engl 124 watchmen alan moore annotated bibliography

Directions:

Note: if you restate the questions with your answers, the words from the questions do

not count toward your 300 words requirement, and I am aware they will show up as

SafeAssign matches.

ATTENTION: ALL sources must be SCHOLARLY (THEY CAN BE BOOKS AND

ARTICLES.) and MUST BE OBTAINED BY DOING YOUR RESEARCH THROUGH

THE LRC. NO GOOGLED SOURCES WILL BE ACCEPTABLE. No encyclopedias

(including

Wikipedia

) and dictionaries count as sources.

1. Monsters

— Create and prove a claim that Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias is a Monster

according to Cohen’s 7 Monster Theory theses.

NOTE

:

DO NOT repeat definitions/descriptions of the meanings of the

theses. Not only is everyone is required to review the Monster Theory

lecture and take the Monster Theory quiz, so we already know these, but to

do so is boring, repetitious, and “padding”

!

2. Monsters

— Create and prove a claim that Walter Kovacs/Rorschach is a Monster

according to Cohen’s 7 Monster Theory theses.

NOTE

:

DO NOT repeat definitions/descriptions of the meanings of the

theses. Not only is everyone is required to review the Monster Theory

lecture and take the Monster Theory quiz, so we already know these, but to

do so is boring, repetitious, and “padding”

!

3. Monsters – Create and prove a claim that Dr Manhattan (NOT Jon Osterman) is a

Monster according to Cohen’s 7 Monster Theory theses.

NOTE

:

DO NOT repeat definitions/descriptions of the meanings of the

theses. Not only is everyone is required to review the Monster Theory

lecture and take the Monster Theory quiz, so we already know these, but to

do so is boring, repetitious, and “padding”

!

4.

The

Comedian, Rorschach, Dr. Manhattan, Nite Owl 2 & Laurie (treat them

together), and Ozymandias are each faced with several ethical dilemma situations.

Create and prove a claim that identifies two ethical dilemmas for each character. What

does each character decide for each situation? How does the decision affect others in

the story?

5.

Graphic novel as art (use of color, shapes).

Graphic novel how art and text work

together—involves research into what a graphic novel is. Create and prove a claim as

to how

Watchmen

fits the genre, the use of colors, layouts, images repeated throughout

the novel, how the art helps to tell the story, just for starters. Examine at least 6 double-

page spreads of

Watchmen

in detail.

6.

Symbolism

—

these will mainly be images throughout the novel. Choose at least 10

symbols, then create and prove a claim that examines what you think they mean and

why they are important to the story?

Symbols to choose from: Clocks and Watches, the Doomsday Clock, Hiroshima

Lovers, Nostalgia Perfume, Fall Out Shelter symbol, Rorschach’s mask, the

Smiley Face pin, Biblical allusions, Gordian Knot, hydrogen atom symbol,

symmetry, triangles and pyramids, the story-within-a story—

Tales of the Black

Freighter

, repeated graffiti phrases like “Who Watches the Watchmen?”, colors

purple, yellow, and red, Moloch, the name Ozymandias, Percy Shelley’s poem

“Ozymandias”, William Blake’s poem “The Tyger”, Alexander the Great, masks,

Gunga Diner, the Promethean Cab Company,

Paradise Lost

, mirrors and

reflections

7.

Watchmen and History — What events in the book really happened.

Why do

you think Moore chose to include these events. Does Moore change any of these real

events for the story? How? What purpose does it serve to change these events? What

historical events in the novel are fictitious, or, alternative to actual history. Why do you

think Moore changed these events? How are the real 1980s reflected in the novel?

This can be events in history, technological advances, social situations.

You DO NOT

have to address all of these issues. Create and prove a claim that supports those

issues that you find most compelling.

8.

The Tragic Hero — Create and prove a claim that

Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias is a

Tragic Hero. Use the Elements of Tragedy powerpoint as a guide.

9.

The Tragic Hero — Create and prove a claim that Walte

r Kovacs/Rorschach is a

Tragic Hero. Use the Elements of Tragedy powerpoint as a guide.

10.

The Tragic Hero — Create and prove a claim that

Edward Blake/The Comedian

is a Tragic Hero. Use the Elements of Tragedy powerpoint as a guide.

11.

The Tragic Hero — Create and prove a claim that

Dan Dreiberg/Nite Owl 2 is a

Tragic Hero. Use the Elements of Tragedy powerpoint as a guide.

12. The Tragic Hero — Create and prove a claim that

Jon Osterman/Dr. Manhattan

is a Tragic Hero. Use the Elements of Tragedy powerpoint as a guide.

For 13 & 14. These two groups of women grouped together because they have

issues in common with each other. How are these women characterized in the

novel? What is their relationship with the male characters? What is their

relationship in the events of the novel? Are their roles crucial? What are their

roles in

Watchmen

’s society? Do any of them reflect the changes going on in the

1980s given the Women’s Movement? Other aspects to consider: violence

towards women, rape, parenthood, male/female relationships. You DO NOT have

to address all of these issues. Create and prove a claim that supports those

issues that you find most compelling.

13.

Women in Watchmen A:

Sylvia Kovacs/Rorschach’s mother, Silhouette/Ursula

Zandt (in the Minutemen, a lesbian), pregnant Vietnamese woman, Joey and Aline,

Veidt’s secretary, Dolores Shairp/Rorschach’s landlady

14.

Women in Watchmen B:

Sally Jupiter, Laurie Juspeck, Gloria Long (Malcolm

Long’s wife), Kitty Genovese, and Jane Slater

15.

Tales of the Black Freighter

— Alan Moore felt that “the imagery of the whole

pirate genre is so rich and dark that it provided a perfect counterpoint to the

contemporary world of

Watchmen

“, and he expanded upon the premise so that its

presentation in the story would add subtext and allegory. Moore has said that the story

of

The Black Freighter

ends up specifically describing “the story of Adrian Veidt”.

Moore has said that “Marooned” can also be used as a counterpoint to other parts of

the story, such as Rorschach’s capture and Dr. Manhattan’s self-exile on Mars. Create

and prove a claim that supports Moore’s intentions for including

Tales of the Black

Freighter

as a story-within-a-story in

Watchmen

.