Tyler Olson

4/15/2015
COMM-1050-400

Reel Paper
I became very excited as I read over the directions for this assignment. I love watching movies,
so I knew there would be a lot of different directions I could go. However, as I read the example of
Burke's Redemption Theory as it relates to how Bruce Wayne became Batman, I knew that is what I
wanted to write about. As I did a little more research on Burke's Redemption Theory, it fit so well with
the story of Batman. I decided to write this paper on the latest Batman trilogy by Christopher Nolan,
because I have seen them countless times. In this paper I will dissect the movie trilogy and look at how
this theory plays a major role in the film.
As I read Burke's Redemption Theory in the book, the part that stood out to me was where it
talked about how guilt is the fuel for redemption. The book says, Guilt is the central motive for all
symbolic activities. Burke has his own definition of guilt saying that it includes any of type of tension,
embarrassment, shame, disgust, or other unpleasant feeling. The central part of Burke's theory is that
guilt is intrinsic to the human condition. This constant feeling of guilt is what drives us to get rid of
these bad feelings and find redemption. Redemption is the final step of the theory. The book defines
redemption as, a rejection of the unclean and a return to a new order after guilt has been temporarily
purged. The book then goes on to talk about the term redemption referring to a redeemer, or someone
who can lead the people out of their troubles.
In the first movie Batman Begins, it starts out as Bruce Wayne as a little boy. He is playing with
his friend Rachel Dawes and is trying to hide from her. During this game he accidentally falls into a
well, and breaks his arm. While he is down in the well, he is attacked by many bats which has a lasting
affect on him making him very afraid of bats. Later on he attends a play with his parents, and
something in the play reminds him of his fear of bats. He gets very uncomfortable, and his dad picks up

on his fear. The father decides to leave the play early and they sneak out back. While they're leaving, a
homeless man approaches with a gun demanding money. The homeless man gets startled and shoots
both of Bruce's parents and leaves Bruce all alone with his dead parents. As Bruce gets older, this
terrible experience stays with him. He can't help but feel guilty for the death of his parents. This guilt is
the motivating factor that drives him to clean up his home city of Gotham from crime. I think that
Bruce trying to get rid of the city's crime is his way of purging his own guilt of that same crime killing
both of his parents many years before.
In the book, Burke talks about the process of guilt and redemption as a concept of symbolizing.
I found this interesting, because in the movie Bruce Wayne decides to become Batman. He chose to go
about leading the city out of poverty and crime in a secretive manner. He chooses this so that he could
become a symbol for justice. He knew that as a man he could be destroyed, but as a symbol he would
be everlasting.
A little background on the Author of the Redemption Theory, Kenneth Burke. He was born on
May 5, 1897 in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He was an American literary critic who was known for many
analysis and views. Some of his better known work were the analysis of the nature of knowledge, and
his view on symbolic action. I found it interesting that Burke attended a few Universities, but his stay
was usually brief and he never obtained a College degree. He wrote poems, a novel, many short stories,
and he also translated German literature into English. He had a complex view on things, trying to look
at the larger view instead of what most people saw. He had a great influence on human communication,
and he even taught at the University of Chicago, as well as Bennington College in Vermont for nearly
25 years. He later passed away on November 19th, 1993 in Andover, New Jersey.
As stated above, Christopher Nolan was the director of these films. I think that he did the best
job telling the story of Batman. I believe that the message he was trying to convey is very similar to the
Redemption Theory. I think that Nolan is a very complex and thoughtful director if you have ever seen
any of his movies, so I think that there were many messages that he was trying to portray. One of which

is a man purging his guilt, and finding temporary redemption over and over again. He goes on a long
journey trying to find himself, and his guilt was his driving force for doing the good that he did. In the
final movie, The Dark Knight Rises, he seems to find peace of his past and ultimately hangs up his
cape and moves onto a normal life. If you have ever seen these movies, they are very motivating and
inspirational.
I never really thought about these movies that I had watched so much in terms of
Communication Theory, but there are many parallels. You could take Burke's Redemption Theory, and
pretty much apply it to any superhero movie. There is usually a man or women that has something
traumatic happen to them, which then motivates them in their actions. That is the basic plot to many of
these action films, which I'm starting to notice since starting this paper. My perspective has changed
about human communication in regards to how it is everywhere around us whether we notice it or not.
Before this class, I never thought about our interactions with people or even something as simple as
watching a movie having so many components and theories to it. There were many great theorist that
shaped and helped define the way we communicate with one another. This is something that I will
recognize in my life moving forward.
A favorite quote from the trilogy comes from the first movie. His old friend Rachel says
to Bruce, It's not who you are, but what you do that defines you. I love this quote because at the time
Rachel is unaware that Bruce is Batman. She thinks that he is some rich playboy who doesn't care
about anyone or anything. Later on in the movie, Rachel is talking to Batman and wants to know his
identity. Batman doesn't say his name, but repeats this quote back to her before he flings himself off the
building to catch the bad guy. It is at this point, Rachel Dawes finds out that Bruce Wayne is in fact
Batman.
In summary, the main point of Burke's Redemption Theory is the purge of guilt and the process
of redemption. These two main points work hand in hand and is a constant evolution for the way we
act. As humans we all feel guilt, and we are constantly trying to get rid of this guilt and find peace or

redemption. The movie trilogy of Batman portrays this theory perfectly on a grand and heroic stage.
The story is about a man who feels great guilt for the death of his parents caused by poverty and crime.
This guilt is his motivating factor to become Batman and try to clean up the City of Gotham. Obviously
not everyone is going to react to their guilt in this way, but the movie does a great job showing what
our guilt can drive us to do.

References

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/85395/Kenneth-Burke

Class textbook: Introducing Communication Theory, Analysis and Application.

Fourth edition. Richard West and Lynn H. Turner.
Batman Begins, First Film.
The Dark Knight, Second Film.
The Dark Knight Rises, Third Film.