Ethan Rhodes
In the 2019 film Joker, Arthur Fleck is a party clown and aspiring stand-up comedian who suffers from a neurological disorder that causes him to have random, uncontrollable laughing fits. He is dependent on medication to manage his condition and is receiving treatment at Arkham State Hospital. Early on in the film, Arthur is attacked by a group of youths and is gifted a revolver by his co-worker Randall for self-defence. However, bringing the gun to a children's hospital gets him fired. It is never explicitly revealed what led to Arthur's initial hospitalisation, but his mental health struggles and the medication he is taking suggest that he was admitted for psychiatric treatment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for being in the hospital | Unspecified mental issue |
| Arthur's feelings about being in the hospital | He felt better when he was locked up |
| Arthur's mental health | Suffered from a neurological disorder that caused random, uncontrollable laughing fits |
| Arthur's mental health diagnosis | Unclear; possible psychotic disorder or schizophrenia |
| Arthur's mental health diagnosis | Complex mix of features of certain personality traits, namely psychopathy and narcissism |
| Arthur's mental health diagnosis | Meets DSM-5 criteria for narcissistic personality disorder |
| Arthur's mental health diagnosis | Pseudobulbar affect probably occurred secondary to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) |
| Arthur's mental health treatment | Medication that he depends on social services to obtain |
| Arthur's mental health treatment | Receiving unhelpful care |
| Arthur's mental health treatment | Allowed to smoke |
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What You'll Learn
Arthur's mental health struggles
Arthur Fleck, the character who eventually becomes Joker, had a history of mental health issues. He suffered from a neurological disorder that caused him to have random, uncontrollable laughing fits. This condition developed due to the physical and sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother's abusive boyfriends when he was a child. To cope with his condition, Arthur depended on medication that he obtained through social services. However, he felt that the medication was no longer effective, and his mental state continued to deteriorate.
The discovery that he was adopted and the revelation of his mother's abusive past trigger a downward spiral in Arthur's mental state. He becomes increasingly violent and unstable, killing his former co-worker and eventually transforming into the Joker, inciting riots and committing multiple murders.
The ending of the movie leaves the audience questioning the reliability of the narrative, as it is suggested that much of the story may have been a figment of Arthur's imagination. This blurs the line between what is real and what is imagined, adding to the complexity of Arthur's character and his mental health portrayal.
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His mother's hospitalisation
In the 2019 film Joker, Arthur Fleck's mother, Penny Fleck, is hospitalised after suffering a stroke. Penny is questioned by two detectives investigating Arthur's involvement in the subway murders, which causes her to have a stroke and subsequently be hospitalised.
While visiting his mother in the hospital, Arthur discovers that he was adopted and abused as a child. He recovers his mother's medical records from Arkham State Hospital, which reveal that she was involuntarily admitted at the age of 25 on November 2, 1952. The records also contain newspaper clippings that show Penny's boyfriend abused them both when Arthur was three years old. Penny had also written letters to Thomas Wayne, claiming that Arthur was his son. However, when Arthur confronts Thomas, he denies being his father and also claims that Penny is not his biological mother.
After learning this information, Arthur smothers his mother with a pillow in her hospital room. This act, along with his involvement in the subway murders, leads to his incarceration at Arkham State Hospital.
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Arthur's neurological condition
Arthur Fleck, the character who becomes Joker, has a neurological condition that causes sudden fits of uncontrollable laughter. This condition is the result of the abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of his mother's abusive boyfriends. To cope with the trauma, Arthur's mother, Penny Fleck, told him that his purpose was to bring laughter and joy to the world, which he took very literally.
Throughout the film, Arthur struggles to manage his condition and relies on medication that he obtains through social services. However, at one point, he mentions that he feels the medication is no longer working. Arthur's neurological condition is a key factor in his transformation into the Joker, as it contributes to his sense of isolation and otherness, and ultimately, his descent into violence and anarchism.
In preparation for the role, Joaquin Phoenix watched videos of people suffering from pathological laughter to refine his own laughter for the role. He also lost a significant amount of weight to portray a character who appeared "wolf-like and malnourished and hungry," further emphasizing the physical and mental deterioration associated with Arthur's neurological condition.
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His mother's abuse and his adoption
In the 2019 film Joker, Arthur Fleck's mother, Penny Fleck, is portrayed as a meek, sickly woman reliant on her son to take care of her. However, as the movie progresses, it is revealed that Penny is not merely a character device to showcase Arthur's goodness but a core reason for his descent into madness.
Penny Fleck was the adoptive mother of Arthur Fleck, and much like her son, she suffered from mental illness. Penny was responsible for allowing her former boyfriend to abuse Arthur during his childhood. She was temporarily institutionalised at Arkham State Hospital due to her mental instability and her inability to protect Arthur from abuse. It is suggested that she may have been abused by her boyfriend as well, contributing to her mental health issues.
Penny's claims that Arthur was the biological son of Thomas Wayne, with whom she had an affair, are revealed to be false. After intercepting a letter from Penny to Thomas, Arthur confronts Thomas, who denies the affair and claims that Penny is delusional. Arthur then discovers his adoption records at Arkham State Hospital, confirming that Penny was not his biological mother.
The revelation of his adoption and childhood abuse sends Arthur over the edge. He kills Penny by smothering her with a pillow, unable to forgive her for the years of lies and abuse he endured as a child. This act marks a pivotal moment in Arthur's transformation into the Joker, as he fully descends into madness, no longer tethered to any sense of family or humanity.
The exploration of Arthur's mother and their complex relationship in the film provides a deeper understanding of his descent into villainy and the origins of his disturbing laugh, a nervous tic he developed to cope with the trauma he experienced as a child.
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The gun incident at the children's hospital
In the 2019 film Joker, Arthur Fleck is a party clown and aspiring stand-up comedian who lives with his mother, Penny, in Gotham City. Arthur suffers from a neurological disorder that causes him to have random, uncontrollable laughing fits, requiring medication he depends on social services to obtain. After being attacked by a group of youths, his co-worker Randall gifts him a revolver for self-defence.
Arthur pursues a relationship with his neighbour, single mother Sophie Dumond, and invites her to see his stand-up routine at a children's hospital. During his performance, Arthur accidentally drops his gun, causing him to be fired from his job. On the train ride home, he is harassed by three Wayne Enterprises employees and shoots them in self-defence. This incident sparks a series of violent protests across the city, with people dressed as clowns standing against the injustice and inequality prevalent in Gotham.
Arthur's self-confidence increases as he feels he has inadvertently started a movement, and he decides to pursue his dream of becoming a stand-up comedian. However, his uncontrollable laughter and the trauma of his failed performance at the children's hospital make it difficult for him to deliver his jokes successfully.
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Frequently asked questions
Arthur was in Arkham State Hospital to visit his mother, Penny Fleck, who was a patient there.
Penny was involuntarily admitted to Arkham State Hospital at the age of 25 on November 2, 1952. She suffered from a delusional narcissistic personality disorder.
Arthur was in Arkham State Hospital for treatment for an unspecified mental issue. However, it is unclear what specific condition he was being treated for.
Arthur was a patient at Arkham State Hospital at the end of the film, incarcerated for multiple murders and inciting riots in Gotham City.
In the middle of the film, Arthur was in a hospital to visit his mother, who was being treated there.
