Maybe you haven’t noticed the trending themes in popular films and novels these days, but John Shelton Lawrence and Robert Jewett have definitely picked up on them. A community in paradise is threatened by an intruding, outside force and the institutions in place are incompetent to defend society. A selfless, unidentified hero abandons all personal motive and chooses to carry the burden of redeeming society from the evil force. He (usually a male character) is aided by fate and renounces all temptations in order to achieve his task. Using only nonviolent confrontation, he is victorious in restoring the paradise in the community. More often than not, he then retreats back into obscurity and does not receive any reward for his good deed. This basic structure of a story can be found in The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and the numerous superhero movies that have gained popularity. Lawrence and Jewett recognize the implications that similar structures of such films have on society and behavior. The rituals, symbols, and myths that are brought to light “establish benchmarks, but also anticipate forms of the future as they determine and shape ideals and goals for both individuals and society.” The Werther effect is the phenomenon that occurs when the reality in a fantasy world is brought out of context by the reader, who then uses his newly shaped ideals to interpret and act in the real world. This is a powerful idea, one of moving people to action through stories. Surely the author will take responsibility should something go wrong?
Lawrence and Jewett studies the pervading myth of Eden in the American imagination, and how it arose from people’s responses of the historical context. They go through the evolution of themes in films - from The Birth of a Nation to films like Superman. Films seem to often be semi-inaccurate portrayals of reality, simpler illustrations of what reality truly is like, in a way that makes evil clearly discernible from “good”. They conceal the clash of the components from both sides. Though newer superhero films try to give more depth to the antagonist side by creating a context for their behavior, they have also have made the protagonist to be larger-than-life and virtually indestructible. In a way, they stand firm in the idea that good will always prevail, because of some greater force that governs the outcomes of conflicts.
The American Monomyth in a New Century” in The Myth of the American Superhero - John Shelton Lawrence and Robert Jewett
A Penny for your Thoughts?
- The authors talk about the paradoxes that are found in american monomyth culture but do not explicitly explain their occurrence: the sexual renunciation in the midst of a growing sexual freedom, supernatural powers in a increasingly secular culture, and the depiction of incompetent democratic systems in a society that urges on the democratic man. Why do you think we as a society desire films that give us the same stories of the dysfunctional society being saved by a supernatural person who transcends morals and temptations of life? Are there parallels that we can draw to the figure of Christ? What are they?
- After 9/11, the authors say that the message that “good will triumph over evil” was nailed into the American mind as comfort for the losses. Our presidents have had the notion that every loss is worth shedding a tear, but then we must ruthlessly make our move against those who have harmed us. What effects do you think this message has had over the last couple years in relevance to how the nation has responded to conflict and threat?
Read more:
Reexamination of the Werther Effect 
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