Themes of Fear in Batman Begins Essay Example For Students

Themes of Fear in Batman Begins Essay I believe the main theme of the film, Batman Begins, is fear. The movie uses fear to show how it could affect the way people live and think. It shows how fear can take control of a human being, destroy them completely, and potentially destroy a society. It also shows how a person can instead take control of fear, this is what frees people, because without fear we can do almost anything. The characters that represent these effects of fear are Batman and Dr. Jonathan Crane (Scarecrow). Each of them are exposed to extensive amounts of fear to start their lives. We will write a custom essay on Themes of Fear in Batman Begins specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Fear that was cause by criminals, both Batman and Jonathan lost their parents to criminals. At first the fear affects them both similarly, but in the long run the effects are completely different. The difference is their ability to control the fear, and the way they used the fear. Batman used his fear to fight crime and save innocent people to better Gotham while Jonathan used fear to kill criminals, create more criminals, attack innocent people, and ultimately attempt to destroy Gotham. Their control of fear is what resulted in them acting in these completely different ways. Batman controls his fear enough to maintain a sane way of thinking, resulting in him being able to tell right from wrong, and villains from innocent people. He lives by rules, which include the inability to kill someone. These rules separate him from the villains, other low lives, and the league of shadows whom he learned his skills from. This makes sure he really is making a difference in the world. Then there’s Jonathan who can’t tell apart the good from the bad because of his lack of control of fear. Which enables fear to control him and potentially drive him to try to obliterate all of Gotham. This is what turns him into Scarecrow. Jonathan so strongly wants justice for what happened to his parents that he goes on a rampage of killing people, and destroying the city. This results in havoc throughout Gotham. This is a complete and utter fail to distinguish good from bad, fueled by a large want for justice. Most would ask, how could fear drive you to doing these things? It is a proven fact that extremism comes from fear. Some examples are obese people and terrorists. Obese people go to extreme lengths and potentially starve themselves to lose weight, while terrorists give up their lives and perform horrendous attacks on innocent people in fear of their god. Batman controls his fear, Jonathan doesn’t, which results in fear controlling him and eventually creates extremism. Fear is also used in the drug that Scarecrow uses to surface peoples’ biggest fears. Scarecrow uses this drug to make people feel how he feels inside. We can relate this to the fact that Bruce Wayne (Batman) uses the bat suit to fight crime so he can make criminals fear the bat as he fears bats. Though Batman can control his fear, he is also susceptible to this drug. Everyone controls their fears to some point but everyone still fears someone or something. Even if it’s something that’s never brought up or never comes to mind, it’s still there. The immunity of fear is impossible. Like the fear drug did to Gotham, fear could destroy a society in today’s world through violence and chaos. Violence is created by fear and violence results in chaos, this is what can and will destroy a society. Violence will tear apart a political structure because violence harms the people, and the political structure is supposed to keep the people safe. In other words, if the people aren’t safe, the political structure and wellbeing of society aren’t safe. The fear drug shows what would happen if people became overtaken by fear and panic. The movie suggests that it would totally obliterate a society. .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688 , .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688 .postImageUrl , .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688 , .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688:hover , .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688:visited , .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688:active { border:0!important; } .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688:active , .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688 .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7d482c772b50e678c1317a67748c3688:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Star Wars and Odyssey Comparison Paper Essay ExampleBatman Begins does a great job of using fear to show how it could affect humans and society on a small and large scale. On a small scale, it could completely change a person, their morals, and their lifestyle in a good or bad way. On a larger scale its way more devastating, completely destroying civilizations and societies. Jonathan (Scarecrow) was pushed by fear, but not all criminals have the same motivation. A lot of criminals are more brutal than Jonathan, a lot of criminals just want to see the world erupt in chaos, potentially destroying society. This makes you think, what would happen if someone with a good bit of power was to become like Jonathan? What would happen to society? Would we put an end to it or would we let it eat us alive from the inside out? Well never know until it happens. We can look at historical events that somewhat relate to this though. For example, what Hitler did to the Jews and surrounding countries, and what Pol Pot did to Cambodia. Both these campaigns were put to a stop so we can almost assume that if it happens again the same results will come forth. Only time will tell.

The Definition of Ethnicity in Sociology

The Definition of Ethnicity in Sociology In sociology, ethnicity is a concept referring to a shared culture and a way of life. This can be reflected in language, religion, material culture such as clothing and cuisine, and cultural products such as music and art. Ethnicity is often a major source of social cohesion as well as social conflict. The world is home to thousands of different ethnic groups, from the Han Chinese- the largest ethnic group in the world- to the smallest indigenous groups, some of which include only a few dozen people. Almost all of these groups possess a shared history, language, religion, and culture, which provide group members with a common identity. Learned Behavior Ethnicity, unlike race, is not based on biological traits, except in the case of ethnic groups that recognize certain traits as requirements for membership. In other words, the cultural elements that define a particular ethnic group are taught, not inherited. This means that the boundaries between ethnic groups are, to some degree, fluid, allowing for individuals to move between groups. This can happen, for example, when a child from one ethnic group is adopted into another, or when an individual undergoes a religious conversion. It can also happen through the process of acculturation, whereby members of a native group are forced to adopt the culture and manners of a dominating host group. Ethnicity should not be confused with nationality, which refers to citizenship. While some countries are largely composed of a single ethnic group (Egypt, Finland, Germany, China), others are composed of many different groups (United States, Australia, Philippines, Panama). The rise of nation-states in Europe in the 1600s led to the creation of many countries that are still ethnically homogenous today (the population of Germany, for example, is 91.5 percent German). Countries that were founded as colonies, on the other hand, are more likely to be home to multiple ethnicities. Examples Different ethnic groups do not use the same criteria to define group membership. While one group may emphasize the importance of a shared language, another may emphasize the importance of a shared religious identity. For example, French Canadians are an ethnic group for whom language is paramount. It is what connects them to the French colonists who first settled Canada in the 1600s and what distinguishes them from English Canadians, Scottish Canadians, and Irish Canadians. Other aspects of culture, such as religion, are less significant when it comes to defining who is and is not French Canadian. Most French Canadians are Christians, but some are Catholic and others are Protestant. In contrast, religion is an essential part of ethnic identity for groups such as the Jews. Unlike French Canadians, Jews do not define themselves based on a single shared language. In fact, Jewish communities throughout the world have developed a variety of different languages, including Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino (Judeo-Spanish), Judeo-Arabic, and Judeo-Aramaic (not to mention the many Jews who speak English, French, German, or any other of the worlds many languages). Because ethnic groups are self-defined, it is important to remember that no single aspect of group identity (language, religion, etc.) can be used to sort people into one group or another. Flashpop / Getty Images Race vs. Ethnicity Unlike ethnicity, race is based on physical traits that are inherited, such as skin color and facial features. Racial categories are broader than ethnic categories. Today, for example, the U.S. Census divides people into five racial categories: white, black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native,  Asian, and  Native Hawaiian  or Other Pacific Islander. Modern scientists regard race as a social construct, and racial categories, like ethnic categories, have changed over time. What Is My Ethnicity? Because ethnicity is more of a cultural practice than a science, you probably grew up understanding your own ethnicity in a way that tests will never be able to measure. The food you ate, the traditions you practiced, and the language(s) you spoke are all essential aspects of your ethnic identity. If you are interested in learning more about your exact ancestry, you can do so using a variety of DNA testing services. DNA Testing for Ethnicity DNA testing- available through services such as 23andMe, MyHeritage, and LivingDNA- allows people to explore their genealogy using their genetic information. Examining DNA can reveal information about a persons ancestry and ethnic background. While the principles of DNA testing are sound, the private companies that offer this service through home-testing kits have been criticized for their methodologies. Sheldon Krimsky, a scientist at Tufts University, says that these companies don’t share their data, and their methods are not validated by an independent group of scientists. Since each company uses a different database of genetic information, Krimsky says the tests can only give an indication of probabilities: The results are in no way definitive; instead each company uses common genetic variations as the basis for saying the  The popularity of DNA testing for ancestry has also generated concerns about data privacy.