Emma Erdman
English 250 Sections VC
Rhetorical Analysis Assignment #4
19 September 2012
Smells Like Teen Superheroes
By: Scott Andrews
Scott Andrews’ purpose is to understand young Americans’ fascination with
vampires, superpowers, and immortality. Also, Andrews’ strives to understand this
new society young Americans’ are growing up in opposed to his experience as a
young American. He states in the beginning, “I began to wonder about possible
connections between this tidal wave of hemophiles and other trends in popular
culture that appealed to young Americans” (Andrews 337). Andrews goes on to
discuss a particular set of trends during this century and the different kind of
movies and TV shows young Americans’ are drawn to. He tries to figure out what
these young Americans’ find interesting in these TV shows, like True Blood, Vampire
Diaries, Heroes, etc.
Andrews’ specifically describes the movie, Twilight, and how this
phenomenon of vampires became so popular among young Americans. He mentions
that there must have been “something swirling in the collective American ectoplasm
that had coalesced into some critical mass” (Andrews 337). Andrews’s attempts to
dig deeper into these young Americans’ lives to figure out how their lives are
evolving differently than his did. Andrews describes the “American Dream” and how
it has changed over the years. It was known as “the dream of the happy family and
the house with the white picket fence” (Andrews 339). Now it is known as “the
belief that if one worked hard, saved money, and took advantage of opportunities
for investing one’s own business, eventually one could obtain a more-thancomfortable lifestyle – one might even become rich” (Andrews 339). In addition to
this new American Dream, Andrews believes that this sort of fame is appearing
magically to them without them being necessarily talented nor having to work for it.
Andrews’ claim is that these young people of this era want to feel different,
“feel apart from the crowd, unusual” (Andrews 338). Now, “instant wealth has been
symbolically replaced,” states Andrews (Andrews 339). For example, Harry Potter
has these special wizard powers instantly as he shows up in Hogwarts, as opposed
to the other students who work for these special powers (Andrews 339). Potter can
perform different spells, without practice, that the other wizards can’t. Andrews’
main point in his inquiry is that this generation of young Americans is learning from
the media that this wealth and success is coming to them out of nowhere. It appears
they are not working hard for what they have, and that is what these TV shows and
movies are showing them. For example, “there is no need for years of
apprenticeship – get up on stage, you 20-year-old, and sing so Simon can make you
famous tomorrow! (Andrews 339). The future is scary and frightening for these
young Americans because of the many options and decisions they make, “that
imagining superpowers and immortality is reassuring” (Andrews 339).
Andrews tone is convincing throughout his inquiry due to relevant
information on today’s young Americans. He persuades his audience that this
generation is so caught up in the fame, and obsessions of these movies or TV shows.
Andrews believes “there seemed to be something swirling in the collective American
ectoplasm that had coalesced into some critical mass” (Andrews 337). What he
means by this is that this appeal to this kind of world and future spread so quickly
amongst a majority of these young Americans.
Andrews’ ideas in his inquiry are certainly organized. He uses many different
cues in his inquiry to transition from one paragraph to the next. On page 339 at the
end of paragraph two, Andrews uses the words “has gone one step further”, and
continues in the next paragraph to the next topic. These types of phrases help to
keep the reader engaged when reading about this argument.
Andrews succeeds when convincing his audience, young Americans, like
myself. He makes known that this generation of young Americans are confused with
what their future may hold, and think that fame is where they need to end up. The
tone is persuasive, but also generalizing that all young Americans are fazed by this
sensation. Another writing that makes this generalization is Teenagers and Tattoos
by Andres Martin. Martin makes the generalization that all teenagers with tattoos
need to be understood, and not all what they seem to be (Martin 18-20). His
organization and writing techniques make it an easy read, and convincing. At the
end of his inquiry, he states that he can relate to these young Americans. His inquiry
is personal and relating himself to the young Americans which helps the reader to
understand how this generation of young Americans is completely different from
years ago.
Works Cited
Andrews, Scott. “Smells Like Teen Superheroes.” The World is a Text. 4th Edition.
Jonathon Silverman and Dean Radar. Boston: Publishing Services Inc., 2012. 337339. Print
Martin, Andres. “On Teenagers and Tattoos.” The Aims of Argument. 7th Edition.
Timothy W. Crusius and Carolyn E. Channell. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2011. 18-21.
Print