by Chase Hawkins
Specifically, Frankl comments on the behavior of men in regard to imprisonment, suffering, freedom, and hope. Frankl’s commentary in the novel reveals a universal analysis of the human mind when in times of despair or hopelessness. But hopelessness doesn’t necessarily sum up Frankl’s argument. In the novel, Frankl explains that hope is a key to overcoming suffering. Without hope, humans have no reason to live. In psychological terms, if humans don’t have hope, they are victims of learned helplessness, in which case, they give up prematurely based on the false pretense that the situation is hopeless.
In Christopher Nolan’s epic finale to the Dark Knight Trilogy, “The Dark Knight Rises”, Batman learns the true meaning of hope and suffering. In the movie, Batman’s true identity, Bruce Wayne, has been reclusive in his large mansion for eight years, retired from the Batman gig. It isn’t until a foreign mercenary named Bane comes to Gotham City when Batman makes a comeback. Without listening to his butler, Alfred’s, advice, Bruce Wayne dawns the cape and cowl once again and goes out to the streets to face this menacing foe.
When Batman finally faces Bane, he comes to learn that he has bitten off more than he can chew. In a brutal fight, Batman is demolished by Bane in the sewers. “Peace has cost you your strength,” Bane tells Batman in response to Batman’s weakened fighting style, “victory has defeated you.” Bane continues to beat up on Batman. When the Dark Knight rises from the sewer grate, Bane says to him mockingly, “Ah yes! I was wondering what would break first! Your spirit…” and as he drops Batman onto his knee, breaking his back, “…or your body!”
Bruce Wayne wakes up in a dark, mysterious prison that is in a pit in a foreign country. Lying on his back, Wayne realizes that he is almost paralyzed, with a broken back. With Bane by his side, Bruce asks why he didn’t just kill him. Bane responds, “You don’t fear death. You welcome it. Your punishment must be more severe.” Then, Bane says that he will suffer torture… “but not of your body… of your soul.”
Bane’s following monologue defines the theme of hope and despair in “The Dark Knight Rises”. Bruce says, “Where am I?” To which Bane replies:
“Home. Where I learned the truth about despair. As will you. There’s a reason why this prison is the worst hell on Earth. Hope. Every man who has rotted in here has looked up to the light and imagined climbing up to freedom. So easy. So simple. Like shipwrecked men turning to seawater from uncontrollable thirst, many have died trying. I learned here that there can be no true despair without hope. So, as I terrorize Gotham, I will feed its people hope to poison their souls. I will let them believe that they can survive, so you can watch them clamor over each other to be in the sun.”
Like Bane, Frankl recognized that the key to true despair was hope. In the concentration camps, there was always a sliver of possibility of escape; a sliver of hope. Psychologically, inmates’ souls were tortured by the possibility of escape, to the point where the camps were literally hellish. Conversely, it can be argued that not only is Bane right: hope is the key to true despair, but also despair is the key to true hope. If there were no despair in the world, why would we hope for anything?
As Catholics, as Christians, we are a people of hope. Primarily, we live in hope for the return of Our Savior, Jesus Christ. But even in our present world, we must be a people of hope. In a world that glorifies sexuality, teaches isolation over community, kills unborn human beings, and scoffs at the homeless and the prisoners, it is imperative that we radiate hope. But we mustn’t radiate hope as a means of coping with a broken society. Rather, we must radiate hope because we believe in hope.
Hope was won for us on the Cross, when the veil between Heaven and Earth was torn. When Jesus ascended into Heaven telling us that He would come again, He told us to be vigilant. “Could you not keep watch with me for one hour?” Jesus says to Peter and to us (Matthew 26:40). He told us to be vigilant because He will return. If we are not vigilant, we might risk not entering the Kingdom of Heaven. As C.S. Lewis says in his novel, Mere Christianity, “When [Jesus returns], it is the end of the world. When the author walks on to the stage the play is over.” We must be aware and wait for that day in hope. The priest even says it in the Mass, after the Lord’s Prayer: “…as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ…”
As the lyrics to “In Christ Alone” (one of my favorite songs) say, “In Christ alone, my hope is found / He is my Light, my Strength, my Song”. We must find our hope in Jesus Christ. Not in the material things of this world. We mustn’t look toward the future out of worry, anxiety, or fear. We must look toward the future because we know that our Savior will return.
St. James, ora pro nobis.
St. Francis of Assisi, ora pro nobis.
St. Margaret Clitherow, ora pro nobis.
-Chawkins.
Batman and Bane in the Prison (VIDEO)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvwTx1UWswQ
"In Christ Alone/Solid Rock Medley" by Travis Cottrell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjR_A2pGPrY