Superman Analysis

            
             Of the many superheroes that exist in American culture, I choose Superman, the Superman from the first major motion picture. Before I begin talking about what Superman represents though it is good to define what a superhero is. Any superhero worth his or her tights has certain characteristics. They must have super powers, and usually a secret identity, an archenemy, sure success, and of course an unlikely sidekick. Superman possesses much of these traits but some of them are stronger than others. One of the major problems I saw in this movie was how lame Superman's secret identity is, a pair of black-rimmed glasses. Lois Lane must have been as dumb as a box of rocks not to see right though them, but I guess this is sort of the willing suspension of disbelief we talked about in class. .
             Being Superman is the childhood fantasy of every little boy and girl (they of course want to be supergirl). He is an accurate representation of the American dream, the young immigrant who comes to the United States; he fits right in and embraces the culture, makes something of himself, and enriches his adopted nation. He is a classical hero in the modern age who fights criminals, rescues the helpless and has a sense of morals and justice just as strong as he is. He fits in perfectly in the American arena of heroes. He displays kindness, by helping the little girl get her cat out of the tree. Another trait was his hard work at the Daily Planet. He also has great respect for his adopted parents. I found it interesting when his real father, Jor-EL, told him to hold onto his heritage even though he would be in a new environment. I believe that this is an American ideal in itself. He told Lois Lane to never lie. I could go on and on, but simply put Superman stood for "truth, justice, and the American Way." .
             The birth origins of Superman were extremely fundamental. He was born on the planet Krypton. This planet has surpassed Earth's technological advances so greatly, but is doomed to devastation by a huge meteorite.