Document comprehension
A
Look at the three documents. What are they? What are the common points between the three characters?
In your opinion, How do they symbolize America?
They are pictures of American superheroes: There is Captain American, Miss America and Superman. They all have
superpowers, and they’re wearing a similar costume.
Their strength embodies the power of the USA + the colors (blue, red and white), stars and stripes on the
costumes remind us of the American flag.
B
T
True or False? Justify with your own words or with a quote from the text.
F
Superman was originally created to represent the power of the USA against the Nazis.
“he was created in the mid-thirties”, the Nazi thing came after.
T
F
Nazis are metaphorical characters of fiction until the USA enter WWII.
“Superman fights thinly disguised Germans (…) until the U.S enters the war and the Nazis
enter the comics directly.”
T
F
The two creators of Superman made their character as a representation of what they were.
“Superman was everything they were not”
T
F
The Germans were the only enemies in the Superman comics during WWII.
“…German and Japanese saboteurs…”
T
F
Other superheroes were used to represent the fight between the USA and the Nazis.
“Captain America punching Hitler in the face”
T
F
During the war, the American soldiers bought Superman comics to keep their mind off the fight.
éComic books were distributed free to the troops.”
Why was Superman popular during WWII?
Because he represented the ideal vision of America, a superhero helping the weak and fighting against evil.
+ it was good for the moral of the troops.
What are Superman’s values and qualities for the American People?
He’s selfless (he uses his powers to help those in need), he has a clear vision of right and
wrong, he’s powerful. “embodiment of wish fulfillment”
How is Superman a metaphorical representation of the USA?
Has the power to decide what’s right and what’s wrong.
Represents a superpower that fights the supervillains (in this case, the Nazis) for the good cause.
Fights against evil (communism, terrorism…)
Exceptional force/strength.
AT HOME…
“the myth of American exceptionalism goes back to the Puritans with John Winthrop’s image of a city on a hill and is
embodied in the foundational documents of the country — the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. “
Find the necessary information in order to be able to explain what the Myth of American exceptionalism is.
John Winthrop was one of the first pilgrims to go to America, fleeing religious segregation,. He arrived on the new
land wanting to create “a city upon a hill”, a new city above all others (not in a physical way), where people work
hard but have a perfect, healthy life with no segregation. It’s the beginning of the myth of American
exceptionalism –W America is seen as a utopia.
C
In your opinion, what are the important elements in this document?
There are a lot of symbols in the document, the Nazi cross, the map of the USA with a note ‘sabotage plan for
USA’, Captain America, with his stars and stripes costume, wearing the colors of the American flag.
The character in the middle is clearly Hitler, he’s not even hidden anymore, as his name is written at the bottom of
the page : “face to face with Hitler”
Hitler is supposed to be fighting Europe, but in this document, his main enemy seems to be the USA.
D
Say which of the following words correspond to Chinese heroes, and which ones correspond to American heroes.
Part of the country’s past
clever
Legendary
Modest
Typical costumes
High moral standards
Characters of fiction
20th century
Superpowers make them
heroes
Chinese superheroes
American Superheroes
Legendary
Superpowers make them heroes
Part of the country’s past
Character of fiction
Typical costume
20th century
Modest
(clever)
Clever
High moral standards
High moral standards
List the Adjectives referring to American and Chinese heroes in the text.
American heroes: implausible (powers), not real, silly, less inspiring, heroic
Chinese heroes: historical, real, loyal, intelligent, heroic
True or False? Justify with your own words or with a quote from the text.
T
F
Sun Wukong is a historical hero
“with the exception of Sun Wukong (…), most Chinese heroes are real”.
T
F
Chinese teenagers should like superheroes according to the journalist.
“It’s hard to believe [they] wouldn’t capture the imagination of China’s young men.”
T
F
Superheroes can beat up bad guys and see through women’s clothes.
“A man who could punch out bad guys and see through women’s clothes. “
T
F
The Chinese like superheroes’ costumes.
“Snagging on the idea that the heroes have to wear tights (…) to be heroic”.
T
F
The journalist says there is specifically American in the way superheroes act.
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In your own words, explain how the Chinese consider American superheroes. Justify.
Chinese teenagers think American superheroes are not real, and so they are less inspiring than Chinese heroes
who are real, loyal, intelligent and devoted to their country.
They also think that American superheroes are a little ridiculous with their tights and exaggerated superpowers.
E
How is document E contradictory to document D?
It’s contradictory because the author of document
D says that Chinese people don’t really like
fictional superheroes, with silly costumes, but doc.
E shows that China copied Captain America, and in
2012, created ‘Captain China’.
However, it’s quite recent, as the first episode of
the comics features Barack Obama.
What common points or differences do you see
between Captain America and Captain China?
They were both brought back to life in the comics.
The costume is almost exactly the same; they wear
the color and the symbols of the flag of their
country.
They embody their country. + fight for their
country. They’re both very patriotic.
They save people/fight against evil.
They both feature real characters: Hitler in Captain
America, Obama in Captain China (though
nowadays, Captain America is mostly fictional)
They have different weapons: Captain America has a shield, and Captain China always carries a firearm.
Both are soldiers, but Captain America relies more on his superpowers whereas captain China always has a gun + a
Chinese military hat. The notion of the army is more present in captain China.