Aliens in America: The Impact of Alien Invasion Upon American Culture

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Recommended: issue of xenophobia

In the proposed assignment I intend to support that the theme of “alien invasion” constitutes a significant parameter in the American culture as it reflects the fear of the unknown. American society, likewise any other society, fears greatly that anything unknown, such as a person or an idea, will suddenly appear in their peaceful life, will not be assimilated and as a result will contribute to the distraction of their American identity. Given that US is a materialism-based culture, which contradicts the school of thought of communism, the fear of the unknown was especially focusing on it – among other things – during the Cold War. Authors were clearly referred to Russians as a threat – like they were aliens themselves – like in the case of Frederik Pohl’s sort stories “The Tunnel under the world” where the main protagonist questions himself about the enemy he is facing, and he uses the phrase “Russians? Martians?” Similarly, in the sort story of John Milne’s “Death and the Senator”, the Senator chooses to die instead of succumbing to the devilish medical practices of the Russians, that are taking place in outer space. Continuing, the “Red Scare” drove American politics to a new era; discussing anything about communism was almost prohibited, especially during the McCarthyism era. Hence, many authors used the theme of a forthcoming alien invasion, similar to a Red invasion, avoiding specific discussions on the subject. One example is the sort story of Robert Sheckley “The Hour of Battle”, where the Martians appear to be telepathic creatures that abducted an American soldier, which obliged Americans to wait in the open space for any attack in order to protect the earth. That narration can be considered a narration of the Cold War ...

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