe
Greeklanguageoftheancientworld:skandalon.Mimeticdesireandtherivalrytowhichitleadsare
inexhaustiblesourcesofscandal,whichGirardinterpretsasourinabilitytobreakfreefromthe
entanglingwebsofimitationandtheviolencetowhichitleads.
[5]Howdosocietiespreventthemselvesfromsufferingameltdownintogeneralizedchaos,intoawar
ofallagainstall?Girardanswersthisquestionbypointingtothephenomenonofscapegoating.Ifthe
membersofasocietycansingleoutavictim,theycanchanneltheirviolentemotionstowardthatvictim
anddoawaywithhim.Thiscatharticreleaseofpentupviolenceservestogivethesocietyanewsense
ofunanimityandpurpose.Insteadofhatingeachother,peoplecanagreetohateaparticularvictimor
perhapsaminoritygrouporclasswithinsociety.Itiseasytofindexamplesthatillustratethescapegoat
mechanism.IntheMiddleAgesinEurope,iftheplagueweretobreakoutinacertaincity,usually
whatwouldhappenisthatarumorwouldbestartedthattheplaguewascausedbytheJewspoisoning
thedrinkingwater.ThisrumorwouldleadtoamassacreoflocalJews.ThefactthattheJewswerealso
dyingoftheplagueandhadbeendrinkingfromthesamewatersourcesaseveryoneelseisirrelevant.
Scapegoatingviolenceisirrationalandsubconscious.Itiscommonlynotedbyhistoriansthatthosewho
werepreachinginfavoroftheCrusadesandwhippinguppublicfervorforthem,suchasPopeUrbanII,
BernardofClairvaux,andCatherineofSiena,wouldcommonlysaytothepeoplethatEuropean
Christiansshouldstopkillingeachotherinpettyinternalwars.Instead,theyshouldbecomeunited,
marchtotheHolyLand,andslaughtertheinfidelMuslims.Thisisaclearexampleofhowthe
scapegoatmechanismservestounitepeopleandchanneltheirviolencetowardascapegoatedOther.The
lynchingofblacksintheUnitedStatesisanotherparticularlystarkexampleofthescapegoat
mechanismatwork.TheideologyofslaveholdingspecificallytaughtthatpersonsofAfricandescentare
subhumanandcanthereforebekilledwithimpunitytomaintainwhatwasclaimedtobeasuperior
whitecivilization.ThekillingofJewsbytheNazisisanotherimmenseexampleofscapegoatingat
work,asisthekillingofsocalledcounterrevolutionaries"inStalinistRussia.InJapanin1923,there
wasamajorearthquakethatkilledthousandsofpeople.Falserumorsbegantocirculatethatpersonsof
KoreandescentlivinginJapanweretakingadvantageofthesituationbylooting,robbing,andraping.
VigilantegroupsofJapanesemenbegantomassacreanyonetheysuspectedofbeingKorean.The
similaritybetweenthissituationandthemedievalplagueisstrikingandundeniable.Italsoshowsthat
thephenomenonthatGirardisdescribingisnotsimplyWestern."Heisunveilingthesocial
psychologyofhumanbeingsassuch.Humancultureisalynchmobwhichhasnormalizedand
structuredtheprocessbywhichscapegoatsareidentified,vilified,andkilled.Thelynchmobalways

seesitselfasinnocentandthevictimasaguiltytransgressorwhomustbekilledtorestore"lawand
order"intheuniverse.
[6]Girard'stheoryofviolencecomestoaheadinhisdiscussionofSatan.HesaysthatSatanisnota
individualpersonbutrathertheentirecomplexprocessthatwehavejustsummarized.Satanisthe
seducerwhoalienatespeoplefromGodandinsinuatestothemthattheymustlongforsomethingthat
theysupposedlylack.Theymustseekoutmodelsofsuccessandimitatethem.Satanisalsotheonewho
"kicksitupanotch"intorivalry,conflict,andchaoticviolence.AndSatanisthewhispererbehindthe
lynchmob,thevoicedemandingthatOnemustbesacrificedfortheMany.Inthisway,"lawandorder"
willberestored.
[7]Somescholarshavecommented,regardingJohnMilton'spoemParadiseLost,thatSatanisthe
mostinterestingcharacter,muchmoresothanAdam,Eve,theangels,orChrist.Inasimilarway,the
JokerisclearlythemostinterestingcharacterinTheDarkKnight,andheisobviouslyafigurative
versionofSatan.Hismainpurposeistosowchaos,confusion,anddestructionamonghumanbeings.
Hedoesthisbystokingtheflamesoftheskandalontheintensefascinationthathumanbeingshave
witheachotherinthepursuitoftheirdesires.ThereistheobviousromantictriangleofBruceWayne,
HarveyDent,andRachelDawestwomenseekingtheaffectionofonewomanisoneofthemost
commonmimeticplots.TheJokersaystoBatmanatonepoint:"DoesHarveyknowaboutyouandhis
littlebunny?"whichthrowsBatmanintoapredictablejealousrage.Onalargerscale,thereistherivalry
betweenthecriminalsandthe"lawabidingcitizens,"whoareallseekingmoney,mammon.Inmodern
Westernculture,whichishighlysecularized,moneyisthenewgodthatpeopleworship.Themovieis
sayingthatallpeoplearegreedythedifferencebetweenthecitizensandthecriminalsisthatthelatter
takegreedtoanabsurdextreme,killingeachotheroffintheprocess.TheJokerrecognizesallofthis
andusesthefascinationwithmoneytocreateallkindsoftemptationsandconflicts,sothatthepolice
becomejustascorruptasthecriminals.
[8]TheDarkKnightisamoviethathassomanyresonanceswithGirard'sideasthatthequestion
inevitablyrisesastowhetherornotthefilmmakershavereadhim.Itmaybethathisideashavefiltered
intotheconsciousnessoftheHollywoodintelligentsia.Itmaybethatthecomicbookauthorsandthe
filmmakersaresimplydrawingonthesameinspirationsthatGirarddrawson:theBibleandgreat
worksofliterature.Theanswertothisquestionisnotgermanetoourdiscussionhere,butitisan
interestingsidebar.ThequotationsfromTheJokerthatIwillpresentshortlyhavesuchstrongGirardian
resonancesthatitishardtobelievethatthefilmmakershavenotreadGirard.Onecanspeculatethat
theyknewGirard'sideaswouldmakethemoviephilosophicallypowerfulinadditiontobeingvisually
dazzling.Thecombinationwouldbeaboxofficehitbecauseofthepublic'smimeticdesire(wordof
mouthpatronage).Thefilmmakers,motivatedbyadesiretomakemillionsofdollars,employGirard's
ideas.Deliciousirony,isn'tit?
[9]Theinterrogationroomsceneinthemiddleofmovieisitscenter,wheretheentirestoryisrevealed
undertheblindinglights.ThissceneshowsthatTheJokeristhemostastuteobserverofhuman
pyschologyinthefilm.Hisinsightsintomimeticdesireandthescapegoatingactivitiesofthe"civilized"
peoplerevealatranscendentperspectivepreciselythesortoftranscendentperspectivethatGirard
claimsisthefruitofbiblicalrevelation.TheJokersaystoBatman:"Theyneedyourightnow.When
theydon't,they'llcastyououtlikealeper.Yousee,theircode,theirmorals,it'sabadjoke."Girard's
theorymaintainsthatanindividualwhoisliftedupasaherotodayislikelytobecomethescapegoat
tomorrow.TheKingwhoisobeyedbyhisloyalsubjectstodaywillhavehisheadchoppedoff
tomorrow.Societyseesitselfasmoral,asbeingcomprisedofthegoodpeoplewhocanjudgethebad
people.Butwhatsocietycannotadmittoitselfisthatitsneedforscapegoatsisitselfimmoral.Society
cannotrecognizeitshypocrisy.TheJokersaysthat"Whenthechipsaredown,thesecivilizedpeople,
they'lleateachother."Healsosays"I'mnotamonster,I'mjustaheadofthecurve."Heisrevealingthat
"lawabidingsociety"isamystificationhumancultureisalynchmobridingthebuckingbroncoof
chaoticviolence.BythinkingthatitisattackingSatanintheformofthescapegoat,societyisactually
actingaccordingtothesatanicprinciple.WhenTheJokersays"theonlysensiblewaytoliveinthis
worldiswithoutrules"heisspeakingthevoiceofchaotic,Dionysianviolence.Buthealsorevealsin
thisscenethatthe"rules,"thelawsandprohibitionsthatsocietyinventstocontainviolence,areasham.
Thepoliceandthelegalsystemthinkofthemselvesasstemmingfromadifferentspiritualsourcethan
thedemoniccriminalsbutinrealitytheyallflowoutofthefountainofthecomplex,shapeshifting

satanicevent.Theviolenceofthecriminalsandthebrutalityofthepolice,symbolizedbyBatman
slammingtheJoker'sheadintothetable,revealthattheultimatebasisofviolenceisreciprocity.The
enemieswhoattackeachothercometoresembleeachothermoreandmoreuntiltheyare
indistinguishable.Thisisrecognizedimplicitlyinthefilm'sunderlyingquestion:"Howcanevilbe
struggledagainstwithoutallowingeviltoovercometheonewhoisstruggling,turninghimtothedark
side?"
[10]TheJoker'sstatementtoBatman"Youcompleteme"isprofound,perhapsmoreprofoundthan
thefilmmakersrealize.Likethephrasefromthegospels,"Itisfinished,"itofferstheperfectsummary
oftheentirestory.TheJokerissayingthathisroleasthechaoticSataniscomplementedbyBatman's
roleasthe"lawandorder"Satan,whosegoodviolenceissupposedlycastingouttheotherSatan'sbad
violence.ThisiswhyTheJokercansaywithsuchconfidence"Youhavenothingtofrightenmewith,
nothingtodowithallyourstrength."HerealizesthatBatmanisactuallyhisallyinthesatanicevent.
TheJokerknowsaboutsatanicshapeshifting,Batmandoesnot.
[11]Itiscustomaryinmoviestopresentthecriminalsasevilandthecopsasgood.Buttheradical
implicationofGirard'stheoryisthatevilispresentinthestructureof"lawabidingsociety"Satanis
ultimatelynotapersonbutacomplexprocess.Satanisatworkintheactionsofthecriminal,butwhen
thecriminalisapprehended,tried,andretributivelypunished,societyisactingasalynchmobwhichis
alsosecretlyinspiredbySatan.Whenthisisseen,therhetoricof"Justice"becomesempty,orworse
thanempty,itbecomestheevilofhypocrisy.ThisiswhyIsaythatthefilmmakersmayhaveputinto
TheJoker'smouthalinethatismoreprofoundthantheyrealize.TounderstandthatSatanisa
shapeshifterwhocanbeinthecriminalandinadefenderofJustice,suchasHarveyDentorBatman,is
todeconstructthe(goodguysvs.badguys)genreofthefilm.Incontemporarypoliticalparlance,ifthe
badguys,theevildoers,andthosewhoarecarryingouttheWaronEvildoingareallfulfillingSatan's
agendawithoutrealizingit,thentheworldisutterlydark.Howcansuchaworldeverchange?"Who
candeliverusfromthisbodyofdeath?"(Rom.7:24)Thisisaquestionthatcanonlyhavea
christologicalanswer,whichisarticulatedinRomans12:21:"Donotbeovercomebyevil,but
overcomeevilwithgood."ButwhileTheJokerisclearlyaSatanfigure,itismyargumentthatBatman
isatbestanambiguousChristfigure,inthathewillinglyacceptstheroleofscapegoatattheendofthe
movie.Hiswillingnesstouseviolencewithinthemovieworksagainstthenotionthatheisagenuine
Christfigure.
[12]Christisnotacharacterinthemovie,butheispresentthroughout,inthesensethathisdefeatof
Satanonthecross,throughnonviolentlove,putSatanondisplay,thusmakingtherevelatoryinsightsof
themoviepossible.ThisalsoisanideawhichisarticulatedclearlybyGirard.WhenTheJokersaysto
Batman"Iknowthetruth.There'snogoingback.You'vechangedthingsforever..."hiswordsintimate
thatheisreallyaddressinganotherconversationpartner,thesameonetowhomDostoevsky'sGrand
Inquisitorwasspeaking.
FILMCREDITS
TheDarkKnight

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