The Progressive School Vol 02 Issue 04

about meeting them and follow them on
social media. The Superhero movies have
united the world in ways most things
have not.
Now to the most important question
for a teacher and a parent, who some
cases would be the same person - What
impact do Superhero movies have on
our children and how can these movies
be used to promote positive values and
ideas?
Since I am a Superhero geek and
a Captain America fan, I propose we
discuss impact taking the Marvel
Cinematic Universe (MCU as it is called),
as an example and what children can
learn from it.
Anyone can be a Superhero
Captain America was a scrawny little
kid from Brooklyn who wanted to do his
part in the war and stand up against the
bullies. Thor Odison earned back the right
to his hammer, Mjölnir, through
sacrifice himself and saving
the lives of others. Ant-man,
Scott Lang, was a convict
turned Superhero by using
a high-tech suit, all the
while still being a
human being.
www.progressiveschool.in
Shakti Jhala
Marvel heroes are not just people
who get at their superpowers through
laboratory accidents or super-serums.
There are those with an element of
science and intellect. Many characters
work very hard to keep their superhero
powers intact. Case to point – Hawk-eye,
Falcon and Ironman. Many superheroes
come from humble backgrounds or
tough childhoods. Star Lord, Racoon,
Glamora and the Black Widow are
all examples of heroes born from
adversity.
Children can learn that to be
a superhero is to do what others
would not because it is hard
and takes a lot of effort. A
teenager who
g o e s t o
school in
the morning,
studies under the
street light all night and helps
his father at work is a superhero. A
little girl who takes care of her
ailing mother and still finds
time to read her lessons
is a superhero. The
difference between
a superhero and a
normal human being
is an excuse.
Being a
superhero is a
responsibility not a
privilege
In the climax of Captain
America – The Winter Soldier,
Captain America delivers an
inspiring speech, “I know I’m
asking a lot. But the price
of freedom is high. It always has been.
And it’s a price I’m willing to pay. And
if I’m the only one, then so be it. But I’m
willing to bet I’m not.” Here MCU shows
that even a superhero needs help from
others. But he or she does not stop doing
what is necessary because of the lack of
it. Uncle Ben from Spiderman said, “With
great power comes great responsibility”
- a line that is true for each and every
superhero.
Children can be made to understand
their roles and responsibilities as peers
and as students. A correlation of ‘what
would Chota Bheem do in this cases?’ or
‘What would the Black Widow do in this
situation?’ are good examples on how to
get them invested in the conversation.
Even children can be
Superheroes
Charles Xavier’s(Professor X) School
for the Gifted helped children with
special needs to be what they are in a
safe environment. They were taught to
use their powers to help others and be
integrated with the society. A perfect
example for Children with Special Needs
if there ever was one. The X-Men
comics show that
how those
who are different
ca n be
outcaste, even
if they
JUL-AUG-SEP 2018
THE PROGRESSIVE SCHOOL
35