Date of Award
2006
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Program
Media Studies
Supervisor
Tim Blackmore
Abstract
Emerging from the New York rubble, the media image of the courageous firefighter exploded as a symbol of patriotism and nationalism, generating a mass preoccupation with heroes after 9/11. The staggering rise of the filmic superhero in a
post 9/11 context indicates psychological defense against “terror” and the need for Manichean institutions and cultural regeneration that is symptomatic of war time ambiguity and political unrest. As popular culture mirrors the American collective
subconscious, this thesis questions the function of the contemporary superhero film by bringing together comic superheroes, film superheroes, myth studies and the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in semiotic and textual analysis. While fulfilling the democratic promise of an “Everyman” hero, this paper discusses how superheroes and vigilante activity also undermine democratic institutions and ideologically support the questionable actions of the U.S. government and their illegal war.
Recommended Citation
Elias, Rebecca Noelani, "DEMOCRATIC ILLUSIONS: MYTHIC HEROISM AND NATIONAL FANTASY IN POST-9/11 SUPERHERO FILMS." (2006). Digitized Theses. 4951.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/4951