RSSBATMAN STUDIES: a course proposal
Mar 29
Batman Studies Batman Studies No Comments
Thesis: Batman is the most potent new mythology in human consciousness.
I intend to prove — or attempt, to the best of my abilities, to prove — that Batman is an important archetype worthy of study.
In fact, I am striving to design a courses in Batman Studies. I envision that course as such:
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BATMAN STUDIES:
a course proposal
Batman Studies: Screenings: 2 weeks
The course begins with screenings of both recent Batman films, along with several cartoon manifestations of the personae.
Paper 1: Write a 5-10 page meditation on the power of the Batman story. What makes it a compelling mythology? What about the character appeals to you personally?[5-10 pages. double-spaced, MLA Format]
Batman Studies: Introduction: 4 weeks
In this section we will explore the different versions of the Batman origin story. The goal of this first section is to boil the Batman Genesis down to its essence. This is an ongoing process of simplification. The doctrine of Batman should be efficient, terse, Taoist.
Paper 2: You are now well-versed in the Genesis of the Batman. Use your new knowledge to create a written profile of this Bruce Wayne character. Explore the nuance of his motivations and his values. Would you want to be friends with this man? Why or why not?
[5-10 pages. double-spaced, MLA Format]
Batman Studies: The Psychology: 4 weeks
This section applies psychological theory to numerous manifestation of the Batman mythology. Films, Television, and Graphic novels will be examined with an an eye toward profiling the psyche of a man who would take anger and grief to such an extreme.
Paper 3: Create a profile of the Batman psyche. Utilize at least five outside sources from Freud to Dr. Phil. No source is off-limits in your exploration, but each source must be justified by adding knowledge to the paper.
[5-10 pages. double-spaced, MLA Format]
Batman Studies: The Archetype
This section explores a Jungian take on Batman. What universal human energies does this myth contain. Students will work closes with Joseph Campbell’s text “The Hero With a Thousand Faces.”
Paper 4: Using Campbell’s text, try to place the Batman in archetypal perspective. Is this a manifestation of a much older myth, or is Batman a new mythology for a new age of human thinking?
[5-10 pages. double-spaced, MLA Format]
Grading Breakdown
Each of the four papers will comprise 20% of the final grade. The remaining 20% will be based on attendance and participation in class discussions.
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Of course, this is a mere dream of mine. I don’t imagine a traditional university allowing me to teach such a course, but who knows? Maybe someday…
Yours Always Sincerely and Truly,
Charles Bivona
http://charlesbivona.com
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