Spider-Man is fueled by his desire to do right. He didn't do the right thing one time, and his beloved Uncle Ben wound up dead because of it. You can bet your movie-loving butt he's not going to make that mistake again.
The Green Goblin operates the opposite way. He feels wronged professionally, and, for a guy absolutely consumed by his work, that's a big deal. His evil deeds are powered by revenge and feelings of betrayal—by Dr. Stromm, by Gen. Slocum, by the Oscorp board, by Spider-Man—pretty much everybody who won't show him some respect by doing exactly what he wants.
Questions about Good vs. Evil
- Why is Jameson so convinced that Spider-Man is a criminal? How about Average Joe and Jane New Yorker?
- How does Mary Jane fit into Norman's warped view of people?
- How do Spider-Man's and the Green Goblin's costumes, weapons, and abilities reflect or reinforce their good and evil natures?
- Norman asks Peter not to tell Harry about him being the Green Goblin. How do you think Harry would react if he found out the extent of his dad's amoral activities?
Chew on This
Take a peek at these thesis statements. Agree or disagree?
Spider-Man only exists because Uncle Ben was killed.
Norman would've broken bad even if Oscorp hadn't gone belly-up.