Marvel: A Reflection of Human Life



Image result for avengers endgame

Marvel's latest film, Avengers: Endgame, hit movie theaters across the nation last weekend, and has been the main topic of conversation of superhero fans for days. This film brings an end to the first stage of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which culminates 22 different films over an 11-year span that include a countless number of our favorite characters such as Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and Spiderman. I get asked all the time by non-superhero fans why I care so much about these movies and get so attached to the superheroes who star in them. Not only do we love watching these heroes come out victorious (except in Avengers: Infinity War) against a seemingly invincible foe, but what makes superheroes so special to many people like myself is the fact that we can easily relate and sympathize with them. While most of us do not possess super strength, a suit of armor or have the ability to wield lightning, we encounter many conflicts within our society that leave us with a choice: to let evil win or take a stand and fight against our enemies.

Most of the heroes brought to life on the big screen were created by the infamous comic book writer Stan Lee. Stan Lee, who passed away at the age of 95 less than a year ago, has openly expressed how superheroes and their struggles reflect the issues we face as a nation, and as a world community. While our world is not at risk of being destroyed by the Mad Titan, Thanos, we are faced with abstract threats that endanger the safety and security of our human civilization. Stan Lee describes how “bigotry and racism are among the deadliest social ills plaguing the world today. But, unlike a team of costumed super-villains, they can’t be halted with a punch in the snoot, or a zap from a ray gun. The only way to destroy them is to expose them—to reveal them for the insidious evils they really are.” We live in a society where racism, hate and bigotry harm the lives of innocent men, women and children all across the world. These supervillains have been operating and damaging our world for centuries. They have divided our world based upon race, color, religion and sex. If we remain divided, we will allow these villains to win and take over our world. We see how in the movie Avengers: Infinity War that the heroes failed in protecting the world because they were divided. As global citizens, we will never defeat our foes if we do not take a stand and fight hand-in-hand with our fellow human beings. The Avengers were able to save the world in Avengers: Endgame because all of the heroes were able to contribute and take part in the mission.  While Avengers’ mission was to save the world from destruction by the hand of Thanos, our mission is to rid the world of racism, hate and bigotry in order to bring equality to our global community. This will not be an easy task by any means, but, like the heroes we praise in the comic books and movies, we must find the strength and courage to persevere. The fate of the world lies in our hands, and we must be the heroes of this story.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Remember the Titans: A Story of Equality

Image
A few weeks ago, I watched one of my favorite football movies of all time, "Remember the Titans". After viewing the film in its entirety for the first time in years, I have come to understand the story's true meaning. Although "Remember the Titans" is a great football film, it is more importantly a story that reveals the true power of equality. This movie portrays the true story of the T.C Williams High School Football team in Alexandria, Virginia during their inaugural season in 1971. This was the same year that the school was forced by federal laws to integrate African American students. Therefore, the team consisted of both white and black players. The head coach of the Titans was Herman Boone, an African American man played by Denzel Washington. At the beginning of the film when the school first opened, there was a lot of racial tension between the white and black players. They did not sit together at the same tables and only associated with players...
Read more

A Reflection on Citizenship

Image
.  In one week from today, I will be sitting on an airplane flying to my home state of New Jersey for the summer vacation. Therefore, I thought it would be appropriate to reflect upon my semester in this final blog post. I have truly learned a lot about citizenship from my Citizens! Expository Writing course. Going into this class, I thought of citizenship simply as one's legal status in the United States. However, after reading the historical works of Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and an in-depth analysis of the Declaration of Independence, my view of American citizenship has expanded greatly. I have a new sense of appreciation and value for the foundational principle of equality. Prior to reading Danielle Allen's book , Our Declaration: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence in Defense of Equality , I thought equality meant the same, which gave the principle a negative connotation in my head. Allen's book debunks this perception and shows ho...
Read more

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

Image
In my final research paper for my US History class, I examine the immediate aftermath of September 11th, 2001, and its psychological effects on the people of New York. 9/11 is arguably the most tragic single day in American history as approximately 3000 innocent Americans were killed by the violent and cruel acts of 19 terrorists. The horrific sites of watching the iconic Twin Towers collapse and seeing people jumping to their deaths has and continues to pull the heartstrings of Americans across the nation. There was a great sense of fear that took over the country as citizens were uncertain of what the future had in store for them, and the country as a whole. Although the events of 9/11 presented the city of New York and the country as a whole with major problems in regards to infrastructure, mental health, and security, we, the citizens of the United States, were able to overcome this tragedy because we stood by each other during this terrible time. As citizens, we put our...
Read more