I’m Not Batman

Linguistic: Throughout the piece, there are lots of specific anecdotes that wouldn’t apply to Batman, which hint that the narrator is the real person who experienced these anecdotes. Ex:  “And nobody pulls out a belt and whips Batman for talking back”. These hints tell us that the narrator is someone who is suffering abuse and likes to escape into a fantasy of being Batman to get away from the world around him. The use of the word “abuela” also hints at his Hispanic heritage. The vocabulary used to describe his clothing tells us that he may be from an underprivileged background. The observations made by the narrator are very specific, and he picks up on tiny details from the people around him and their actions. The vocabulary used throughout the piece is very energetic and sometimes child-like, reflecting the narrator as being a child/pre-teen. There is also a good use of metaphors and similes. Ex: “My heart beating right through it in a Morse code for “fuck with me, just once, come on, just try.”

Spatial: Throughout Marco Ramirez’s “I Am Not Batman”, the city and characters are described by the narrator in very vivid, specific detail. E.G.: “ And the sky is glowing like mad radioactive red.  And if you squint, you could maybe see the moon through a thick layer of cigarette smoke and airplane exhaust that covers the entire city like a mosquito net that won’t let the angels in.” Through descriptive observations like these, a very thorough picture is painted in the mind of the reader/audience, allowing them to feel almost as though they too are part of the story, and further permitting a deeper understanding of the rough neighbourhood the narrator has presumably grown up in. 

Interpersonal: The piece is about a kid who is going through a lot and using the Batman fantasy as a means of expression and escape. Throughout, he expresses his feelings such as “Cause Batman doesn’t mean nobody harm. Ever”. This is said after he explains how nobody calls Batman down or hits him with a belt, or takes away his brothers job due to cutbacks. He is very sad about this and feels powerless. That is however until he goes into his fantasy where he can pay his grand mother’s medical bill and become famous. Another example of him covering his reality is when “Tonight, like most nights, I’m all alone. And I’m watching…And waiting…”. He is lonely and that is probably the reason he chose Batman as his character.