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Is Superman an American Character?

I believe in order to answer this question, one must ask a similar question, is superman an American hero? And the answer is yes. As Engle explains in his article Superman is the ultimate American hero. As he compares him to John Wayne, Engle gives insight to the matter that gives good clarity to the importance of Superman in American society. When we look at heroes we want to see ourselves. When we see superman defeating the villain with his good nature and superior abilities, the reader wants in some way to reflect Superman. Engle compares a hero like Batman to Superman in a very effective and interesting way. He states the the majority of Americans are like a hero like Batman who wears a disguise when he is saving people. Engle believes that Americans wear this mask during our daily lives and that we wish we were more like Superman. The reason why Superman is so appealing (in Engle's eyes) is that he saves people and protects them from villains with no disguise. Superman does not hide who he is and that is very appealing to American readers. So, back to the original question of is Superman an American Character? Yes, he is. He gives hope and good intentions to his readers. Though there might be some racial and ethnic undertones, but that is for the scholar to interpret in his/her own way. In my opinion what makes Superman an American character is his morals that project the true blooded American way. All in all, Superman provides a positive and patriotic influence on his readers, and by doing this he shows American character.

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