Brogan Kratz12/11/13Final DocumentSymbolism Found in WatchmenAll graphic novels are structured to provide a few words so the reader can follow the story through the illustrations. Comic book panels are designed to be extremely vivid and revealing. In Watchmen, a story set in Cold War America, political symbolism is everything. Alan Moore strategically places numerous clues for the reader throughout the story to develop and reveal crucial components of the character's life, setting, and theme of the novel. One of the most common recurring symbols found is the image of a smiley face. Somehow you see it everywhere, in the heroes' costumes, in the window panes, or as the large yellow circle used as the Comedian's symbol. When wearing his costume, the Night Owl's glasses will almost certainly always display a smiley in the circles. (ch. 7, page 20) The image is known for being the emblem of the Comedian's superhero. It is still pinned to his costume and was found on the sidewalk when it fell out of the window. However, it can also be seen as very ironic. The Comedian, contrary to his name, was not a very nice guy. He was said to have raped Sally (ch. 2 page 6) and killed a pregnant woman in Vietnam. (ch. 2, p. 15) If anything, The Comedian brought more chaos than laughter into people's lives. This is similarly how Moore uses it as a book cover for relevance to the theme of the book. Instead of symbolizing a happy and peaceful moment as a smile should be, it instead occurs in a world plagued by filth and corruption. The image of a clock appears at the beginning of each chapter and is also seen many times in the background. Since this is a story set in the heart of the Cold War, the idea of ​​nuclear war is... halfway... never actually happened. Instead of feeling betrayed, America sees him as a hero and a great man. (chapter 2, page 13) By creating that diametric plot, Moore uses the citizens' acceptance of Nixon to show how immoral and twisted their world is. Watchmen is set during one of our country's most politically intense eras. Fear of government corruption along with fear of the Soviet Union and nuclear war were a real thing. Alan Moore uses political symbols, real and fictional, to represent this difficult time and create a realistic setting for an otherwise fictional superhero storyline. Incorporating mature messages and illustrations doesn't just appeal to young adults who want to enjoy a picture book. It allows Watchmen to stand out in the graphic novel category and be considered an icon of its time.