A widely known psychological test, Hermann Rorschach’s inkblot test, has persisted in the common consciences to the point of being a popular culture reference (Hubbard 76), even stemming the creation of a comic book character. In Watchmen, a graphic novel written by Alan Moore with illustrations by Dave Gibbons, the vigilante character named Rorschach acts as both a narrator and a psychological terror. His costume, namely his mask, furthers the idea of him as a morally alarming character. Through the patterns mimicking the projective inkblot test, Rorschach’s mask shows the effects of the image on Rorschach and other characters while also acting as a hybrid literary device throughout the novel. Originally thought of as a projective instrument, the Rorschach Inkblot Test
…show more content…
It is crucial to note that Watchmen was published from 1986 to 1987, which is before the first major critique of the projectivity definition by Exner in 1989 (McGrath 465). The Rorschach mask is used as a passive stimulus, and when others see the mask, they have an initial subconscious response. The initial reaction was of interest to the psychologists of the time, both in reality and in the novel, which is clear through the portrayal of Dr. Malcolm Long when he shows Kovacs, the man behind the Rorschach mask, different inkblot cards and looks for his response. “In [these] scene[s] the reader’s perspective must switch quickly, first objectively seeing the ink blot as Rorschach does, then seeing things from Rorschach’s point of view, and finally ‘seeing’ what Rorschach projects onto the ink blot” (Hubbard 77). As Hubbard states, there are three important parts of each scene that each provides important details about Rorschach’s interpretation of the test. However, we also learn more through Long’s reaction to Rorschach’s
It is crucial to note that Watchmen was published from 1986 to 1987, which is before the first major critique of the projectivity definition by Exner in 1989 (McGrath 465). The Rorschach mask is used as a passive stimulus, and when others see the mask, they have an initial subconscious response. The initial reaction was of interest to the psychologists of the time, both in reality and in the novel, which is clear through the portrayal of Dr. Malcolm Long when he shows Kovacs, the man behind the Rorschach mask, different inkblot cards and looks for his response. “In [these] scene[s] the reader’s perspective must switch quickly, first objectively seeing the ink blot as Rorschach does, then seeing things from Rorschach’s point of view, and finally ‘seeing’ what Rorschach projects onto the ink blot” (Hubbard 77). As Hubbard states, there are three important parts of each scene that each provides important details about Rorschach’s interpretation of the test. However, we also learn more through Long’s reaction to Rorschach’s