Preview

Superman Rhetoric

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
398 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Superman Rhetoric
Superman Superman is a pop culture symbol of strength and hope. Blair, Jeppeson, and Pucci cite Jencks as making a statement in regard to architecture that is equally appropriate to Superman: “Not only does [it] express the values...of a society, but also its ideologies, hopes, fears, religion, social structure, and metaphysics” (Burgchardt 608). It is the intent of this essay to show that the Superman we have grown up watching is also a postmodern object of rhetorical discourse which embodies the values of the American way. Superman was used to support World War II through promoting war bonds and being shown fighting the German Nazis and the Japanese. This is an appeal for America to become involved in World War II which was a contingent issue at the time. This raised support for the war throughout the country and showed that Superman influenced a society. Superman was a symbol for what is right in a society during a time of uncertainty. Superman is a symbol of strength and hope here to fight for truth justice and the American way (Look Up in the Sky). This is the artistic proof of ethos which Superman embodies by having good character and ethics. Many Americans looked up to Superman and wanted to be like him. Superman is also portrayed as a modern day Messiah because his father sends his son to earth to save the human race and show them the light (Look Up in the Sky). This is an appeal to the religion of America which is mainly Christianity. Superman is always selfless in his actions asking for nothing in return and always stands for good bringing out the best in all of the people around him. In conclusion Superman is the most prominent hero and icon of our generation who influences us from World War II to present day and showed us the light during a dark part of history. Superman is one of the greatest rhetorical objects of America that expresses our values, religion, and social structure. He is a symbol of hope and strength here to fight for truth


Cited: Burgchardt, Carl. Readings in Rhetorical Criticism. 3rd ed. State College, PA: Strata Publishing, 2005. Print. Look Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman. Dir. Kevin Burns. Warner Home Video, Inc., 2006. DVD.
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    WATCHMEN After The Bomb Related Text Material
    • 718 Words
    • 2 Pages

    WATCHMEN After The Bomb Related Text Material

    The idea of superheroes is surprisingly well fitting in this era, as it lies during a time of lies, anxiety and propaganda. Superheroes represent a symbol of hope that citizens were able to look up to, when normal humanity had devastated itself in the destruction of war. The helplessness and paranoia of the time had influenced not only the people of the time, but also the literary works.…

    • 718 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Christopher Reeve's Rhetorical Analysis
    • 377 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Christopher Reeve's Rhetorical Analysis

    Intro: Christopher Reeve, the now paralyzed actor who played as Superman, spoke at the Democratic National Convention to help pass the Americans with Disabilities Act. He used diction and details to sway the audience to the bill?s favor. Some such examples are how he used his definition of family values, when he tried to relate to the audience members with disabilities or loved ones who had them, and when he listed some of America?s accomplishments to show how America achieves the impossible.…

    • 377 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Outline For Superman Research Paper
    • 461 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Outline For Superman Research Paper

    A. Broad statement about topic-Superman was being used as a symbol for hope. The strength superman possess represented the moral strength of the United States.…

    • 461 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Look Up In The Sky Rhetorical Analysis
    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Look Up In The Sky Rhetorical Analysis

    In the documentary Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman, the people thought of Superman as a hope to World War II, women’s action in the 1940, and Anti- Americans activities. In this essay the reader is going to learn why Superman is a Rhetorical example. “Not only does Rhetorical object express the values…of a society, but also its ideologies, hopes, fears, religion, social structure, and metaphysics (Burgchardt 698),” said Jencks.…

    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Similarities Between Batman And Spider Man
    • 901 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Similarities Between Batman And Spider Man

    Throughout history every society has had their own heroes of myth and legend; from the Greek heroes of Hercules and Achilles, to the Medieval English heroes King Arthur and Lancelot, and the Early American heroes of Paul Bunyan and Daniel Boone, there have always been and there will always be heroes. Heroes are pillars of a societies values, what a society finds important is what will be found in the overall makeup of the heroes themselves. In today’s society, we have two heroes of comic book legend that stand above all others—Batman and Spider-Man.…

    • 901 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Waiting For Superman Rhetorical Analysis
    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Waiting For Superman Rhetorical Analysis

    1. Analyzing rhetoric is about what persuasive techniques are being used, not whether or not you were convinced. Sometimes persuasion works, and it changes your mind. But sometimes you still don’t agree after a variety of persuasive attempts. Which rhetorical appeals are used most effectively in Waiting for Superman? Where was an appeal used, but it wasn’t effective for you? Be sure to support your opinion with evidence from the documentary.…

    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Best Essays

    Truth, Justice, and Common Ground: Lessons from Heroes on How to Get Along
    • 3224 Words
    • 13 Pages

    Truth, Justice, and Common Ground: Lessons from Heroes on How to Get Along

    Eagen, Patrick. “A Flag with a Human Face”. Superman at Fifty!: The Persistence of a Legend. Eds. Denis Dooley and Gary Engle. New York: Collier Books, 1988 [Octavia Press: Chesterland, OH, 1987]. Print.…

    • 3224 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Best Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Waiting For Superman Rhetorical Analysis
    • 561 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Waiting For Superman Rhetorical Analysis

    Out of the movies uploaded on bolt, I decided to watch Waiting for Superman. When the movie started I was skeptical on it at first. The movie is about the struggle America is facing with education, as well as how it is failing the children. At one time America was one of the top smartest countries in the world. But around the time of the space race, America start seeing how the decline in education. Fast forward to today, American is still struggling to improve its education system. Many Chancellors of Education have come and gone, promising to change the way our education system is set up. The documentary pointed out that one possible reason our education system is the way it is, is because the federal government distributes money and sets guidelines to the school. But not only that, states send funds to the schools and have their own set guidelines, then the schools within themselves have guidelines they want to see. In simpler terms one reason our education system is like this, is because there are too many cooks in…

    • 561 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Indiana Jones: A Modern American Hero
    • 269 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Indiana Jones: A Modern American Hero

    During the late 1970’s a time of national trouble that stemmed from the Vietnam War, the American-Iranian Hostage crisis and domestic economically strife, undermined long-held American cultural principles embodied in heroines such as “superman” as a representation of masculinity, America as the “good guys” and the American Dream. As a result these Idealistic dreams of were torn out of American hearts and replaced by more practical, logical “modern” principles reflected in the 1980’s which embraced the modern principles of materialism, consumerism, blockbuster movies and cable TV as an essential part of contemporary American culture. This era of change with heroines being replaced by their logical, “modern” counterparts, anti-heroes as relatable characters that appeal to the American economical dissention while keeping in toe with the principles of the American Dream.…

    • 269 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Superman And Me
    • 590 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Superman And Me

    In The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me, Sherman Alexie shares with his audience his story of when he learned to read at a young age through a Superman comic book. Through stories and memories of his childhood, he explains how Indian children on reservations were expected not to try in school and fail in the non-Indian world. In order to successfully portray his ideas, Alexie uses many rhetorical techniques and ideas. By using these techniques the audience is forced to look more into the writing instead of just being given the direct meaning of what Alexie is trying to share.…

    • 590 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Batman: the Dark Knight Rhetorical Analysis
    • 1596 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Batman: the Dark Knight Rhetorical Analysis

    “The Dark Knight,” a movie directed and produced by Christopher Nolan, depicts the way a system of justice deals with terrorism. If an archetype is defined as a symbol that exists instinctively in the collective consciousness of the human race, the terrorism in Batman The Dark Knight represents an archetype through the violence, murder of the innocent, mayhem and mass destruction. Governments often lay down laws and procedures for a country to function, and to avoid anarchy. The laws promote wellness, equality, and justice, but sometimes even these entities of justice are forced to break the law for a greater good. In contemporary U.S. history, President Barack Obama, the head of one of the most powerful countries in the world, decided to introduce a select team of individuals into Pakistan, in an illegal manner, in order to kill Osama bin Laden, the head of an international Islamic terrorist group known as al-Qaeda. In the movie these two sides of justice are represented by two “knights.” On one side, Batman, who is constantly referred to as the dark knight and on the other Harvey Dent, who is referred to as the white knight. The words “white” and “dark” have two specific connotations, one which brings to mind the concept of light, an archetype that symbolizes purity, justice, hope, and clarity. The other invokes into mind the concept of darkness, an archetype which embodies fear, ignorance, despair, and the unknown. The use of this archetypical antithesis throughout the whole movie is an allusion to the two sides of justice: the “white side” and the “dark side.” Terrorism is represented by the criminal mastermind known as “The Joker,” a cynical clown that is very similar to Islamic terrorists, an archetype of the devil figure. The most prevalent real life terrorist in current world news is Osama bin Laden, the head of al Qaeda. He plans and orders attacks onto specific targets through suicide bombings, representing the notion…

    • 1596 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Superman Hero Quotes
    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Superman Hero Quotes

    Superman is a beloved hero. He is loved by many. He got his start in DC comics. He is commonly associated with Louis Lane. He was brought to life by highschool students in Cleveland, Ohio in 1933. The students later sold him to DC comics in 1938. Superman is so loved because he gives people hope and provides safety. Superman is an alien from the planet krypton therefore he has superhuman abilities. His powers include but are not limited to Superhuman strength. Limitless speed, Superhuman vision (including X-ray, microscopic, telescopic, and infrared), Superhuman hearing, Nigh-Invulnerability, Heat vision, Flight, Super breath and freeze breath. Superman's weakness is kryptonite.Superman is most vulnerable to green Kryptonite, mineral debris…

    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Idea Of Heroes In Homer's Odyssey
    • 1069 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Idea Of Heroes In Homer's Odyssey

    The Odyssey by Homer is an epic poem about Odysseus’ journey to his homeland Ithaca and beloved family, after being gone for ten long years because of the Trojan war. Odysseus is faced with many obstacles, including his encounters with Poseidon, the god of the sea, the witch goddess, Circe, and the scandalous suitors of Ithaca. On the other hand, DC Comic’s Superman is the hero in a story about Clark Kent, who grows up on Earth with human parents and soon discovers his true identity and must find out the truth about where he came from. His home planet Kytron was on the verge of extinction when his parents to save their infant son Kal El had to send him to Earth. There Kal-El, his real name, was adopted by a human family and named Clark Kent…

    • 1069 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Springboard - Hero Definition Essa
    • 508 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Springboard - Hero Definition Essa

    “It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no its Superman!” For decades comic book characters such as Superman, The Incredible Hulk, Batman, and Wonder Woman have captured the imaginations of American children and adults alike. “Superheroes,” they have been coined. But these figures only exist in our imaginations. Batman is not really there to save us from villains such as the Joker and the Riddler. Because these heroes are fictional, we are left without real life heroes… or are we? The answer is clearly no. Heroes are all around us. They can be courageous, intelligent, strong or daring, but heroes to me are selfless and brave.…

    • 508 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Captain America as a Rhetorical Superhero
    • 1592 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Captain America as a Rhetorical Superhero

    Half of the person we become is an impression of the ones we admire. Growing up in the United States every child has someone they look up to. This most likely is an individual that represents success and the values we are taught to respect. Superheroes have always served as something good in our lives because they make us want to help the world and feel like we can do anything. Superheroes represent qualities that we should all attempt to embody. What Captain America truly represents can be interpreted in many ways, but there are messages being conveyed. The authors of “Captain America: The First Avengers” use rhetoric to express the social ideology that being a hero is not exactly how strong you are, but what values and morals you live your life by.…

    • 1592 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics