
In The Dark Knight directed by Christopher Nolan, many different visual text tools are used to depict an intimidating and daunting setting that alphabetic texts cannot use. The Dark Knight is a movie about the struggle between Batman and the Joker. The Dark Knight works better as a visual work opposed to an alphabetic text because in an alphabetic text the writer has an idea and an emotion that he wants to evoke in the reader, but sometimes the reader does not interpret the text that way. In a visual text, the writer or director can use various outlets to create emotions in their viewer through light, colors, sounds, perspectives, and angles. In The Dark Knight, Nolan uses camera angles, music, and colors to affect the viewer’s emotions in order to capture their attention. 

In this film, camera angles and perspective are important devices that Nolan uses to create emotions and feelings in the viewer. In the beginning of the movie, the Joker and his gang dress up like clowns and rob a bank. Obviously, it takes more than one person to rob a bank, but then they have to divide the money between all the people who participate in robbing the bank. So to increase the amount of money each person gets, after a person completes their task they get killed. In this first clip, the viewer clearly sees the clown in the foreground facing the camera with his back turned to the clown behind him. In the back ground, the reader can vaguely see another clown pointing a gun at the clown in the foreground. This camera angle and perspective allows the reader to see something that the character does not see which creates a short of anxiety for the viewer. Another scene where perspective plays a huge role, is in the interrogation scene. Batman is standing over the Joker questioning him. The Joker knows that Batman is behind him, but it gives the sense to the viewer that Batman has all the power and is in control. The way that Batman looks down on the Joker allows the viewer to feel safe and secure because the viewer knows that the good guy is in control of the situation. Camera angles and perspective are tools that allow the director to create many different emotions in the viewer that would not be presented with in an alphabetic text. These emotions that are created are so important because it allows the viewer to sympathize and engage with the characters and even feel like they are part of the movie. 

The music that the director chooses also plays a huge role in how the viewer feels. In the bank robbery scene, the music gives the allusion that something intense is about to happen. There are sporadic base sounds that make the music sound very violent. The music adds energy and excitement to a scene that is already packed with intesnisty. Music is a tool that is very effective because it is not as noticeable as other elements. Music exaggerates the scene and allows the viewer to feel things that they would not normally feel in a written text. 

The colors presented in the scenes are another really important aspect of a visual text. The color of Batman’s suit is completely black. Black usually evokes a sense of evil, mystery, power, and death. This is interesting because usually in super hero moves the hero does not kill or even hurt the bad guy seriously, they just catch them and turn them over to the police. However, Batman’s appearance says he does not care about super hero stereo types and he will kill the Joker if he feels like it. The Joker on the other hand is wearing bright colors like blue, red, white and green. Blue usually is a cool color, but in this scene it does not present the viewer with a relaxed cool feeling. I think the reason the joker is depicted wearing this shade of blue is because it stands out. It is not a dark blue, it is a medium tone blue and stands out more. This color fits the character of the Joker because he is very flashy and is not scared of the police or Batman it is almost as if he wants them to see him. Because this is a visual text, the Joker can dress this way and the point is expressed that he wants to be seen whereas in an alphabetic text these ideas would have to be written out for the reader. He wears the color red that also is bright and flashy. It symbolizes his fiery and energetic character. It also expresses the idea that he is dangerous and warns the viewer of his character. Nolan wants the reader to fear the Joker and acknowledge that he is terrifying. He paints his face white like the typical clown would, but the makeup is chipped and messed up. This shows that his character is deranged and irrational. This is evident through his character’s actions, but the visuals reiterate this point through his makeup. The Joker’s hair is yellow-green which symbolizes sickness. It is interesting that it is his hair that is yellow-green this could symbolize that it is his head that is sick meaning he is mentally ill. Nolan is using color to inform the viewer that this character is mentally sick and there is something even deeper that is wrong with the Joker that maybe Batman and other characters do not see. In a visual text, color can express details that written texts do not depict.

In this visual portrayal of The Dark Knight, Nolan uses camera angles, music, and colors to evoke emotions that written texts are unable to do. In an alphabetic text, this feeling would not be presented in the same way because in this visual format the viewer is experiencing the work through their sight opposed to imagination. Presenting this story in a visual format allows the director to control exactly how he wants his viewers to react to each situation. Nolan and other directors use these different devices to engage the viewer. If the viewer feels a connection to the work, the movie will be more enjoyable for the viewer and the movie will make more money. The camera angles that Nolan uses increase the fear that the viewer is intended to feel. Music is used in this film to fabricate a sense of intensity and fear for of what is to come. He uses colors that express the insanity of the Joker and the powerful nature of Batman. All of these devices are used to evoke emotions in the viewer creating a connection between the visual work and the viewer. 
