THEMES & SYMBOLS
CHARACTER DUALITY
ETHICAL DILEMMAS
REAL-WORLD LINKS
PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE
100
What image represents humanity’s countdown to destruction?
The Doomsday Clock
100
Which character sees their mask as their real face?
Rorschach
100
What ethical issue ends the novel?
Whether to expose Ozymandias’s lie to the world.
100
What real issue does the surveillance in Watchmen reflect?
Government control and privacy invasion
100
Which character is most self-aware?
Rorschach
200
What does Rorschach's mask symbolize?
A black-and-white view of morality and hidden identity.
200
What part of Ozymandias’s identity is hidden from the world?
His manipulation, lies, and willingness to kill for peace.
200
Why does Rorschach reject moral compromise?
He believes in absolute truth and justice, no matter the cost.
200
How do people wear “masks” online today?
Social media personas often hide real identity.
200
Who best reflects the Crescent trait of Compassion?
Dan Dreiberg, also known as Nite Owl.
300
What theme is shown when Ozymandias sacrifices millions for peace?
The moral cost of freedom.
300
What makes Nite Owl more human than the others?
His compassion, empathy, and willingness to love and feel.
300
Who allows the lie to protect peace?
Dan/Nite Owl and Laurie
300
What issue does Ozymandias’s fake alien threat resemble in real life?
Misinformation used by governments to create fear and control.
300
Who shows resilience despite trauma?
Laurie Juspeczyk (Silk Spectre)
400
What recurring object shows the breaking of truth and reality?
The blood-stained smiley face
400
What does Rorschach say that shows his refusal to compromise?
“Never compromise. Not even in the face of Armageddon.”
400
What character forces readers to question their own morals most?
Ozymandias
400
What real-world figure is most like Ozymandias?
Open-ended (e.g., a leader who manipulates truth for the “greater good”)
400
Which character fails to show Responsibility?
Ozymandias – he avoids accountability for his mass murder.
500
Why is Dr. Manhattan’s detachment from time symbolic?
He sees all moments at once, which removes free will and personal identity.
500
Which character lives between godhood and humanity?
Dr. Manhattan
500
Why does Dr. Manhattan choose to leave Earth?
He loses faith in humanity's ability to find meaning, but sees potential in creating new life—identity and purpose reimagined.
500
Why is Watchmen still relevant today?
Its questions about truth, morality, and identity are even more urgent in a digital age where reality is constantly questioned.
500
Who would make the best Crescent graduate and why?
Dan Dreiberg (Nite Owl).