Written Analysis

Written Analysis

Melissa Tucker

Popular Culture

Professor Whitney Iles

July 12, 2014

Introduction

                The popular culture I have chosen to analyze is the phenomenon of the super hero in our culture.  The super hero has become part of our culture so much that even if you have never read a comic book in your life, you know the names of the superheroes and have heard a least a little about them. However, they have become such icons in our minds that most of what they are and what they stand for are often brought into myth. The images they invoke when you hear their names or see them in an advertisement or even on a piece of merchandise is unmistakable. In the following paragraphs, I will discuss how certain theories, such as popular beliefs, myths and icons are integrated into the topic of the superhero.

What theories seem to apply to this topic, and how do they help us analyze the superhero?

                The theory that seems to play out most in this topic the myth theory. While it can be said that all three of the above mentioned theories can be explained in the superhero, the narrative with the superhero in almost every case is the modern American myth. An example of this would be with either the superhero “Superman” or “Captain America”. Either one of these characters are known for their heroism and bravery. They embody the very spirit of the American belief that if you work hard and do the right thing, good will triumph over evil every time. What makes them so timeless is that they do not change. Superman’s morals today are the same they were when he first came onto the pop culture scene back in the 1940’s. As is Captain America. They have the same driving force to be the moral compass of those around them. However, they are not perfect. They make mistakes, they own up to those mistakes and they try to right the wrongs of the world, even if they are the reason for it. This has caused them to become almost mythical, since they embody a belief structure that was in the minds of most Americans during and then the end of World War II.

                And it is not just Americans that follow these superheroes. All over the world these men and women of the comic book world are admired as icons because they all embody our beliefs, values, and morals. They empower us to be able to do things to solve problems that we normally would not be able to. They give us courage when we need it and strength when things seem to be too much to handle.

Insights gained from applying the theories to the topic

                The ability of the superhero to provide stability in world full of instability has people in general, rooting for them. We go and see the movies, we read the comics, we buy the merchandise, we have in depth discussions on line about who is the better superhero. It is evident that we, as a society, are looking for that one person that can make us forget that there are horrible things going on in the world right now and give us hope that maybe there are heroes out there that are saving the day against the tyranny of the evil-doer. Because in the end, good always triumphs over evil, and Superman would never lie to us like politicians do. He does the right thing, because it is the right thing to do. Not because he is trying to get votes or money.