1) Past events contribute to the present actions of a character: Dr. Manhattan
The character Dr. Manhattan is shown as tremendously powerful, with godlike abilities, and has a decreasing capacity to relate to humans. In fact, for most of the story, the character is portrayed as trying to act as a demi-god, but somewhat failing at it, displaying at different times lust, anger, impatience, compassion, and other human traits.
I posit the opinion that his aloofness and predetermination belief are not only due to his altered perception of reality – he sees the constituent particles of the universe – or of time, as he lives in an eternal present, without past or future. His behavior is probably explained, or at least foreshadowed, by Jon Osterman’s history.
In Chapter IV, we see Jon Osterman fascinated by the inner working of watches (Moore and Gibbons 2), as his father barges in the room (Moore and Gibbons 3). He bullies Jon into abandoning watchmaking for studying atomic physics. Jon technically does that, but he still sees himself as a watchmaker (the title of Chapter IV, by the way). We can perceive this trait in his obsession with cogs (see Chapter IX and the gigantic cog-filled structure on Mars) and with a precise, predetermined world, reminiscent of the inner workings of a watch.
On page 5 of Chapter IV (Moore and Gibbons), Jon says that “my dad sort of pushed me into [atomic physics] Other people seem to make all my moves for me.” These lines point the reader to notice his belief in predetermination: he does not see himself as an agent of his own life, but rather as an actor, playing a role written by an unknown author. For example, in their romantic relationship, Jane makes all the moves: she buys him beer (Moore and Gibbons 5), she visits him in Jersey, she smiles to have a picture taken while he refuses it (and is the only memento of their relationship, on Mars), and finally she takes Jon to the hotel to consummate their relationship (Moore and Gibbons 6). Jon is entirely passive.
His own description of the accident shows traits of predetermination. First, the fat man who steps on Jane’s watch “before [Jon] can pick it up” (Moore and Gibbons 6), followed his apparent forgetfulness (Moore and Gibbons 7) and further by the discovery of the watch in his pocket (Moore and Gibbons 8), are all described in ways that refer to a previously written plot, rather than a natural sequence of events. Furthermore, the radiation chamber is in a “time-lock” (Moore and Gibbons 7) Jon cannot escape, as if it was his fate to become Dr. Manhattan.
All of these things happened up and until he became the demi-god; what happens afterward concerning his opinion about reality is, in my opinion, just the corroboration of his previously held views.
2) Chapter IX, Page 28: “As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light of meaning in the darkness of mere being” – C.G. Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections
The quote that ends Chapter IX offers the readers a satisfying closure to that chapter. The Dr. Manhattan character is shown in the overall story as increasingly less human and more aloof towards humanity. This fact is understood and voiced by many characters, such as the Comedian, in Chapter II, when he accuses the demi-god of not stopping either him (the Comedian) from killing the pregnant Korean, or the woman before defacing him.
In fact, most of the character arc of Dr. Manhattan is about his trying to deal with his newfound godlike status and failing at it. He is shown having sexual interest for a teenager, becoming angry at accusations of radiation poisoning, and so on. In other words, his aloofness is not only derived from a different perception of reality (and, most strikingly, time) but likely from his preconceived notions of how a divine creature should behave.
Curiously, the quote from Jung underpins another failure of Dr. Manhattan. He compares the whole of humanity to the emptiness of Mars: “We’ve been through this before, Laurie. You argued that human life was more significant than this excellent desolation, and I was not convinced” (Moore and Gibbons, Chapter IX, 18). However, at the end of the chapter, he claims to have changed his mind and speaks of “thermodynamic miracles” (Moore and Gibbons 26) to justify his decision to go back to Earth and try to save humanity He also says to Julie that her life is not meaningless (Moore and Gibbons 26). When he acknowledges seeing meaning in human life – as described by Jung – he becomes less of a demi-god and more humanlike, again.
The Jungian quote also underlines traits from the Comedian. The Comedian is nihilistic and, seeing the world empty of meaning, describes all of it as a joke. As in a mirror image of the quote from Jung, the Comedian sees no meaning in life. Hence his human existence has no purpose. Consequently, he displays inhuman traits: he is shown as a mass murderer, a traitor – considering the possible Kennedy assassination – and a rapist.
Works Cited
Moore, Alan, and Dave Gibbons. Watchmen. Burbank: DC Comics, 2011. Print.
