Year 12 IB Extended Essays 2017

The world in which we reside is one plagued with injustice, where much evil is committed and too

many reprobates remain unapprehended. People long for a just society where no atrocities are

perpetrated and all miscreants are brought to justice, however all are subconsciously aware of the

ruinous truth. True justice may never be achievable, and that is why imagination is manifested into

literature. Here, it is possible for one to immerse themselves in worlds where, even if true justice

does not exist, glimmers of hope in the darkness in the form of heroes do. One of the most

appreciated forms of hero in literature to this day remains the vigilante. These characters exist in

worlds where, despite corrupt legal systems, wrongdoers are brought to light and dealt with in the

way we feel they deserve. Ra’s Al Ghul states to Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins ;

“ If you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal, and if they can’t stop

you, then you become something else entirely. ” This statement encapsulates the meaning of the

Vigilante heroes we dream of, as we believe them to be more than mere human beings - the

vigilante, over time, has become a symbol of hope, everlasting and incorruptible. This of course begs

the question- how has the concept of a Vigilante hero changed over time, more specifically in the

last century? Characters such as Zorro, V, and the Vigils all fit the description of vigilantes, and yet

are driven to different causes with wildly divergent ideals and each carry out their own brands of

justice. These characters from The Curse of Capistrano, V for Vendetta , and The Chocolate War respectively are all vigilantes established in the 20 th century. Over the course of the last hundred

years, the idea of the vigilante hero has undergone drastic changes in representation, character, and

storyline, as a result of socio-cultural context. It can however be observed that the symbol of hope

for humanity changes drastically with socio-cultural context, especially in terms of time period. Our

vision of the vigilante begins with impeccable standards and incorruptibility, one who is fair to all.

Eventually, this symbol becomes one of malevolence, working for personal gain, before ultimately

being reborn as the embodiment of hope for the majority, however this time with personal

motivations also, representing the sentiments of the people.

Prior to investigating the vastly varied interpretations of justice presented by each novel throughout

the past century, the problems faced by each vigilante based on their time period must first be

scrutinized. Often, this is what forms the basis of what is considered just and the morality of the

vigilante, along with the significance it holds to them. In order to investigate the essence of these

conflicts, the time periods of both the writing of the novels and their settings must be explored, and

an understanding of the socio-cultural contexts must be developed.

Senor Zorro’s escapades take place during the early 19 th century, in a California under Mexican rule.

Of course, this affects much of the story in the sense that the novel is set in Mexico as opposed to

the US, and this is seen through the attitudes of the characters. The final act of The Curse of