Joker Final Edition 23 de Junio - Google Docs2023

Joker, a metamorphosis of
laughter
Author: Lic. Agustina Sosa Revol

"Forgive my laughter. I have a condition”
1
2
Joker, a Metamorphosis of Laughter
"Forgive my laughter. I have a condition (more on back)". She turns the card
over and there is a bunch of information in small writing--"It's a medical condition
causing sudden, frequent, uncontrollable laughter that doesn’t match how you feel.
It can happen in people with a brain injury or certain neurological conditions”.
Played by Joaquin Phoenix directed by Todd Phillips (screenplay, Scott Silver and
Todd Phillips), the beginning of the film reveals the first danger of Arthur’s
3
repressed emotions, with the intense scenes of Arthur Fleck’s laughing condition.
The pseudobulbar effect (PBA), essentially a neurological condition that is
characterized by an uncontrollable outburst of laughter. However, throughout the
movie it becomes more problematic to differentiate real laughter or PBA laughter.
Arthur’s laugh, which is essentially a disorder, embodies pain, extreme sensitivity,
and humiliation. He is Camús Absurd Hero and the following features lead him to a
profound and dark melancholia:
• The hostility of the world

• Familiar faces become strangers
• The world becomes a stranger
• The mechanical masks
• Nausea
• Mirror: We become strangers when we look at ourselves on the mirror
• Living in the indifference of the world, of humankind
• A sense of uselessness
• Life puts pressure on us as regards meaning and familiarity or understanding
life
The blind reason: Pretending that everything is clear. The universal reason
• No nostalgia for the One, for the original union (the One) with the divine.
• Everything is just a construct
• The chained being facing the irrational or the absurd universe
• The metaphor of the desert
• Human condition: Humiliation
• A sense of failure
• Anguish
• Torn apart
• The broken human being
• Surrounded by walls
4
• Desolation
• Embraces the irrational
• Condemned to death
• Divorced from meaning – in a state of confrontation with reality
• Respects the load he/she carries
• Struggles without hope
• Hopelessness
• The only certainty is uncertainty
• Trapped in a body (Hamlet)
• Desperation((
• Embraces multiple truths (Husserl)
• Bitterness
• Rationalism is a leap or an excuse
• Lucid reason
• To live with all these features leads to acceptance
• Chaos
• Anonymous
• Confrontation with our dark spaces
• Suicide would be an excuse or a leap
• There is no tomorrow- No freedom
• Does not obey the cultural paths of life
Nevertheless, the absurd is about living WITH PASSION. Moreover, we can

live with a sense of the absurd by accepting it (Camús 44). In the following scene, a
social worker is interviewing Arthur. He utters with great wistfulness “—is it just me
or the world is getting crazier out there?” showing that his mind is acutely aware of
good and evil and throughout the movie-script on how gifted his view of society is.
The SOCIAL WORKER is in awe at such a conclusion about the meanings and painful
remark on where he places sense so (reading aloud) she reads “I just hope my
5
death makes more sense than my life." This line could be a cruel summation of his
life, I just hope my life is death is worth more cents than my life, pertinent thought
of an absurd hero.
Rejected by society, Arthur Fleck lives in a decadent, industrial building with
his mother Penny whom he cares for dearly and takes care of her with utter
emotion. He works at a dead end job as a joker in the streets with a sign in search
of one penny talents. The agency is gloomy like the whole setting in Gotham. He is
laughed at and attacked by boys who steal his sign or poster and he follows them.
One of his co-workers gives Arthur a gun for no reason but to make justice, defend
himself or trigger his repressed violence- an act of cruelty. In the train, later on,
three businessmen harass a black woman and Arthur wants to defend her. Arthur
kills the three men and escapes. The whole setting is a chaos since riots and
destruction is everywhere in Gotham due to poverty and against the corruption of
politicians, among them, Wayne. Arthur becomes curious about his father, allegedly
Wayne, according to Penny and he visits Wayne’s manor. He is degraded and told
off. They have their own encounter at the men’s restroom in the theater. This
triggers the rest of the story: Arthur Fleck goes to Arkhan and finds out about his
past and his mother. He murders Penny; the three Wall Street yuppies. He murders
Murray at the TV show, but survives the car police accident and his metamorphosis
becomes complete when he draws a grotesque smile on his face with blood and the
people cheer and celebrate Arthur as a leader. He ends up, of course, committed
again and his final joke is his final crime. This brief review of the storyline lets me
focus on the key scenes and explain their meanings according to their contexts. The
story begins and ends with interviews with social workers. Nevertheless, the last
one is the one to whom he shows resistance at not letting access to his mind. He is
thinking about a joke and tells him that she would not be able to understand it. Is
the joke the murder of this social worker? I contend that he excels at what feminists
have achieved for both sexes: Do not let access to the content of your mind as M.
Atwood masterfully portrays it in Alias Grace. This means that the audience has no
6
access to his joke, to listen to his last joke or his musings. We do not partake of his
last thoughts as a form of the most effective resistance. I do not believe that his last
murder is the joke we are ready to understand.
FADE IN:
INT. DEPT. OF HEALTH, OFFICE - MORNING
CLOSE ON ARTHUR (30's), tears in his eyes from laughing so
hard. He's trying to get it under control. His greasy, black
hair hanging down over his forehead. He's wearing an old,
faded green cardigan sweater, a threadbare gray scarf, thin
from years of use, hangs loosely around his neck.
He's sitting across from an overworked SOCIAL WORKER (50's),
African American. Her office is cramped and run-down in a
cramped and run-down building. Stacks of folders piled high
in front of her.
She just sits behind her desk, waiting for his laughing fit
To end, she's been through this before. Finally it subsides.
Arthur takes a deep breath, pauses to see if it's over.
Beat.
ARTHUR
--is it just me, or is it getting
crazier out there?
Despite the laughter, there's real pain in his eyes.
Something broken in him.
Looks like he hasn't slept in days.
SOCIAL WORKER
It's certainly tense. People are
upset, they're struggling. Looking
7
for work. The garbage strike seems
like it's been going on forever.
These are tough times.
(then)
How 'bout you. Have you been
keeping up with your journal?
ARTHUR
Everyday.
SOCIAL WORKER
Great. Did you bring it with you?
Beat.
SOCIAL WORKER
Great. Did you bring it with you?
Beat.
ARTHUR
(dodging the subject)
I'm sorry. Did I bring what?
SOCIAL WORKER
(impatient; she doesn't
have time for this)
Arthur, last time I asked you to
bring your journal with you. For
these appointments. Do you have it?
ARTHUR
Yes ma'am.
Beat.
SOCIAL WORKER
8
Can I see it?
He reluctantly reaches into the pocket of his jacket hanging
on the chair behind him. Pulls out a weathered notebook.
Slides it across to her--
ARTHUR
I've been using it as a journal,
but also a joke diary. Funny
thoughts or, or observations-- Did
I tell you I'm pursuing a career in
stand-up comedy?
She's half-listening as she flips through his journal.
SOCIAL WORKER
No. You didn't.
ARTHUR
I think I did.
She doesn't respond, keeps flipping through his journal--
PAGES AND PAGES OF NOTES, neat, angry-looking handwriting.
Also, cut out photos from hardcore pornographic magazines and
some crude handmade drawings.
A flash of anger crosses Arthur's face--
ARTHUR
I didn't realize you wanted to read
it.
The social worker gives him a look, then reads something in
the pages that gives her pause--
2.
SOCIAL WORKER
(reading out loud)
"I just hope my death makes more
9
cents than my life."
The term pathological laughter refers to unmotivated, exaggerated,

uncontrollable, and involuntary outbursts of laughter that are incongruent with the
experienced emotion. This clinical phenomenon may be encountered in a
heterogeneous group of diseases. Therefore, its prevalence varies according to the
cause, being up to 40% in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, 36% in multiple system
atrophy, and 11 to 34% in cerebrovascular disease. In many other disorders, its
prevalence remains unknown.
Considering the importance that Joker has gained in popular culture as a

portrait of mental illness, we think it is interesting to review the aspects involved in
the differential diagnosis of pathological laughter exemplified in this movie. In the
following paragraphs, we present the main characteristics of the Joker’s laugh (in
relation to specific scenes from the film which are referenced with timestamps in
parenthesis), followed by the discussion of each clinical syndrome.
Differential Diagnosis
Laughter may be a medical phenomenon in many neurologic and psychiatric
entities, including pseudobulbar affect, tics, hallucinations, psychogenic disorders,
stereotypes, and seizures. Below, I will discuss some important features for
differential diagnosis in relation to the movie.
Pseudobulbar Affect
The above-mentioned characteristics make the Joker’s laughing episodes

compatible at first sight with the pseudobulbar effect, a clinical entity characterized
by episodes of exaggerated or involuntary expression of emotions, including
uncontrolled laughing or crying. The main proposed diagnostic criteria for
10
pseudobulbar affect states that the emotional expression should be excessive or
incongruent with the emotional experience and independent or in excess of the
evoking stimulus. The symptoms must cause significant impairment in social or
occupational functioning and cannot be attributed to another medical condition.
Supportive criteria include the presence of exaggerated gag reflex, tongue
weakness, bradylalia, dysarthria, and dysphagia (pseudobulbar syndrome) or
autonomic signs and irritability or anger proneness.
The pathophysiologic mechanism responsible for pseudobulbar effect is

attributed to dysfunction of the cortical–ponto–cerebellar network, where
decreased inhibitory inferences from the brain cortex interfere with cerebellar
control of motor expression. The pseudobulbar affect may be encountered in the
setting of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; neurodegenerative extrapyramidal and
cerebellar disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple system atrophy, or
progressive supranuclear palsy; multiple sclerosis; Alzheimer’s disease and other
dementias; stroke; brain tumors; and traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injury
could be assumed to be a potential etiology of the case in the Joker movie, given
that Arthur Fleck was a victim of severe physical abuse during his childhood. His
adopted mother brutalized him. Arthur works at a dead end job, dressed as a clown
with a sign, in the streets, for a decadent agency of artists while he takes care of his
mother, Penny dearly and dutifully. Later on and after talking with Wayne, he finds
out not only that he is adopted but that Penny abused him pitilessly. She caused his
disorder and pain as a child that endured being tied against a heater, among other
painful tortures. Nevertheless, Arthur does never refer to the past or memories of
the past except what his mother told him about who his father was. Thus, the
scene at Arkhan clinic when he escapes with his file and reads the media posts,
makes him murder his monstrous-Lady-Macbeth mother. In fact, patients with
pseudobulbar effects of any etiology have an increased prevalence of anxiety,
psychiatric disorders, and inferior social performance in comparison with patients
11
without this condition. During the scenes at the hospital, Arthur suffers from
hallucinations as regards the presence of Sophie as a partner consoling him while
Arthur takes care of his mother.
Mania and Hypomania
Mania is a clinical state consistent in elevated mood, energy, and activity. It

is associated with symptoms such as inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep,
verbosity, flight of ideas, distractibility, agitation, and reckless behavior. Manic
episodes typically last one week and are present almost all day. Classically, mania is
considered to be an acute state that is more severe and more long-lasting than
hypomania. Hypomania is less severe, has a shorter duration, is not associated with
psychotic symptoms, and usually does not affect the social or occupational
environment. Both mania and hypomania constitute cardinal manifestations of
bipolar disorders, a group of primary mood disorders characterized by recurrent
alternating episodes of depression and mania or hypomania. Also, mania can be
secondary to neurological disease (e.g., stroke, dementia, neurosyphilis, traumatic
brain injury) or secondary to drug use (e.g., corticosteroids, anabolic steroids,
alcohol, cocaine, levodopa, atypical antipsychotics) [8].
In the film, the disproportionality or inconsistency of laughter to Arthur

Fleck’s mood is a core feature that allows differentiating pseudobulbar affect from
mania and hypomania, in which the patient feels euphoric while laughing. An
important exception takes place at the end of the movie, when Arthur completes
his transformation to The Joker. He still has episodes of laughter similar to the
previous ones, as when he kills a person on live television (movie time points
01:45:15 - 01:46:00) or when he murders a psychiatrist in the Arkham Hospital
(01:54:00 - 01:55:40). However, in these opportunities he simply seems to be
12
enjoying these extremely dramatic situations that “nobody would understand”
while laughing before his social worker, at the end of the movie.
Hallucination
Hallucinations are abnormal sensory perceptions that occur in the absence
of an external object or stimulus. This symptom constitutes one of the five domains
of the schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. Hallucinations can
occur with significant frequency in other psychiatric conditions (e.g., posttraumatic
stress disorder, personality disorders) or be secondary to conditions related to use
of toxins/drugs, disorders causing interference with the auditory or visual
pathways, tumors, traumatic brain injury, and epilepsy.
Laughter during hallucinations is congruent with the patients’ emotions,

that is, they laugh because they see or hear something funny or pleasant when it
actually does not exist. Joker presents some complex hallucinations, but they are
not accompanied by episodes of laughter. The clearest example is that Arthur
believes he has a relationship with his neighbor; this belief is in fact a combination
of complex visual hallucinations and delusions (i.e., fixed beliefs that are not
amenable to change in light of conflicting evidence). He sees and talks to his
neighbor in different opportunities like in a stand-up comedy show, where she is
part of the public, or at the hospital when his mother gets sick. Subsequently, we
discover that none of those moments were real in the scene where Arthur enters
his neighbor’s house and finds out she is terrified and begs him to leave because
she barely knows him (movie time points 01:18:45 - 01:20:00).
Disorganized Motor Behavior

Disorganized or abnormal motor behavior is the inability to complete
goal-directed activities. Patients are observed talking to themselves, becoming
13
agitated in an unpredictable manner, or also undertaking what would be seen as
inappropriate laughing or childlike behavior.
Arthur Fleck’s disorganized behavior and complex hallucinations and

delusions in some instances of the movie may indicate that his laughter attacks
could be secondary to a psychotic disorder. These disorders are defined by
abnormalities in one or more of the following domains: grossly disorganized or
abnormal motor behavior, hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking (assessed
by a person’s speech patterns such as flight of ideas, neologism, perseveration,
tangentiality), and negative symptoms (diminished emotional expression, avolition
or lack of motivation, anhedonia, and asociality) [9, 11]. Psychotic experiences
occur in around 4 to 7% of the general population [12]. Among the most frequent
primary psychotic disorders, we can find schizophrenia and other schizophrenia
spectrum disorders (schizotypal, schizophreniform and schizoaffective disorders).
Furthermore, there are secondary psychotic disorders related to abuse of
substances or medications or to another medical condition, such as Alzheimer’s or
Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and traumatic brain injury, among others. I do not
believe that Arthur suffers from anhedonia or diminished emotional expression
since the beauty of most of the movie lies in his constant ballet poses at home or
wherever he is. His bathroom dance after murdering the Wall Street bullies, many
viewers see the dance as a sort of cleansing ritual that signifies Fleck's transition
moment into the Joker. Further, his bathroom scene and stair’s dancing are the
most eloquent moments. His exquisite postures and aesthetic movement of his
body as well as his dancing down the stairs or at Murray’s TV’s show are moments
of intense sense of peace, beauty, artistic creativity and inner happiness. These are
the scenes that mesmerize the audience. The movements are slow, his arms
extend, curve, make shape; his hands are expressive. He ends the dance in front of
the mirror, his arms wide open (for the final bow) and he looks at himself. He
presents himself to himself. This is who I am.
14
Good !!
Psychotic disorder due to traumatic brain injury is an important etiologic
diagnosis to consider because it is a common cause of neuropsychiatric disorders in
young adults, especially males. The rate of pathological laughter and crying reaches
15.5% at 12 months after traumatic brain injury, and it is associated with increased
psychiatric morbidity, including higher rates of depression, posttraumatic stress
disorder, severe anxiety symptoms, aggression, impulsivity, and disinhibition [13].
Other studies report the development of psychosis five or more years after the
event [14]. Lesions of temporal and frontal lobes are most commonly implicated in
psychosis after traumatic brain injury, with the most psychotic symptoms associated
being persecutory delusions and auditory hallucinations. Negative symptoms are
much less prominent [15].
Psychogenic Laughter
Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures are involuntary paroxysmal behavioral,
motor, sensory, autonomic, cognitive, or emotional changes resulting from
psychological alteration. Clinical features of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures
include spontaneous vocalizations such as moaning, grunting, gasping, screaming,
and crying [16]. Laughter has rarely been described, given that it has a gradual
onset and a variable, usually prolonged, duration. However, distinct from the
Joker’s case, the symptom is fluctuating, often associated with erratic movements
of the head or other parts of the body and patients typically close their eyes while
laughing [17]. The definite diagnosis requires a careful evaluation and usually
complementary electroencephalogram video recording.
Seizures
Seizures are paroxysmal clinical events secondary to abnormal excessive and
synchronous neuronal activity. Signs and symptoms occurring during the paroxysm
are wide and include alterations in mood and emotional expression [18]. Focal
15
emotional seizure with laughing or gelastic seizures consist of recurrent
stereotyped laughter or similar vocalizations associated with facial spasm, such as a
smile. The episodes usually have no obvious trigger and are not associated with a
pleasant feeling. Unlike the Joker, who remains aware during the attacks, in gelastic
seizures, the consciousness is altered, and the patient does not remember what has
happened. Paroxysms are generally associated with cognitive disorders and other
types of seizures, which are absent in the film’s protagonist. Finally, gelastic crises
are infrequent in adults and are classically described in children with hypothalamic
hamartomas [19].
Tics
Tic disorders represent a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders usually
beginning before 18 years of age. The clinical phenomena of tics consist of
non-purposeful, repetitive, and patterned phonetic or motor behaviors, typically
associated with preceding uncomfortable sensory experiences, which are relieved
by tick performance [20]. In some cases, phonetic tics are very similar to laughter.
An important characteristic of the Joker, however, is that his laughter does not
generate a sense of relief and cannot be controlled. This condition makes it possible
to differentiate the symptoms of pseudobulbar effect from ticks. In the latter case,
the patient is able to control the need to laugh at least partially. Nonetheless,
experiences a measure of anxiety that is only relieved when the phonic component
of the tic is manifested.
The movie's first scenes are about the cruelty of boys towards Arthur who is
dressed as a clown and while he dances, the boys take the sign from him and what
the sign says is relevant in the context of riots in Gotham, “Everything must go”.
Arthur has plans for his future and wants to become a stand-up comedian but his
laughter will lead him to pain and humiliation as he faces moments of cruelty in the
16
middle of the riots. His laughter shows an emptiness in his shared language with
society, as he uncontrollably laughs after identifying himself as a would be
comedian. This unmotivated laughter can soon be identified in terms of pain, as he
begins to choke on his own laughter. In the film, society often misinterprets this
laughter and fails to understand, as one would say in terms of a psychiatric
discourse, the disassociation between words and objects i.e., the signifier and the
signified- mutual feelings and the revelation of the expression that affects him. In
the bus Fleck plays with and is kind to an Afro-American boy but the mother feels
awkward and uncomfortable at Arthur’s closeness and constant laughter. It is then
that he shows her the sign that explains his neurological disorder. The mother is not
interested, still, in his son getting close to Arthur and is quite cruel in her rejection.
She calls him a freak. The only child with whom he will be able to communicate
without shame is master Wayne, presumably his brother, the future Batman. The
bully by the boys and the scene in the bus is relevant in the movie, especially those
signs against the system.
PULLING OUT, we see he's holding a sign in front of Kenny's

Music Shop that reads, "EVERYTHING MUST GO!" A banner above
the store reads, "GOING OUT OF BUSINESS!" Behind him, an OLD
MAN plays an old piano on the busy street, garbage bags piled
everywhere.
Arthur's doing a little Charlie Chaplin like performance to
the music, twirling the sign, bringing attention to the sale.
He's pretty good, feeling the music in his bones, light on
his feet. Still most people walk right past, ignoring him.
ARTHUR SEES A GROUP OF BOYS pointing at him from down the
street, laughing at him... One of the boys throws an empty
17
Coke can at Arthur as they get close... Arthur holds up the
sign like a shield, Coke can bouncing off it--
The boys walk up on Arthur... He tries ignoring them, keeps
dancing to the old ragtime, holding up the sign as they
surround him... One of the kids knocks the sign out of
Arthur's hands--
The other kids crack up. Arthur bends over to pick up his
sign and... Kick it... Attempts to pick it up again and...
Kick it again... It's a bit.
Arthur bends over a third time to pick up the sign and...
One of the boys kicks him right in the ass--
Arthur falls face first onto the sidewalk. Oddly, the old man
playing the piano picks up the pace of the music--
The kids crack up. One of the boys grabs Arthur's sign and
takes off running across the street--
The other kids follow, weaving through traffic--
Arthur gets up and gives chase. He needs his sign back.
He almost gets hit by a taxi, spinning out of the way just in
time-- Spinning right into another taxi that stops just short
of hitting him.
Arthur keeps running through traffic. People stare. A clown
barreling down the street has got to be a joke--
3 EXT. CORNER, ALLEY - GOTHAM SQUARE - CONTINUOUS 3
The five boys are booking it down the busy street laughing
and whooping it up. At the last second they take a sharp
6.
right turn down an alley--
Arthur almost overshoots the corner, slip-sliding in his
oversized shoes--
18
He rights himself and heads down after them--
Sees them running up ahead--
WHAP! Out of nowhere Arthur gets hit in the face!
He falls to the ground.
One of the kids was hiding behind a dumpster and hit Arthur
with the "EVERYTHING MUST GO!" sign, splintering it in two--
The other kids turn back and walk up to Arthur down on the
ground.
Arthur reaches out, still trying to save the sign--
THE KIDS START KICKING AND BEATING THE SHIT out of Arthur.
It's brutal and vicious. Nobody on the street stops to help.
CLOSE ON ARTHUR'S CLOWN FACE, down on the ground. Sweat
running down his face, smearing his make-up. Doesn't even
looks like he's in pain. He just takes the beating. Arthur's
good at taking a beating.
That stupid smile painted on his face.
TITLE:
JOKER
4 INT. CITY BUS (MOVING) - HEADING UPTOWN - LATE AFTERNOON 4
Arthur sitting in the back of a crowded bus, looking out the
window at the city passing him by... his make-up washed
off, still see some white grease-paint smudged on the sides
of his face.
He feels somebody staring, turns to see a sad-eyed THREE YEAR-
OLD BOY, face puffy from crying, sitting on his knees
looking back at him. His mother's facing forward, but even
from behind you can tell she's angry.
Arthur doesn't know where to look, feeling self-conscious and
small. He gets back into "character" smiling like a clown and
19
covers his face with his hands-- Starts playing the peek-a boo
game with him.
The boy stares back at him for a moment then giggles--
7.
WOMAN ON BUS
(turns back to Arthur;
already annoyed)
Can you please stop bothering my
kid?
ARTHUR
I wasn't bothering him, I was--
WOMAN ON BUS
(interrupts)
Just stop.
AND SUDDENLY ARTHUR STARTS TO LAUGH. LOUD. He covers his
mouth trying to hide it-- Shakes his head, laughter pausing
for a moment, but then it comes on stronger. His eyes are
sad. It actually looks like the laughter causes him pain.
People on the bus are staring. The little boy looks like he's
going to cry again.
WOMAN ON BUS
You think that's funny?
Arthur shakes his head no, but he can't stop laughing. He
reaches in his pocket and pulls out a small card. Hands it to
the woman.
CLOSE ON THE CARD, it reads: "Forgive my laughter. I have a
condition (more on back)"
She turns the card over and there is a bunch of information
in small writing-- "It's a medical condition causing sudden,
20
frequent, uncontrollable laughter that doesn’t match how you
feel. It can happen in people with a brain injury or certain
neurological conditions."
She doesn't read it (but if you freeze frame the movie you
could). She just shakes her head annoyed and throws the card
on the ground.
Arthur laughs harder. Tears running down his face.
Not wanting to attract any more attention to himself, he
covers his mouth with his threadbare scarf, trying to muffle
the laughter--
Society fails to identify the repressed emotion during the spectral moments
of Joker’s uncontrollable laughter. It is a laughter that alienates Arthur from his
surroundings, as he becomes a painful subject constantly trying to locate and
integrate himself into the ‘normal’ society. The film is a beautiful blend of fantasy
and reality, as it presents the oppressive background in a society located in, what
can be called a dark and dirty sub-world wherein along with the poor population of
Gotham, Fleck tries to find the meaning of his own existence. It is important to
understand the duality of Joker’s nature, there is a repressed self that originates
with specters from Arthur’s idealized self which is the Joker not a clown but telling
jokes for a living, a stand – up joker or comedian. Another thing to understand is
the film continuously shifts from reality to Arthur’s delusionary world. An
imposition of mass psychology can be identified in this background of controversial
politics and violence within Gotham City, as it begins to empower a moment
around this shadowlike signification that Arthur presents the two of different
classes of the society with. This repressed self, when it gains sympathy amongst the
weak of society, takes the sense of anonymity that Arthur struggles with out of him
as he continuously begins to signify an “anti-hero” i.e., the super-villain, becomes a
kind of hero for the oppressed. Despite his attempts to fit society, he is given a gun
21
by a co-worker and later on Arthur murders his former co-worker after killing the
three young but bullies of Wall Street in the subway. He is in a process of
metamorphosis towards evil, vengeance, respect, defined ethos and the voice of
the marginal ones.
WALL STREET #1
Something funny, asshole?
With their attention diverted, the young woman rushes out
through the door between subway cars, glancing back at Arthur
before she goes--
29.
WALL STREET #3
(shouts after her)
BITCH!
He laughs even harder through his green wig. The Wall Street
guys turn to him sitting by himself at the end of the car--
Arthur sees them staring. Looks down at the ground, hand
still covering his mouth, face turning red. Subway swaying,
lights flickering on and off.
Beat.
One of the guys heads down the car toward Arthur, starts
singing "Send in the Clowns" as he approaches--
WALL STREET #1
(singing)
Isn't it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here, at last on the ground
You in mid-air
Send in the clowns.
22
The others crack up and follow after him. The guy plops down
next to Arthur, puts his arm around his shoulder as he sings--
ARTHUR
(shakes his head, stifling
the laughter)
Please. Don't.
WALL STREET #1
(continues singing to him)
Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around,
One who can't move.
Arthur starts to get up-- The lead guy pulls him back down.
WALL STREET #1
Where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns.
As he finishes the song, Arthur's laughing fit is coming to
an end. One of the other guys sits down on the other side of
him. He's now sandwiched in between them--
WALL STREET #2
So tell us, buddy. What's so
fucking funny?
30.
ARTHUR
Nothing. I have a condition--
Arthur reaches into his shopping bag to get one of his
"Forgive my laughter" cards, the third guy sees him reaching
and tries to grab the bag from him---
Arthur pulls on it--
23
ARTHUR
No. It's just my stuff. I don't
have anything.
The guy rips the bag from his hand--
WALL STREET #3
I'll tell you what you have,
asshole.
Arthur gets up from between them to go grab his bag back. The
two guys are cracking up.
WALL STREET #3
You want it back? Here--
Arthur reaches out to grab the bag--
And the guy tosses it over his head to one of his friends.
Keeping it away from Arthur.
Three guys in suits tossing a shopping bag around, playing
'monkey in the middle' with a clown AND WE HEAR the drum roll
opening to BOBBY SHORT singing "Send in the Clowns" Live at
the Café Carlyle.
Arthur keeps trying to catch his bag until suddenly--
WHAP! Out of nowhere one of the guys punches him hard in the
face.
Arthur goes down as if in slow motion. Blood coming from his
nose. He tries to get up, but his feet slip from under him
and he falls back down--
WALL STREET #1
Stay down you freak.
And the third Wall Street guy starts kicking him--
The others join in. Surrounding Arthur on the ground, kicking
him deliberately, sadistically, and the music swells--
24
BLAM!
31.
Wall Street #1 falls back dead. Blood splattering on the
subway wall behind him--
And we HEAR Bobby Short sing out, picking up from where the
Wall Street Guy left off--
BOBBY SHORT (SINGING)
Just when I'd stopped opening doors
Finally knowing' the one that I
wanted was yours
BLAM! BLAM! Wall Street #2 goes down--
Revealing Arthur on the ground, opening his eyes to see what
he did, blood dripping from his nose, smoking gun in hand--
Making my entrance again with my
usual flair
Sure of my lines
No one is there
The third guy takes off running for the doors that separate
the cars.
Arthur starts after him, but then stops... turns back to grab
his bag and his wig, his hands shaking from the adrenaline.
The train is coming to a stop.
Don't you love farce?
My fault I fear...
Arthur grabs the green wig from between the two dead bodies,
blood everywhere, and stuffs it into his shopping bag--
The subway doors wheeze open and Arthur steps halfway off the
25
train, waiting to see if the third Wall Street guy gets off
in the car ahead of him. Arthur sees him run off--
EXT. SUBWAY PLATFORM - CONTINUOUS
The platform is empty, the Wall Street guy is running toward
the stairs--
Arthur follows, blood still dripping from his nose--
Behind them, the train pulls away--
32.
I thought that you'd want what I
want.
Sorry, my dear.
The guy makes his way to the stairs, unaware that Arthur is
behind him--
BLAM!
The third guy falls, tumbling down the stairs. Arthur walks
over to the body and empties the chamber-- BLAM! BLAM!
But where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns
Don't bother, they're here.
BLAM! He's got nothing left.
EXT. ROBINSON PARK SUBWAY STATION - NIGHT
Arthur hauls ass up the stairs, rushing out of the station,
the song still playing--
Even though he looks for his father in Thomas Wayne, as his mother told
Arthur that Wayne was his father, Wayne is the one that tells him that she was
psychologically unwell. However, the movie uses many inserts that show Wayne
26
paying the media and those in power to presumably not to uncover that Arthur is
his son. An argument that is, of course, arguable. If this were the case, then Arthur
or the Joker would be Batman’s brother, the binary evil-goodness but showing that
each was the result of their contexts of pain, while Arthur Fleck would thicken the
plot by killing his own father.
As mentioned above, after reading his psychiatric file on what his mother
did to him, he does not doubt brutally killing her through suffocation. From this
moment on, Arthur becomes a killer leader and he draws a grotesque
laughter-smile with his fingers, after surviving the crash, in the cops’ car; a smile
with thick blood and no make up anymore. He becomes a leader that everybody
behind his or her masks celebrate, out of control. The metamorphosis is over. He
has become the epic character, the Joker in control of evil in Gotham.
Franklin Murray (Robert De Niro), who is a TV host of a popular talk show, is

one of the first father-figures that Arthur resonates with at the beginning of the
film. This idealization develops when Arthur starts to watch his show on a daily
basis with his mother whom he takes care of and resides with. The film also
presents the moments of delusion when Arthur finds himself immersed in the show
so much so that his imagination lets him believe that is one of the people in the
audience of Murray’s show. Later in the film, another ‘father-figure’ idealization
develops as Arthur’s mother reveals that Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen) is his
biological father. Arthur, shocked and excited with the news, then proceeds to meet
Thomas Wayne. He attempts to fail the first time, but the second time he succeeds.
Thomas Wayne after meeting Arthur bluntly reveals the reality of the situation by
informing him that he is indeed not his father and that his mother was delusional
and hence, he had to fire her and report her for help. This is the moment where
Arthur’s ‘fatherfigure’ idealization crashes. He becomes devastated and trembles,
and starts looking for answers. Arthur, finally, finds Thomas Wayne at a theater in
27
the bathroom and is eager to face him and gain acceptance as a son out of the love
story told to him by Penny. Wayne’s cruel treatment leads him to find out
information about his past and his mother at Arkhan’s psychiatric ward.
INT. HALLWAY, MEN'S ROOM - WAYNE HALL - SECONDS LATER 72

Arthur's sweeping up the hallway with his head down, hear the
orchestra playing the melancholy "Smile" from the film's
score. He sweeps along to the music like Emmett Kelly's
a famous act... Sweeping around the bodyguard's feet...
Annoyed, he moves a bit away from the bathroom door... And
doesn't give Arthur a second look as he heads inside...
73 INT. MEN'S ROOM, WAYNE HALL - CONTINUOUS 73
Arthur sweeps his way into the cavernous, black & white tiled
bathroom, ornate gold fixtures. It's empty save for Thomas
Wayne peeing at the far end of a long line of urinals.
Arthur takes a deep breath, and walks down the line of
urinals right up next to Thomas Wayne--
He stands there for a beat while Thomas urinates, lobby broom
and upright dustpan in hand--
THOMAS WAYNE
(glances over; annoyed)
Can I help you, pal?
ARTHUR
What? Yeah. No I, I--
THOMAS WAYNE
(interrupting)
You need to get in here or
something?
Thomas Wayne finishes and zips his fly back up. Arthur is not
28
sure what to say to him, just says--
ARTHUR
Dad. It's me.
Beat.
But Thomas Wayne doesn't hear him, he was flushing the
urinal. He walks toward the sink.
THOMAS WAYNE
Excuse me?
Arthur follows after him.
60.
ARTHUR
My name is Arthur. I'm Penny's son.
(beat)
I know everything. And I don't
want anything from you. Well...
Maybe a hug.
And Arthur smiles, it's all very emotional for him. Thomas
looks over at him like he's fucking crazy.
THOMAS WAYNE
Jesus. You're the guy who came by my
house yesterday.
Arthur nods, relieved he finally broke through.
ARTHUR
Yes. But they wouldn't let me in,
wouldn't let me see you. So I came
here. I have so many questions.
Thomas Wayne just laughs to himself and turns on the gold
faucets at one of the sinks.
THOMAS WAYNE
29
Look pal, I'm not your father.
What's wrong with you?
ARTHUR
How do you know?
Thomas Wayne just keeps washing his hands, doesn't even look
over at Arthur.
THOMAS WAYNE
Cause you were adopted. And I never
slept with your mother. What do you
Want money from me?
ARTHUR
No. What? I wasn't adopted.
Thomas starts drying his hands.
THOMAS WAYNE
She never told you? Your mother
adopted you after she worked for us.
She was arrested when you were four
years old and committed to Arkham
State Hospital. She's batshit crazy.
Arthur starts to smile, feels a laugh coming on.
ARTHUR
61.
No. No, I don't believe that.
Thomas finishes drying his hands. Turns to Arthur, his tone
way more serious now.
THOMAS WAYNE
I don't really give a shit what you
believe.
(steps in closer)
30
But if you ever come to my house
again, if you ever talk to my son
again, if I ever even hear about you
again, I'll--
AND ARTHUR CRACKS UP LAUGHING, interrupting his threat.
Laughing right in his face--
THOMAS WAYNE
Are you laughing at me?
Arthur's laughing so hard he can't answer.
THOMAS SHOVES ARTHUR HARD UP AGAINST THE TILED WALL, gripping
his neck with one hand. Arthur just cracks up louder, he
drops the dustpan and broom--
THOMAS WAYNE
(shouting)
You think this is funny?
Thomas Wayne's bodyguards bang open the door, rushing into
the bathroom when they hear the shouting--
They stop when they see Thomas has Arthur jacked up against
the wall.
ARTHUR
(tries shaking his head)
no; still laughing and choking) No,
no I have a con--
THOMAS WAYNE
(interrupting; raising his
voice)
Is this a fucking joke to you?
AND THOMAS WAYNE PUNCHES ARTHUR STRAIGHT IN THE FACE with his
free hand, blood spraying from his nose--
31
The film soon reveals all the details about Arthur’s childhood, when he visits
the psychiatric hospital to search for his mother’s medical reports. He finds that
Murray was correct, and further that Arthur was in fact adopted, and abused by his
mother i.e., his maternal bond, as well as paternal bond, crashes at the same time.
With this crashing of parental bonds, Arthur soon witnesses the last crash of
idealization i.e., of the TV host Franklin Murray, when he plays the clips of his
condition during his show, and laughs about it. Now, Arthur has lost touch with
most of his delusions about reality and starts to fully transform into The Joker by
embracing his insanity. In Lacanian terms, this absence of the name of the father in
Arthur’s life could be the reason behind his anarchic personality that makes him
rebel against the law. Lacan bases his theory on the symbolic and image I as a
whole we all have since we want what the other has, a father. This crashing of all
the parental figures finally leads Arthur to embrace his aggression in front of the
world. It gives him a reason to embrace his existence within the blended realms of
reality and delusions, which he had hated every second of his life before. One of the
earlier scenes of the movies, where Arthur’s strong subjective construct really
attracts the sympathy of society and the audience of the film in real life, is when
Arthur fights back for the first time after he is ridiculed and beaten up by three men
during the train ride. This moment is beautifully unfolded in the film, as Arthur’s
character starts to give up and acknowledge the ‘Joker’ within him. He kills the
three men in what can be argued as an act of self-defense. With the revelation of
this scene, Joker starts to be seen as an ‘anti-hero’.
INT. SUBWAY (MOVING) - NIGHT 40

ARTHUR SITTING ON THE SUBWAY CONTEMPLATING WHAT JUST WENT
DOWN, face still painted, his clown gear in a shopping bag on
the seat next to him, green wig on his lap.
32
Subway cars are nearly empty. Arthur's sitting across from a lonely looking
MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN, there's also a YOUNG WOMAN (late
20's) reading a book at the far end.
Arthur glances at the Middle-Aged Woman, maybe trying to make
a connection, but the woman doesn't even notice him as the
train comes to a stop, her head's somewhere else--
28.
The woman gets off the train, and THREE WALL STREET GUYS get
on. They're loud and obnoxious, clearly drunk. One of them is
eating some french fries out of a greasy McDonald's bag. He
flops down on the bench across from the young woman, and
check her out. The other two guys start getting into it with
each other--
WALL STREET #1
--I'm telling you, she wanted my
number. We should have just stayed.
The train starts moving again...
WALL STREET #2
You're dreaming, man. She wasn't
interested-- at all.
WALL STREET #1
Are you nuts? Did you see how close
We were dancing!? She was in love,
bro.
He starts dancing a bit with himself, mimicking what he
remembers. Wall Street #2 takes a swig from the brown bag he
is carrying.
WALL STREET #2
She couldn't wait to get away from
33
you.
Arthur's watching them closely, impressed by their confidence
and easy-going camaraderie.
WALL STREET #1
(to the third guy)
Ryan, am I crazy? Tell him what you
saw.
But the third Wall Street guy isn't paying his friends any
attention. He has his eyes set on the young woman sitting
across from him, reading her book.
WALL STREET #3
(to the girl)
Hey. You want some french fries?
He holds out his McDonald's bag and shakes it to get her
attention. The other two share a look. Arthur watches from
his seat.
WALL STREET #3
Hello? I'm talking to you. You want
some fries?
29.
She looks up and shakes her head, a polite smile.
YOUNG WOMAN
No thank you.
The other two guys crack up at this apparent blow-off. The
third Wall Street guy shakes his head, embarrassed, and
starts softly flinging fries at the young woman.
WALL STREET #3
You sure? They're really good.
She just buries her face deeper in her book--
34
WALL STREET #2
Don't ignore him. He's being nice to
you.
One of the french fries lands in her hair. She looks down
toward Arthur, looking to see if he's going to do something
or say something--
Arthur just sits there nervous. Not sure what to do, or even
if he wants to do anything at all.
AND HE JUST BURSTS OUT LAUGHING. He covers his mouth with his
wig as they continue to harass the woman.
They all look over-- What the fuck is this clown laughing at?
WALL STREET #1
Something funny, asshole?
With their attention diverted, the young woman rushes out
through the door between subway cars, glancing back at Arthur
before she goes--
WALL STREET #3
(shouts after her)
BITCH!
Beat.
WALL STREET #1
30.
35
(singing)
Isn't it rich? Are we a pair? Me
here, at last on the ground You in
mid-air Send in the clowns.
next to Arthur, puts his arm around his shoulder as he sings-
-
ARTHUR
the laughter)
Please. Don't.
WALL STREET #1
Isn't it bliss? Don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around, One
who can't move.
WALL STREET #1
Where are the clowns? There ought to
be clowns.
WALL STREET #2
So tell us, buddy. What's so fucking
funny?
ARTHUR
36
ARTHUR
No. It's just my stuff. I don't have
anything.
WALL STREET #3
asshole.
31.
WALL STREET #3
the Café Carlyle.
face.
37
Beat.
WALL STREET #1
(singing)
Isn't it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here, at last on the ground
You in mid-air
Send in the clowns.
next to Arthur, puts his arm around his shoulder as he sings--
ARTHUR
the laughter)
Please. Don't.
WALL STREET #1
Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around,
One who can't move.
WALL STREET #1
Where are the clowns?
38
There ought to be clowns.
WALL STREET #2
So tell us, buddy. What's so
fucking funny?
30.
ARTHUR
ARTHUR
No. It's just my stuff. I don't
have anything.
WALL STREET #3
asshole.
WALL STREET #3
39
the Café Carlyle.
face.
WALL STREET #1
Stay down you freak.
And the third Wall Street guy starts kicking him--
The others join in. Surrounding Arthur on the ground, kicking
him deliberately, sadistically, and the music swells--
BLAM!
31.
Wall Street #1 falls back dead. Blood splattering on the
subway wall behind him--
And we HEAR Bobby Short sing out, picking up from where the
Wall Street Guy left off--
Just when I'd stopped opening doors
Finally knowing' the one that I
wanted was yours
BLAM! BLAM! Wall Street #2 goes down--
Revealing Arthur on the ground, opening his eyes to see what
he did, blood dripping from his nose, smoking gun in hand--
Making my entrance again with my
40
usual flair
Sure of my lines
No one is there
The third guy takes off running for the doors that separate
the cars.
Arthur starts after him, but then stops... turns back to grab
his bag and his wig, his hands shaking from the adrenaline.
The train is coming to a stop.
Don't you love farce?
My fault I fear...
Arthur grabs the green wig from between the two dead bodies,
blood everywhere, and stuffs it into his shopping bag--
The subway doors wheeze open and Arthur steps halfway off the
train, waiting to see if the third Wall Street guy gets off
in the car ahead of him. Arthur sees him run off--
EXT. SUBWAY PLATFORM - CONTINUOUS
The platform is empty, the Wall Street guy is running toward
the stairs--
Arthur follows, blood still dripping from his nose--
Behind them, the train pulls away--
32.
I thought that you'd want what I
want.
Sorry, my dear.
The guy makes his way to the stairs, unaware that Arthur is
behind him--
BLAM!
41
The third guy falls, tumbling down the stairs. Arthur walks
over to the body and empties the chamber-- BLAM! BLAM!
But where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns
Don't bother, they're here.
BLAM! He's got nothing left.
EXT. ROBINSON PARK SUBWAY STATION - NIGHT
Arthur hauls ass up the stairs, rushing out of the station,
the song still playing--
EXT. STREET, ROBINSON PARK - NIGHT
Bounding past bags of garbage, he leaps over a pile, taking a
turn into a run-down needle park, the lights of garbage fires
flickering in the darkness.
He proceeds to kill his mother as an act of ‘justice’ after he realizes that she
had lied to him all these years and that the reason behind all his mania and
melancholy is his Mother itself, whom he had been taking care of all his life and had
loved so much. He also kills his colleague who gets him in trouble at work, but
within that scene, there is an important factor that comes into play which retains
this strong subjective construct i.e., when he lets the other colleague live because
he was the ‘only one who was ever nice’ to him. Moreover, the death of Frank
Murray, the ‘father-figure’ that Arthur identified with the most, in terms of whom
he wanted to be and what kind of society he wanted attracted towards to him,
served as ‘justice’ in his eyes, as he had felt rejected and disappointed in humanity
as a whole. In the narrative of the film, the mass society or the lower class of
Gotham City idealizes the transformation and emergence of ‘Joker’ , a rebellious
figure in the society. The lower classes start riots against the government and
wealthy men like Thomas Wayne, soon after Arthur becomes ‘Joker’ and emerges
42
as a Master who does not take power for himself but simply encourages the masses
to seize their freedom for themselves. In other words, he does not become his
‘Father’.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(looking into camera)
O-kay, you may have seen that clip
of our next guest when we first
I played it a couple weeks ago. Now
before he comes out, I just want to
say that we're all heartbroken at
what's going on in the city tonight.
But, this is how he wanted to come
out, and honestly I think we could
all use a good laugh. So, please
welcome-- Joker.
BEHIND THE SHIMMERING MULTI COLORED CURTAIN, Joker gathers
himself, ready for his moment. Doesn't hear his introduction
or see a STAGEHAND pull open the curtain for him to go out--
ON SET, THE CURTAIN'S OPEN, Ellis Drane and his Jazz
Orchestra is playing Joker on. He doesn't come out. Murray
looks over to the empty space in the curtain.
The audience laughs.
BEHIND THE CURTAIN, Joker sees the stagehand motioning for
him to go out on stage.
Joker starts out, pausing when he takes a step into the
bright lights. The stagehand doesn't see him stop, and drops
the curtain back on Joker before the audience can really see
his face--
43
Tangling Joker up in the curtain.
The audience keeps laughing thinking it's part of his act.
The band keeps playing him on. Joker untangles himself from
the curtain and the audience gets a good look at him.
Some continue laughing. A few boo. Most don't know what to
make of him.
Joker walks across the stage, forgetting to wave like he
practiced. He trips over the riser surrounding the set when
he goes to shake Murray's hand. Almost falls on him.
Murray tries not to crack up. The audience laughs. Thinks
It's part of Joker's act.
88.
Joker reaches out to hug Dr. Sally as she goes in for a
handshake. Another awkward moment. More laughs.
Barry O'Donnell stands there with his hands up, as if to say
"What about me?"
Joker ignores him and just sits down next to Murray. Crosses
and uncrosses his legs. Can't get comfortable. Murray shakes
his head.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
So, ahhh, thanks for coming on the
show. But I gotta tell ya, with what
happened at City Hall today, I'm
sure many of our viewers here, and
at home, might find this look of
yours in poor taste.
Joker's not listening to Murray. He's mesmerized by all the
lights shining on him... all the eyes on him... he doesn't
answer Murray.
44
Nervous laughter from the audience.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(tries again)
So... can you tell us why you're
dressed like this? A lot of
protesters are going with this look,
right? City seems to be full of
clowns these days.
A long uncomfortable beat.
JOKER
(glances at the studio
audience; awkward)
Yeah. Isn't it great?
113 INT. DIRECTOR'S BOOTH, STUDIO 4B - CONTINUOUS 113
Dead silence in the booth, everybody's just staring at the
monitors.
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
(looks to the director)
This guy's got nothing.
DIRECTOR
(hits the producer's talk
button; into the mic)
Gene, what the hell? You wanna kill
this?
89.
114 INT. TALK SHOW SET, STAGE - CONTINUOUS 114
Murray glances over at his producer Gene Ufland, who's
sitting off-camera on a director's chair by a monitor. Gene
shrugs at him.
45
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(smiles; trying to save
the interview)
So when we talked earlier, you
mentioned that you aren't political.
That this look isn't a political
statement.
JOKER
That's right. I'm not political,
Murray. I'm just trying to make
people laugh.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(beat; smiles)
How's that going' for ya?
The studio audience laughs at Joker. Joker doesn't answer
Murray just smiles to himself.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(trying not to laugh)
Have you been working on any new
material? Do you want to tell us a
joke now?
The audience claps, egging Joker on to tell a joke.
Joker reaches into his jacket pocket and--
Pulls out his worn notebook. Looks through it, sees Bruce
Wayne's photo, pauses for a moment then turns the page. Finds
the joke--
JOKER
(reading)
Okay. Here's one. Knock-knock.
46
MURRAY FRANKLIN
And you had to look that up?
Studio audience laughs.
JOKER
(nods; reads it again)
I want to get it right. Knock knock.
Murray makes a face like, "Okay, I’ll go along with this."
90.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
Who’s there?
Joker looks up from his notebook-- Sees the audience looking
back at him, waiting for the punchline.
Decides to finish the joke--
JOKER
It's the police, ma'am. Your son has
been hit by a drunk driver. He's
dead.
A few in the audience groan. A couple even laugh.
Ellis Drane plays "wha-wha-wha-whuuuuh" on his trumpet from
the band stands. Barry O'Donnell clears his throat.
DR. SALLY FRIEDMAN
Ahhhh! No, no,-- You can not joke
about that.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(shakes his head;
irritated)
Yeah, that's not funny, that's not
the kind of humor we do on this
show.
47
Murray glances over at Gene in the wings. He gives him the
"wrap it up" sign.
JOKER
(just keeps going, on a
roll)
Sorry. It's been a rough few weeks,
Murray. Ever since I killed those
three Wall Street guys.
Beat.
Studio audience can't tell if he's joking or not. Murray
can't either.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(looks at him confused)
Okay. I'm waiting for the punchline.
JOKER
There is no punchline. It's not a
joke.
115 INT. DIRECTOR'S BOOTH, STUDIO 4B - CONTINUOUS 115
91.
The director stares at the monitor.
DIRECTOR
Did he just confess to killing the
Wall Street Three?
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
(horrified)
Yeah. I think he did.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
(turns to the director,
nods)
48
He definitely did.
DIRECTOR
Jesus Christ.
(hits the camera talk
button, into mic)
Camera Three, get in close.
ANGLE ON MONITOR, Camera Three slowly zooming in close on
Joker's face.
116 INT. TALK SHOW SET, STAGE - CONTINUOUS 116
Gene Ufland motions for Murray to kill the interview. Murray
shakes his head to himself. This is a big "get," it could be
great television.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(turns back to Joker; with
gravitas)
You're serious, aren't you? You're
telling us you killed those three
young men on the subway. Why should
Do we believe you?
JOKER
(shrugs)
I got nothing left to lose, Murray.
Nothing can hurt me anymore. This is
my fate, my life is nothing but a
comedy.
117 INT. SOPHIE'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 117
Sophie's sitting on her couch watching this interview play
out on TV. GiGi's asleep next to her. The open envelope and
The money is lying on the coffee table. No sign of the
49
flowers anywhere.
92.
MURRAY FRANKLIN (ON TV)
Let me get this straight, you think
Is killing those guys funny?
JOKER (ON TV)
Comedy is sub, subjective, isn't
What do they say? All of you, the
system that knows so much, you
decide what's right or wrong. What's
real or what's made up. The same way
you decide what's funny or not.
Sophie edges forward on the couch, can almost see a hint of
agreement on her face.
118 INT. TALK SHOW SET, STAGE - STUDIO 4B - CONTINUOUS 118
Back on set, we can tell by the way Murray's now interviewing
Joker, talking to him slower, more thoughtfully, that he
thinks this is gonna get him an Emmy... Maybe even a Peabody.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
(beat)
Okay, I think I understand. You did
it to start a movement, to become a
symbol.
JOKER
C'mon, Murray, do I look like the
kind of clown who could start a
movement? I killed those guys
because they were awful. Everybody's
awful these days. It's enough to
50
make anyone crazy.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
So that's it, huh, you're crazy.
That's your defense for killing
three young men? Because they were
mean to you?
JOKER
No. They couldn't carry a tune to
save their lives.
Some audible groans from the audience.
JOKER
Why is everyone so upset about these
guys? Because Thomas Wayne went and
cried about them on TV?
MURRAY FRANKLIN
93.
You have a problem with Thomas
Wayne, too?
JOKER
Yeah. I do. Everything comes so easy
for him.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
And what's wrong with that?
JOKER
Have you seen what it's like out
Murray? Do you ever actually
leave this studio? Everybody just
yells and screams at each other.
Nobody's civil anymore. Nobody
51
thinks what it's like to be the
another guy. You think men like Thomas
Wayne ever think what it's like to
be a guy like me? To be anybody but
themselves.
(shaking his head, voice
rising)
They don't. They think we'll all
just sit there and take it like good
little boys. That we won't go wild.
Well, this is for all of you out
there.
Joker "howls at the moon." It's fucking weird.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
So much self-pity, Arthur. You sound
like you're making excuses for
killing three young men. Not
everybody's awful.
JOKER
You're awful, Murray.
There is no more laughter. The audience is watching this
exchange with full attention.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
Me? How am I awful?
JOKER
Playing my video, inviting me on the
show,-- You just wanted to make fun
of me. You're just like the rest of
them, Murray. Everything comes too
52
easy for you.
MURRAY FRANKLIN
94.
(on the spot; defensive)
You don't know the first thing about
me, pal. Look what happened because
of what you did, what it led to.
There are riots out there. Two
policemen are in critical condition,
Someone was killed today.
JOKER
How about another joke, Murray?
MURRAY FRANKLIN
No, I think we've had enough of your
jokes--
JOKER
What do you get when you cross a
mentally-ill loner with a system
that abandons him and treats him
like trash?
JOKER
(pulling the gun)
I'll tell you what you get. You get
what you fucking deserve.
And as Murray Franklin turns, JOKER SHOOTS THE SIDE OF
MURRAY'S HEAD OFF--
Blood splatters all over the back of the set. Some spraying
in Joker's face. AUDIENCE SCREAMS! Dr. Sally dives for the
floor. Barry O'Donnell reaches over her to try and save
53
Murray--
119 INT. SOPHIE'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 119
Sophie screams and jumps to her feet horrified! Waking up
GiGi who starts to cry when she sees what's on television--
ANGLE ON TELEVISION, Joker gets up and walks right up to the
camera. Blood sprayed over his white painted face. Hear the
studio audience still screaming, bedlam all around him.
JOKER (ON TV)
(looks straight into)
camera; screams Murray's signature
sign off) GOOD NIGHT AND ALWAYS
REMEMBER,-- THAT'S LIFE!
Arthur works on jokes of mental illnesses in his journal and works in a club
where he is nothing but a failure. His view on Humor is quite accurate in
relationship with social agreement on what is beautiful, funny, politically correct,
ethical or not and he puts forward this axiomatic statement: “Comedy is subjective,
isn't that what they say? All of you, the system that knows so much, you decide
what's right or wrong. What's real or what's made up”. The same way you decide
what's funny or not. This is the moment the police arrest him but a lorry crashes
the car that he survives. Moreover, the moment this occurred was when he killed
his idol or ‘father-figure’ after he had made fun of his condition, on his TV show in
front of the world- he became an object of injury, he became a hero. Arthur, an
object under the gaze of the world, transcends from being a persecuted object to
an admired one.
This dynamic and enigmatic blend of the reality of the society and Arthur’s
delusions, in discourse heavily, bases itself upon the constitution of social bonds
that Fleck’s unconscious tries to understand and integrate with. According to the
54
classical Freudian or Lacanian understanding of the unconscious, the unconscious is
simply which is fundamentally related to a symbolic or spectral anchoring point i.e.,
the “name-of-the-father” which facilitates the possibility of a discourse (Lacan,
1968). According to Lacan, “the unconscious is politics” is a development of “the
unconscious is the discourse of the Other” (Lacan, 2002). This link to the Other,
intrinsic to the unconscious, is what inspires from the outset Lacan’s teaching. This
is also true when it is pointed out that the Other is divided and does not exist as
One. Arthur Fleck’s childhood details are gradually unfolded throughout the movie,
as he attempts to exist between reality and his delusions. The relation to the Other,
is unfolded during the specters of Arthur’s idealization of the ‘father-figures’ and
also while crashing of these intense idealizations.
The film also displayed moments of Arthur dressed as ‘Joker’ dancing and
embracing his confusion, dilemmas, and delusions. The scenes directed by Todd
Phillips, presented by Arthur (Joaquin Phoenix), depicted through his dance along
with Hildur Guðnadóttir’s soundtrack, signify his urges to accept, acknowledge and
become free of his repressed self. Arthur’s dance moments emerge in the film
when he is faced with intense situations like killing the three men on the train or
when he was getting ready to go on Franklin Murray’s show only to kill himself as
the last ‘joke’. These dance moments, very well coordinated with the soundtrack
and the narrative of the film, gives out these profound specters of the
acknowledgment of the repressed self. These are the moments when Arthur fully
identifies with “the mask” i.e., his manic repressed selfie, ‘Joker’.
The first dance scene unfolds right after Arthur had revolted against bullying for the
first time in his life. He had quickly left the train station, running to find a
comfortable and safe shelter. This when the bathroom dance scene reveals the first
full spectral emergence of the repressed self.
INT. PUBLIC BATHROOM, ROBINSON PARK - NIGHT
Arthur bursts into the small bathroom, out of breath.
55
Overwhelmed, vibrating with emotions. He leans his forehead
against the door, sweat dripping down his face, and catches
his breath.
Arthur feels all those emotions running through his body, can
feel them all. He sticks his right foot out and starts to
slowly turn, his right arm rising slowly above his head as
his right foot leads, turning like something is awakening
inside of him--
Sweat dripping down his face, "Send in the Clowns" finally
comes to an end. He starts washing the blood and clown makeup
off his sweaty face.
Looks up at his smudged reflection in the dirty mirror, water
dripping, white grease paint running off his face--
33.
Beat.
The last main scene in the film, when Arthur is on his way to Franklin
Murray’s show, also consists of Joker’s strong ethos reflected in the dance scene.
This is the moment when he has fully identified with his repressed self and
accepted his own version of reality as the only version of reality. His joyous
celebration of the moment while coming down the stairs with a dance establishes
the understanding of the character’s narrative in its whole entirety. This can be
acknowledged when the sync between the dance, music, and narrative is seen from
a critical point of view. Furthermore, it also has a connection to Carl Jung’s Shadow
Phenomenon which is essentially a realm of the psyche in which an individual’s
unacknowledged negative impulses are compounded until they become an active
influence in one’s behavior, ”Everyone carries a shadow,” Jung wrote, “and the less
it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is” (1938).
In order to maintain mental equilibrium, an individual must acknowledge
these negative impulses otherwise; it can cause a shatter in the cognitive pattern of
56
the individual. When this negative pattern fails to be recognized, then the
individual’s mind makes him/her the hero of their own stories i.e., the perceived
victimization is lifted up as a justification for ‘negative’ behavioral-patterns. As Carl
Jung said in Archaic Man, “Projection is one of the commonest psychic
phenomena…Everything that is unconscious in ourselves we discover in our
neighbor, and we treat him accordingly”. In terms of adoption from the comic books
to the film, the film also signifies this moment of acknowledgment and acceptance
of the repressed self with the help of the comic Batman: The Killing Joke, wherein
the Joker says, “All it takes is one bad day”, implying that an individual is only one
traumatic moment away from insanity or madness.
A Philosophy of Humor
As an English invention and core of its spirit, the first use of Humor took place in
1682 in tandem with the emergence of democracy, 1776-8. Humor enforces a social
bond but is of paramount importance to underline its power for change in all
contexts where the humorous event takes place. What is interesting about humor is
its geographic specificity to the concept. The geography of humor is key to
understanding universal writers such as Jonathan Swift, Johnson and the context of
body, religion, protestant and post-reformation in England. Italian Catholics, on the
other hand, had to set for buffoonish laughter, as the saying goes. In the 18th C,
even the French recognized that humor belongs to the English people. Traditionally
philosophers have not paid much attention to humor despite its core nature of
dealing and raising
the big questions. What causes the feeling of humor? There are basically three
theories of humor: The superiority theory, the Relief theory and the Incongruity
theory.
The Superiority Theory humor involves comparing yourself to another person or
being, judging that you are superior. Hobbes states that humor is a “sudden glory
arising in some conception of some eminency in ourselves, by comparison with the
57
infirmity of others, or with our own formerly. “ Comedy often involves flawed
characters or characters who find themselves in bad situations. We laugh at the
stupid, the cowardly, and the socially inept. Many jokes ridicule particular groups:
blonde jokes, fat jokes, jokes that play on stereotypes about nationalities. Some
problems in seeing yourself as superior to another person often lead to pity, not
humor. Defenders of the superiority theory would add that humor involves
perceiving yourself to be superior, where the other person is not so badly off that
you feel sympathy instead. We often find humor where there is no judgment of
superiority. Consider simple jokes using wordplay and puns: “A plateau is the
highest form of flattery” – “I still remember what my granddad said before he
kicked the bucket: “How far do you think I can kick this bucket?” Even in cases
where we laugh at another person’s misfortune, does this involve judging ourselves
superior? Many people watch TV shows vivaciously- they project themselves into
the positions of characters. The superiority theory does not seem to be compatible
with the self- deprecating humor, where we poke fun at ourselves. Indeed, some
have suggested an “inferiority theory” of humor that involves judging yourself to be
flawed, to be less than ideal. The superiority theory embraces hierarchy, plays on
misfortune, differences in social status. Does humor have something intrinsic to it;
is there something fundamental about humor that exposes power relationships?
The moral implication, on the superiority theory, suggests the possibility that
humor can be morally wrong –humor always involves putting others down , and
perhaps undermines cooperation and tolerance. Humor always involves judgments
of superiority. In Plato’s Republic, humor was seen as corruptible as in many other
memorable works such as Aristotle and Hobbes. The core assumption of the
superiority theory is that we laugh about the misfortunes of others; it reflects our
own superiority. This theory can be found in the work of Plato, Aristotle, and
Hobbes. Plato suggests that humor is some kind of malice towards people that are
being considered relatively powerless. Hobbes further explains that humans are in
a constant competition with each other, looking for the shortcomings of other
58
persons. He considers laughter as an expression of a sudden realization that we
are better than others, an expression of “sudden glory” as Arthur’s bloody smile
and laughter when he becomes a leader of the clowns, where-are-the-clowns.
Although this theory seems old-fashioned in the 21st century, Charles Gruner
reformulated this theory as the Superiority Theory of Humor. His theory contains a
three-part thesis:
· Every humorous situation has a winner and a loser.
· Incongruity is always present in a humorous situation.
· Humor requires an element of surprise.
The first part of this thesis contains the idea of Superiority. The assumption that all
humor has a winner and a loser is based on human nature. Throughout history,
humans have used humor to “compete” with other persons, making them the
target of their humorous comment. The “winner “is the one that successfully makes
fun of the “loser”.
TheRelief theory involves a release of mental tension. Hence, the connection
between humor and laughter: laughter is a bodily expression, difficult to control. It
is a release of positive emotion. Sigmund Freud championed this theory. The Relief
Theory has a clear physiological or psycho-physiological nature. The theory reached
its zenith when Freud proposed his theory on how laughter can release tension and
“psychic energy”. This energy continuously builds up within the human body, has no
further use and, therefore, has to be released. This release is spontaneous and
expresses itself in laughter. This theory is popular among those who believe that
laughter is beneficial for one’s health. A more conventional version of the Relief
Theory is that we experience a pleasant sensation when humor replaces negative
feelings like pain or sadness. However, this statement may be refutable since pain
and sadness coexist in works of literature within the postmodern metafiction,
historiographic metafiction, magic realism and carnivalesque literary works.
The theory does not really give an explanation as to why we find humor funny and
can in fact be seen as a theory of laughter. Different forms of humor release
59
different tensions created by the mind’s attempt to inhibit particular impulses. As
we get older, we are expected to behave rationally and regulate emotions, thus
inhibiting a tendency to nonsense and childishness. This inhibition creates a mental
tension, which needs to be released by particular kinds of humor. Relief theory
explains why so much humor deals with taboo topics- sex, violence, political
incorrectness- these are all inhibited in polite contexts. The problem with this
theory is that we enjoy engaging with taboo topics in general even in non
–humorous contexts. But why doesn’t this also “release tension”, and so provoke
humor in all contexts?
The primary objection to relief theory is it assumes an implausible psychological
theory. We do not literally build up pressure; we don’t literally release anything.
Even if we are humorous, is the release supposed to work? Why would telling a
sexual joke release sexual tension, as opposed to just increasing such tension?
Relief Theory makes incorrect predictions: if it’s true that humor releases tension,
then after a few jokes on the same theme, there should be nothing left to release.
Yet, we can laugh at a topic repeatedly for no reason but just contagious laughter. If
the tension to be released is created by inhibitions, then people who are more
inhibited should find more things funny. Again, this seems to be false. The
connection between humor and laughter is very controversial. Many things that are
not humorous prompt laughter: being tickled, contagious laughter, cannabis,
surprise, nervousness. Many times we laugh because others do. Moreover, we
often find things funny without laughing. Much of the humorous things in the world
just give us an “intellectual tickle”. The Incongruity Theory is the most significant
approach to the study of humor and laughter. Kant, in the eighteenth century, is
credited to have made the first full conceptualization of incongruity. A good
description of the incongruity theory is found in the following words uttered by
Schopenhauer:
60
“The cause of laughter in every case is simply the sudden perception of the
incongruity between a concept and the real objects which have been thought
through it in some relation, and the laugh itself is just an expression
of this incongruity.” When jokes are examined in the light of the incongruity theory,
two objects in the joke are presented through a single concept, or ‘frame’. The
concept becomes applied to both objects and the objects become similar. As the
As the joke progresses, it becomes apparent that this concept only applies to one of
the two objects and thus the difference between the objects or their concepts
becomes apparent. This is what is called incongruity. Many agree on the point that
it is not the incongruity but the congruous resolution of the apparent incongruity
that makes a certain situation funny. That is why we speak of the incongruity
resolution theory. The incongruity resolution theory is a linguistic theory that
explains how jokes are structured and does not pay attention to the influence of
the surrounding factors. Moreover, it cannot explain why we can hear a joke more
than one time and still find it funny and why not all incongruities are the source of
laughter. Whether relief of tension, a sense of superiority to see the absurd in the
inferior realities or the incongruous spaces, the three theories on humor fall into
Michael Foucault’s space of the incongruous where all forms meet since none of
them exist in the purest
form, relief may be invaded by a sense of superiority and a vision of life as just a
heap of the incongruous. We are all familiar with the disconcerting effect of the
proximity of extremes or, quite simply, with the sudden vicinity of things that have
no relation to each other; the mere act of enumeration that heaps them all
together has a power of enchantment all its own in their power to coexist.
Does Arthru Fleck know what humor is? His grip on sanity and the idea of what
makes him laugh is unknown since his neural disorder does not allow him to
express his emotions. Thus he is imprisoned in laughter. How one perceives comedy
is a major plot point in the film, and it is fitting that one of the most successful
comedy directors in recent years helmed it. The film is directed by Todd Philips,
61
whose most famous films are The Hangover trilogy. In those movies, he uses humor
at its core: suffering. Arthur and his future brother or evil and good are founded in
profound pain. Fleck is aware that most comedy comes from misery, and to great
effect; comedy, be it slapstick or situational, is often the result of conflict or
suffering, and uses comedy to enhance the misery of the characters. However, in
Joker, he uses desolation to enhance the comedy. Rather, Arthur's idea of comedy,
which has been disturbingly, warped thanks to his mother's nihilistic nature rubbing
off on him.
As a result, Arthur has three distinct laughs, and each one tells a story
Fake Laugh of a Joker
Arthur Fleck believes he has been put in the world to make people laugh. He writes
jokes and even works as a clown. While any psychiatrist contends his desperation
for humor is for himself, Arthur views his love for comedy as his way of helping
others. As stated before, Arthur doesn't truly understand humor: "I haven't been
happy one minute of my entire life," and "All I have are negative thoughts," show
that humor is not something that comes naturally to him. Because of this, he has to
mimic comedy and what makes others laugh. Whenever Arthur laughs because he
thinks he has to, the laugh is shrill and high-pitched. While this may seem like the
laugh of a typical Joker performance, there is one key thing missing. Emotion.
Edges Closer With New Update On The DC Sequel
There is no emotion behind this laugh. No joy, happiness, cruelty, or even sarcasm.
Arthur does this laugh at a few points throughout the film, but there are two that
are the most telling. After Arthur is attacked in the opening sequence, he is seen
the next day in his job's locker room. The other clowns mock one of their
co-workers, leading them all to laugh. While Arthur is in the room, he gives this fake
laugh in an attempt to make the others believe he is in on the joke. As soon as he
62
walks away and is by himself, he stops instantly. The smile fades from his face and
there is no sense of humor there.
The other crucial time is when he is watching a stand-up comedian and taking
notes. While the audience laughs naturally, Arthur laughs unconventionally from
the others and with this fake laugh. Arthur wants to be the one making others laugh
and wants to be part of the joke, not the butt. The world laughs at him, and he
wants to control the humor, but he is arguably and tragically a hopeless lost cause.
Outside of sadness or rage, Arthur cannot make himself feel emotions, so he has to
mimic others. While not the most disturbing, this is probably the saddest of
Arthur's laughs. It shows that, before he snaps, there is a functioning human within
him who just wants to fit in. Arthur wants to be one of the people so to speak, and
genuinely wants to make others laugh, or at least direct the cruel laughter of others
away from him for a change.
Laughter as Medical Condition

Most of the time when Arthur laughs, it isn't because he wants to. Arthur has a
condition, a real condition, that makes him uncontrollably laugh when in moments
of extreme distress. The laughter comes out with such force that it actually chokes
him, causing him to laugh with no control over it. This condition is why Arthur is led
to believe he is meant to make others laugh. His mother tells him he is always
happy and this is why he laughs like this. The reality is, he suffered extreme abuse
as a child. His so-called humor comes from severe trauma he has chosen to forget.
When Arthur finally does begin to genuinely laugh near the end of the movie, it is a
normal-sounding laugh. It is not high-pitched, insane, or threatening. It is the kind
of laugh any normal person would have. What makes it so disturbing is what causes
63
it. After a life devoid of humor, Arthur finds his laugh in chaos. When he brutally
kills people, when he causes the streets of Gotham to become a war zone, that is
when he laughs. This seemingly normal laughter marks the final snap in Arthur's
sanity. While not traditional, this laugh marks the birth of The Joker. He has always
felt that humor is what drives him. He has finally found what makes him laugh, and
he will do whatever it takes to keep it. This is what Joker is all about. His laughter is
born out of profound pain in his life and the pain in a society where the cruel rich
capitalists and politicians ironically are watching a funny movie by Charles Chaplin,
while outside misery, pain, riots, people covered with clown masks are setting
Gotham on fire. Even the setting when Arthur talks to Wayne is satirical since it
takes place in the restroom and the exchanges by Wayne are brutal and indifferent.
I contend that Arthur Fleck does not understand humor but writes about pain- as
the knock knock joke at Murray’s show- in what he considers jokes. He understands
what society decides and agrees on but he is condemned to a laughter and a smile
divorced from what humor is. Nabokov is similarly preoccupied with the
transformation of suffering into laughter.
What of the suffering body of Arthur as a boy? Suffering has often been spoken
about by affect theorists, though usually in its darker and somber forms. Sara
Ahmed, for example, has done much to highlight the affective dimensions and
political economies of pain, suffering, and victimhood: “It is significant that the
word 'passion' and the word 'passive' share the same root in the Latin word for
'suffering' (passio). To be passive is to be enacted upon, as a negation that is
already felt as suffering. The fear of passivity is tied to the fear of emotionality, in
which weakness is defined in terms of a tendency to be shaped by others.
In assessing cruel laughter and suffering jokers, it is clear that this model of
passivity does not always hold. While Arthur is a victim of somatic cruelty and
suffering, also inflicts suffering on others, which enables the narrative's ironic tone
and the reader's laughter. Henri Bergson discusses suffering and cruelty in
connection to what he calls the "elasticity" of laughter, that is to say the temporary
64
but profound change of the self through laughter. According to the critic John
Bruns, laughter should be understood as a particular effect that foregrounds the
unexpected, and by confounding our expectations, unsettles us into becoming
someone other than who
we are (Bruns 5-8; Hemmings 549). "What is so comical," asks Bruns, "about
cruelty?" Bergson's essay on "Laughter" would answer this question with a single
word: "elasticity." Bergson configures laughter as a movement, rather than a state
or condition. It contains no "epistemological essence," and does not correspond to
the subjectivity of the person who laughs. In order for us to laugh at cruelty and
suffering, we do not need to change, because laughter itself is the very element of
change (66).
Laughter, for Bergson, is indeed a troubling agent for change. He argues that the
cost of this transformation is to silence and suffocate emotion. There is, he posits,
"an absence of feeling which usually accompanies laughter" (130)
and impose silence upon our pity. (63)
The "suffering joker" is an often-cited, though somewhat ill defined, concept in
examining the psychological suffering of individuals within an oppressive
socio-family-historical setting.
Conclusion
Joker (2019) succeeds in presenting the enigmatic scenes of the repressed
and unconscious desires, along with the string narration, which locates its existence
within the blend of reality and delusions. The film also consisted of scenes where
Arthur’s delusions were strongly identifiable like the scenes where he thought he
had a real relationship with his neighbor, but only much later could he acknowledge
the reality when the lady confronts him in her living room. This moment clearly
established that Arthur suffered from delusions. In addition, the
Social-Psychological Renaissance that this movie presents its audience, which
65
allows for the identification of “the unconscious is the discourse of the Other”
(Lacan 1955).
It is a troubled time. The crime rate in Gotham is at record highs. A garbage

strike has crippled the city for the past six weeks. In addition, the divide between
the "haves" and the "have nots" is palpable. Dreams are beyond reach, slipping into
delusions. The people has become poor and unemployed under the rule of corrupt
capitalist working as politicians. Anger is ubiquitous.
But what does the Joker resist? In What is Enlightenment, Foucault characterizes
what he sees as the two important currents of modernity. On the one hand there is
Enlightenment, “a set of political, economic, social, institutional, and cultural events on
which we still depend in large part” (Foucault, 312). Moreover, “the Enlightenment is an
event, or a set of events and complex historical processes, that is located at a certain point
in the development of European societies. As such, it includes elements of social
transformation, types of political institutions, forms of knowledge, projects of
rationalization of knowledge and practices, technological mutations that are very difficult
to sum up in a word, even if many of these phenomena remain important today” (313). On
the other hand there is a critique of the Enlightenment: I have been seeking to stress that
the thread which may connect us with the Enlightenment is not faithfulness to doctrinal
elements but, rather, the permanent reactivation of an attitude–that is, of a philosophical
ethos that could be described as a permanent critique of our historical era (312). The
philosophical ethos that Foucault aims for is not a “gesture of rejection” (315); rather, its
aim is to “move beyond the outside-inside alternative; we have to be at the frontiers”
(315).This being at the frontiers should always be an attempt of crossing over. Foucault’s
philosophy is an experimentation to try to find “the points where change is possible and
desirable, and to determine the precise form this change should take” (316). What
66
Foucault wants to exact this change on the level of the individual and how he/she behaves
and thinks is a critical ontology of ourselves (316). Foucault’s philosophical ethos of limit
experiences reveals him to be critical of any forms of humanism that defines humans by
means of essentialism. Because Foucault’s goal is to experiment and change the way we
behave and think shows that he views humanity, like Nietzsche, as an unfinished project.
Most of all, Foucault critiques the idea that a human being has a fixed identity.
Philosophical thinking that establishes a fixed morality or identity of a person or of
humankind as a whole is negative as it defines impossibilities instead of possibilities. To
establish a fixed identity is to limit the self, to restrict oneself by designating what one
cannot do. Breaking this notion of fixed identity means that one “compels [oneself] to face
the task of producing himself” (312). Foucault aims for a positive philosophy that aims to
aid the unfinished project of man. This project of man can never be finished, for if it is,
philosophy starts to limit again and a fixed identity or essence is once again established. It
is humankind’s task to produce itself ad infinitum.
It remains in the dark if the Joker aims for a critical ontology that might come close to
Foucault’s. What is clear, however, is that the Joker’s critique implies the destruction of all
limits in an attempt to recreate the world in a way so that it breathes possibilities instead
of impossibilities. However, although the Joker’s critique is similar to Foucault’s, his course
of action is completely different. Instead of constructing a philosophical ethos by writing,
the Joker undertakes direct action. The Joker lives his life as an embodiment of his critique.
As a character, he perpetually frustrates identification. The Joker’s laughter plays an
important role in his resistance. It is always there where he resists, and at times it is the
laughter itself that constitutes the resistance. For this reason, an analysis of the Joker’s
resistance should start from the Joker’s laughter. Such an analysis of the Joker’s laughter
offers an opportunity to investigate a limit-experience that has considerable similarities
with Foucault’s critique as to what it is resisting, although what constitutes actual
resistance for the Joker is completely different. It might seem obvious – because I have
already introduced Foucault’s critique on fixed identity as an important theme in this
67
thesis – to use the genealogical method in the present undertaking. Foucault revived
Nietzsche’s genealogical method because of its critical potential with regards to histories
that search for an origin and identity. Instead of a search for origins, genealogy records the
history of multiple forces that constantly form different constellations, dominion after
dominion (Foucault, Nietzsche 372); once this kind of genealogy is recorded, any truistic
notion of unity is at once called into question. Genealogy, therefore, forms “the history of
an error we call truth” (373). The genealogical method leads Nietzsche to write “we are
not ‘knowers’ when it comes to ourselves” (Nietzsche, Genealogy 3) and Foucault:
History becomes “effective” to the degree that it introduces discontinuity into our very
being –as it divides our emotions, dramatizes our instincts, multiplies our body and sets it
against itself. “Effective” history leaves nothing around the self, deprives the self of the
reassuring stability of life and nature, and it will not permit itself to be transported by a
voiceless obstinacy toward a millennial ending. It will uproot its traditional foundations
and relentlessly disrupt its pretended continuity. This is because knowledge is not mate for
understanding; it is made for cutting (Foucault, Nietzsche 380). The goal of genealogy is to
affirm the absolute multiplicity of the present and past against the mistakes of identity,
continuity and truth. The Joker’s goals are similar to resist one narrative of his past by
frustrating attempts to form a unified history of him or by recollecting conflicting stories
about his past, for example – but the Joker’s method is different; he intervenes directly by
way of subversive acts, instead of a critical historical analysis. By the end of the script or
movie, Arthur or The Joker kills Mr. and Mrs. Wayne, his apparent father, leaving master
Wayne alive to become the twin evil-goodness twin that will make him The Joker, the
exquisite form of evil.
Foucault summarizes the Joker’s ethos as his surrender to the irrational that can be
a zone of incongruous beauty. Foucault refers to the idea that we have marginalized one
aspect of the logos that is madness or insanity and constructed Looney bins - slang- to
remove the insane from society as we have done it with criminals. To him, the logo is a
form of control and any "insane" idea should be removed from the systems of control. We
don't understand madness as part of the human logos or reason so we construct
68
institutions to not see the insane ones and prisons to not see the spectacle of
punishment-history of public punishments- and also divorce justice from punishment
especially physical punishment and redirect punishment to a person's soul. However, we
have chosen not to see but marginalize the insane, the criminals and justice is
disconnected from the prison system that is organized by other institutions. Therefore, we
have a positive idea of prisons and insane asylums where a whole staff replaces that one
person that beheaded each criminal or tortures the insane minds. Ironically, he
marginalizes the logos or reason. Foucault dislikes the denial of the insane reason and the
worshiping of reason as a tyrant system that leads to utter control. When he refers to
ethics, he is anti-code ethics or code-oriented ethics. The individual should decide what is
right and what is wrong in the different intersections of his/her life. Thus, insanity is, to
him, the best refutation of reason (insanity is feared by reason) and it has to be divorced
from it when it is a natural aspect of the logos. Reason is a form of discipline, a form of
totalitarianism, the foundation of positivism or obsession to label it all. Joker embraces the
irrational and the rational but it is in the irrational where he is exquisite. The movements
are slow, his arms extend, curve, make shape; his hands are expressive. He ends the dance
in front of the mirror, in the bathroom’s scene, his arms wide open (for the final bow) and
he looks at himself. He presents himself to himself. This is who I am. The Joker. “That’s
Life”.
Author: Lic. Agustina Sosa Revol
REFERENCES
Ahmed A, Simmons Z. Pseudobulbar affect: prevalence and management. Ther Clin

Risk Manag. 2013;9:483–9.
69
American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, Fifth Edition. Arlington, VA, American Psychiatric
Association,2013.Carpenter Jr, WT, M.D, Barch, Deanna M, PhD. Schizophrenia and
other psychotic disorders. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,
Fifth Edition. Arlington, VA, American Psychiatric Association, 2013. pp. 87–122.
Beré Marcelo PhD Candidate. Clown – A Misfit by Profession
Camp ME, Webster CR, Coverdale TR, Coverdale JH, Nairn R. The Joker: a dark night
for depictions of mental illness. Acad Psychiatry. 2010;34(2):145–9.
Cummings JL, Arciniegas DB, Brooks BR, Herndon RM, Lauterbach EC, Pioro EP, et al.
Defining and diagnosing involuntary emotional expression disorder. CNS Spectr.
2006;11(S6):1–7.
Dubovsky SL. Mania. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3):737–55.
Eaton WW, Romanoski A, Anthony JC, Nestadt G. Screening for psychosis in the
general population with a self-report interview. J Nerv Ment Dis.
1991;179(11):689–93.
Foucault, Michael. Madness and Civilization. Penguin. 2005
Fujii D, Fujii DC. Psychotic disorder due to traumatic brain injury: analysis of case
studies in the literature. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2012;24(3):278–89.
70
International League Against Epilepsy. Epilepsy Diagnosis.org. Available from:
https://www.epilepsydiagnosis.org/seizure/emotional-overview.html. Accessed 18
Dec 2020.
Kelleher I, Devlin N, Wigman JTW, Kehoe A, Murtagh A, Fitzpatrick C, et al. Psychotic

experiences in a mental health clinic sample: implications for suicidality,
multimorbidity and functioning. Psychol Med. 2014;44(8):1615–24.
Mascia A, Quarato PP, D’Aniello A, Di Gennaro G. Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures

mimicking gelastic seizures: a description of two cases. Epilepsy Behav Case Rep.
2015;4:67–9.
Mainka T, Balint B, Gövert F, Kurvits L, Riesen C, Kühn AA, et al. The spectrum of
involuntary vocalizations in humans: a video atlas. Mov Disord.
2019;34(12):1774–91.
Martino D, Hedderly T. Tics and stereotypes: a comparative clinical review.

Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2019;59:117–24.
MengelE, Klünemann H-H, Lourenço CM, Hendriksz CJ, Sedel F, Walterfang M, et al.
Niemann-Pick disease type C symptomatology: an expert-based clinical description.
Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2013;8(1):166.
71
Miller A, Pratt H, Schiffer RB. Pseudobulbar affect: the spectrum of clinical
presentations, etiologies and treatments. Expert Rev Neurother.
2011;11(7):1077–88.
Mostacci B, Sulli F, Alvisi L, Licchetta L, Baruzzi A, Tinuper P. Ictal characteristics of

psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: what we have learned from video/EEG
recordings—a literature review. Epilepsy Behav. 2011;22(2):144–53.
Koponen S, Taiminen T, Portin R, Himanen L, Isoniemi H, Heinonen H, et al. Axis I

and II psychiatric disorders after traumatic brain injury: a 30-year follow-up study.
Am J Psychiatry. 2002;159(8):1315–21
Roy D, McCann U, Han D, Rao V. Pathological laughter and crying and psychiatric
comorbidity after traumatic brain injury. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci.
2015;27(4):299–303.
Tateno A. Pathological laughing and crying following traumatic brain injury. J

Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2004;16(4):426–34.
Téllez-Zenteno JF, Serrano-Almeida C, Moien-Afshari F. Gelastic seizures associated

with hypothalamic hamartomas. An update in the clinical presentation, diagnosis
and treatment. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2008;4(6):1021–31.
Schrimpf LA, Aggarwal A, Lauriello J. Psychosis. Continuum (Minneap Minn).

2018;24(3):845–60.
72
Sosa Revol, Agustina. Notes Foucault’s theory of the self; This is not a Pipe and the
Asylum. The Silence in Renoir’s painting, The Woman in the Bar. Good!!!!!!!!
Todd Phillips & Scott Silver. JOKER, script, an origin

T
Valereto, Deneb Kozikoski. Philosophy in the fairground: Thoughts on madness and
madness in thought in The Killing Joke
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Sanatorio de la Trinidad Mitre, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Xavier Merchán-del-Hierro, Julián Fernandez-Boccazzi & Emilia M Gatto
Corresponding author
Correspondence to Xavier Merchán-del-Hi
Walusinski O. Pathological yawning, laughing and crying. Front Neurol Neurosci.

2018;41:40–9.
73

Joker Final Edition 23 de Junio - Google Docs2023

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Joker Final Edition 23 de Junio - Google Docs2023

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Joker, a metamorphosis of

Author: Lic. Agustina Sosa Revol

• The hostility of the world

Nevertheless, the absurd is about living WITH PASSION. Moreover, we can

The term pathological laughter refers to unmotivated, exaggerated,

Considering the importance that Joker has gained in popular culture as a

The above-mentioned characteristics make the Joker’s laughing episodes

The pathophysiologic mechanism responsible for pseudobulbar effect is

Mania and Hypomania

Mania is a clinical state consistent in elevated mood, energy, and activity. It

In the film, the disproportionality or inconsistency of laughter to Arthur

Laughter during hallucinations is congruent with the patients’ emotions,

Disorganized Motor Behavior

Arthur Fleck’s disorganized behavior and complex hallucinations and

PULLING OUT, we see he's holding a sign in front of Kenny's

Franklin Murray (Robert De Niro), who is a TV host of a popular talk show, is

INT. HALLWAY, MEN'S ROOM - WAYNE HALL - SECONDS LATER 72

INT. SUBWAY (MOVING) - NIGHT 40

Edges Closer With New Update On The DC Sequel

Laughter as Medical Condition

It is a troubled time. The crime rate in Gotham is at record highs. A garbage

Author: Lic. Agustina Sosa Revol

Ahmed A, Simmons Z. Pseudobulbar affect: prevalence and management. Ther Clin

Beré Marcelo PhD Candidate. Clown – A Misfit by Profession

Dubovsky SL. Mania. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2015;21(3):737–55.

Foucault, Michael. Madness and Civilization. Penguin. 2005

Kelleher I, Devlin N, Wigman JTW, Kehoe A, Murtagh A, Fitzpatrick C, et al. Psychotic

Mascia A, Quarato PP, D’Aniello A, Di Gennaro G. Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures

Martino D, Hedderly T. Tics and stereotypes: a comparative clinical review.

Mostacci B, Sulli F, Alvisi L, Licchetta L, Baruzzi A, Tinuper P. Ictal characteristics of

Koponen S, Taiminen T, Portin R, Himanen L, Isoniemi H, Heinonen H, et al. Axis I

Tateno A. Pathological laughing and crying following traumatic brain injury. J

Téllez-Zenteno JF, Serrano-Almeida C, Moien-Afshari F. Gelastic seizures associated

Schrimpf LA, Aggarwal A, Lauriello J. Psychosis. Continuum (Minneap Minn).

Todd Phillips & Scott Silver. JOKER, script, an origin

Xavier Merchán-del-Hierro, Julián Fernandez-Boccazzi & Emilia M Gatto

Walusinski O. Pathological yawning, laughing and crying. Front Neurol Neurosci.

You might also like