NOTE: This is a student sample paper written by Cathy Bennett in Spring 2008. It is used
with her permission. This is an excerpt and only includes the first four pages of her paper
with annotations on the kinds of quotes she used and why.
The Value of Being Incredible As Middle Class Americans
The esteemed semiologist, Roland Barthes, said everything is a “sign” or symbol of deeper meaning as
well as a “person, place, or thing” (McNeill, 1996, pp.1-5). Our lives’ deeper meanings are contained in
everything we experience: how we eat, take care of ourselves, entertain ourselves, etc. Movies, TV, music, and
books are all examples of the conscious waking “dreams” of our collective lives which mirror back to us our
conscious/unconscious states of being—our American culture. For instance, according to the comic historian
and critic, Peter Sanderson (2004), the animated movie, The Incredibles (produced by Pixar and written and
directed by Brad Bird), typifies middle American family issues (Comics in Context #62, p.1). The Incredible
family has to deal with job loss, boredom, limited use of their potential in their day-to-day lives, deep
insecurities, feeling as a minority, and spiritual crisis. Exploring these family issues, Sanderson (2004) goes into
great depth describing how comics/cartoons symbolize our inner natures played out (Comics in Context #62,
p.1-3). This same theme comes out in O’Reilly’s, “The Wonder Woman Precedent,” and in Semiotics—the
study of every day existence as “signs” of who we are. Rather than just for entertainment, The Incredibles
animated movie is a sign of America’s middle class family dynamic—identifying with the superhero in
ourselves—in order to rise above our mediocre lives as we are faced with national crises of values, economic
insecurity, and overwhelming global issues like war and terrorism.
The Incredibles Represent Middle Class Americans
On the surface, the Incredibles family is representative of any normal middle class family in the issues they face
in daily life. Bob and Helen Parr and their three children live in the suburbs along with other middle class
families. Bob works for an insurance company where he struggles to keep his mundane job—feeling middleaged and unfulfilled. Helen stays home and takes care of the children, juggling all that a housewife must in
order to keep the family functioning. The oldest child, Violet, is in the throws of a teenage identity crisis while
her younger brother, Dash, is hyperactive and hard to keep focused. And the baby, Jack-Jack, fills the family’s
life with all the demands a baby brings (The Incredibles movie, 2004). Brad Bird, writer and director of the
movie, describes his purpose behind The Incredibles in an interview with The New York Times (Oct. 20, 2004)
as quoted by Sanderson (2004):
‘I had this goofy movie idea about superheroes trying to balance family with their
responsibilities to society,’ comparing it to his own effort to balance his career and his duties as a
father. Speaking of The Incredibles, Bird continues, ‘On the surface, it’s meant to be a blast, a
pretty basic action movie, but below that it’s about some basic issues—getting older, getting
married, being a teenager, what it’s like to be in a job you don’t like—all wrapped in superhero
clothing.’ (p. 1)
In the film, we see the Incredibles family as they struggle to make ends meet, face their issues, and realize their
dreams. The movie immediately appeals to our middle class family values and challenges because we see
ourselves and our lives right there on the big screen.
The Movie is a Sign of the Times
Beyond entertaining, The Incredibles movie was contemporary in its portrayal of American middle class
social, political, and economic issues. During 2004 when The Incredibles came out, America was trying to
decide who to elect as the next president—George W. Bush or John Kerry—with exit polls citing moral values
as the most important determinator, assuring President Bush’s continuance in office. While the country
polarized between conservatives, liberals, and the moral dilemma over same-sex marriage, Americans struggled
philosophically with the continuing war in Iraq and terrorism. In the home, American values were evident in the
outrage expressed regarding Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl, demonstrating most
parents upset over the inappropriate entertainment being broadcast to their children. Middle class Americans
were faced with a weak job market with employment opportunities on the decline, creating economic insecurity
and instability. And the economic situation is not improving according to Sperling & Weller (2007):
While many in the media or in the current administration seek to portray these feelings as
mysterious or unfounded, a close look at recent economic data shows that the typical American
faces real economic insecurity, shrinking job opportunities, declining upward mobility, and a
growing inability to save and accumulate wealth. (p.1)
All these real factors impacting middle class Americans were evident in The Incredibles, contributing to the
movie winning best animated feature film at the Oscars in 2005. America identified with The Incredibles.
References
Chandler, D. (1994). Semiotics for Beginners. Retrieved May 19, 2008 from
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/semiotic.html.
McNeill, T. (1996). Roland Barthes: Mythologies (1957). Published lectures at
The University of Sunderland, Great Britian. Retrieved May 19, 2008
From http://seacoast.sunderland.ac.uk/~os0tmc/myth.htm.
O’Reilly, J. (2005). “The Wonder Woman Precendent: Female (Super) Heroism on
Trial.” The Journal of American Culture. 28 (3). pp. 273-283. Retrieved May 19, 2008 through
Marylhurst University on-line class website
https://online.marylhurst.edu/section/default.asp?id=WR223E%5F200803.
Sanderson, P. (2004). “That’s Incredible.” Comics in Context. #62. Retrieved May 17,
2008 from http://movies.ign.com/articles/565/565746p1.html.
Sanderson, P. (2004). “Superfolks, Syndrome, Sharks, and Spinach.” Comics in Context.
#63. Retrieved May 19, 2008 from http://movies.ign.com/articles/595/595625p1.html
Sperling, G. & Weller, C. (2007). “Five Economic Challenges That Need More Policy
Attention.” Center for American Progress. 2007(01). P.1-5. Retrieved May 24,
2008 from http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/01/state_of_economy/