Jonathan Lethem's The Only Human Superhero

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In his paper "The Only Human Superhero," which published in Rolling Stone, Jonathan Lethem states why Batman endures for more than half a century, how the characteristics and the appearance of Batman affect generation after generation and what unique features different versions of Batman bring to us.
Rolling Stone is an American magazine that concentrates on popular culture. Most of the readership are young, loving pop music or TV shows. The publication of Lethem’s article comes out when the last Christopher Nolan movie of Batman movie called The Dark Night Rises was being released. There have been more than 15 Batman movies have been produced and released in the past six decades. Lethem’s choice to publish this article in Rolling Stone is …show more content…

The metaphor refers to one thing by mentioning another thing and identifies hidden similarities between two subjects. Lethem states that "Batman resolves this paradox simply by removing his mask," drawing attention to the similarity between the changeable mask and mercurial life. The use of "mask" is a metaphor for the different life experiences or people performing different identities. The word "mask" also gives Batman a vivid image which proves Batman's humanness from the side because he is as busy as everybody who is performing differently in different …show more content…

Steps to appealing to pathos cover showing your understanding of readers' values, using the example and explanation to appeal to readers' emotions and considering the influence of shifting tone (Greene and Lidinsky 223). In the first paragraph of Lethem's work, he describes his memory with the following sentences: "The first superhero I loved was Batman. The first drawing I recall attempting was a drawing of Batman. I remember painstakingly working to reproduce the bat emblem on his chest, the capsules lining his belt. I never renounced Batman…" By using the first person, he succeeds in bringing us into his memory and feel his passion for Batman. The word "painstakingly" and "capsules" shows the carefulness of the author. All other comic fans may feel the same way and did the same thing when they make their comic costumes. Not only forwarding the emotion of writers but also arousing readers'

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