Question Description
I’m working on a literature question and need a sample draft to help me understand better.
ASSIGNMENT:
How do superheroes reflect the cultural values important to our society today? In our current superheroes in film and TV today, we see the importance of a variety of cultural values, such as:
justice
freedom / independence
responsibility and duty
team building
multiculturalism / diversity
feminism / female strength
leadership
honor
friendship / family
materialism
For this investigation, select ONE film, TV show, or comic book based on a superhero. In your paper, explain how the superhero(es) in the text reflect and illustrate ONE cultural value that is important to American society today. You may choose from the list above, or identify a different cultural value.
To be more specific, using Superheroes Decoded: American Rebels and our discussion of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse as a model, construct your own essay in which you create a clear thesis statement that shows your understanding of how a superhero in a film, TV show, or comic book demonstrates the importance of ONE specific American cultural value or belief in today’s society.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Your investigation into superheroes should be a direct response to the prompt outlined above. You essay should be in MLA format and style, including a Works Cited page; a minimum of 4-6 pages in length (1,500 words); and it should include at least 4 sources. You are required to use ONE film, TV show, or comic book as your primary source that represents a superhero and at least three secondary sources (outside research that might include the historical or biographical context for the text; critics of the film or TV show, etc).
***You may NOT use Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse as your primary source since we will use the film as a model text.
REQUIREMENTS:
4-6 pages (at least 1,500 words)
MLA format. 12-point font, Times New Roman. Works Cited Page
A creative title that hints at the subject matter.
Indicate a clear focus in a well-written thesis statement that includes a focus on how the superhero reflects ONE cultural value.
Your essay should be well-structured with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Concrete evidence properly cited and integrated.
Include at least 4 sources (1 primary source and 3 secondary sources). The evidence should clearly support the topic sentence and the overall thesis statement.
Each body paragraph should have at least 2-3 sources (primary source + 1 to 2 secondary sources)
Provide a conclusion which states why your argument is significant
Implement proper stylistic conventions to include: sentence variation, college-level vocabulary, complex sentence structure.
Write the paper as if addressing a scholarly audience.
Demonstrate thoughtful revision and editing/proofreading
GOALS:
This assignment will help students meet the following Student Learning Objectives, as stated on the course syllabus:
Utilize the writing process to produce complex, high-quality work.
Evaluate the validity and soundness of arguments and the evidence within them.
Synthesize ideas of two or more writers to create a broader understanding of an issue
Utilize critical reading strategies to pull meaning from complex texts.
APPROVED FILM/TV LIST:
The following is a list of films or TV shows you should consider; however, you are not restricted to the list. At the same time, if you choose a film or TV show that is not here (or a comic book), please run it by me for approval (send me an e-mail). I will not accept papers on films, TV shows, or a comic book not listed here if you do not run it by me first. When choosing a film, please make sure the focus of the film is on a superhero, and the movie is “current” (produced within the last 10 years).
For summaries of these films, consult the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) found at www.imdb.com (Links to an external site.).
Aquaman
The Avengers
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Avengers: Infinity War
Avengers: End Game
Black Panther
Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Captain America: Civil War
Captain Marvel
Dr. Strange
Deadpool
Once Upon a Deadpool
Fantastic Four
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume II
Iron Man
Iron Man 2
Iron Man 3
Elektra
Birds of Prey
Big Hero 6
Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice
Justice League
Wonder Woman (2017)
Wonder Woman 1984
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight Rises
Joker (2019)
Kick-Ass
Shazam!
Thor
Thor: The Dark World
Thor: Ragnarok
Man of Steel
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Spider-Man: Far from Home
X-Men: First Class
X-Men: Days of Future Past
X-Men: Apocalypse
Dark Phoenix
Logan
The Watchmen (Movie)
TV Shows
Daredevil (TV show)
The Flash (TV show)
Arrow (TV show)
Marvel’s Agents of Shield (TV show)
The Boys (TV Show)
Daredevil (TV Show)
Doom Patrol (TV Show)
Jessica Jones (TV Show)
Krypton (TV Show)
Legion (TV Show)
Luke Cage (TV Show)
Shadow and Bone (TV Show)
Supergirl (TV Show)
Stargirl (TV Show)
Superman and Lois (TV Show)
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV Show)
The Watchmen (TV Show)
WandaVision (TV Show)
Resources:
Articles
- The Purpose and Significance of Superheroes in American Culture (Links to an external site.)
- Why Are We Obsessed with Superhero Movies? (Links to an external site.)
- On the Importance of Having Superheroes (Links to an external site.)
- Why America Loves Superheroes (Links to an external site.)
- Why We Worship Superheroes (Links to an external site.)
- How Stan Lee’s Superheroes Helped Change the World (Links to an external site.)
- The greatest Superheroes Are Always Challenging Culture (Links to an external site.)
- Heroic Moments: A study of Comic Book Superheroes in Real-World Society (Links to an external site.)
- The Superhero Diversity Problem (Links to an external site.)
- The Golden Age of Comics (Links to an external site.)
- Stan Lee Quotes (Links to an external site.)
- Why Are Superheroes So Popular? We Live in a World of Fear (Links to an external site.)
- The Rise of Superheroes (Links to an external site.)
- Into the Spider-Verse: Modern Heroes for a Modern World (Links to an external site.)
- “Into the Spider-Verse” and the Importance of a Biracial Spider-Man(Links to an external site.
- Why Miles Morales Means So Much to People (Links to an external site.)
Videos