Captain America and the nation's conscience
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What does Captain America symbolize in American identity?
Right now, we are living through some of the most tumultuous political times our country has ever known. I'm David Remnick, and each week on The New Yorker Radio Hour, I'll try to make sense of what's happening alongside politicians and thinkers like Cory Booker, Nancy Pelosi, Liz Cheney, and so many more. That's all on The New Yorker Radio Hour, wherever you listen to podcasts.
This is America in Pursuit, a limited-run series from NPR and ThruLine. I'm Randa Abdel-Fattah. Each week, we bring you stories about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in the U.S. that began 250 years ago. Over the past few months, we've been exploring how people have pushed and fought to make the promises laid out in the Declaration of Independence come true. And in so doing, they've defined and redefined what it means to be American. And what better example for understanding the identity of the nation than an American superhero?
We shall call you Captain America.
Captain America. Because of all the heroes, Captain America has always been a mirror into what it means to be American.
One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
First introduced to comic readers in 1941 on the eve of the United States' entry into World War II, Captain America was depicted as a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, white super soldier. To this day, his superhero costume is red, white, and blue, with a giant white star on his chest. He's pretty much wearing the American flag. And his only superhuman power is his strength. He carries no weapon, only a shield. And he fights only when he must.
He's not someone who has always known power. So he is someone who knows what it is like to be the one getting sand kicked in their face. He's on the side of the little guy. Time for Captain America to go to work.
Many of us know Captain America from the Marvel movies he's in. But let's face it, out of all the superheroes, he doesn't have the coolest superpower. He can't fly or shoot webs or turn invisible. But what he does have going for him, aside from his super strength, are his morals.
He's a character that all the other characters in Marvel look up to when they don't know what's the right thing to do.
The right thing to do.
I came here to save blood, not to shed it.
In some ways, Captain America is someone many of us might want to be or might want to believe in. Kind of like America itself. We want to live in a place that stands up to bullies, that knows right from wrong, and calls out injustice.
You are never going to be Superman unless you suddenly find a lot of money from somewhere. You are never going to be Batman. But there's always that chance, isn't there, that you could one day be Captain America. Justice will always triumph.
You, me, any one of us. We could be the good guy doing the right thing. But what happens when what's right isn't so clear? How does a comic book hero designed to represent America's values survive in a changing world? On today's episode, ThruLine producer Devin Katayama brings us the story of what happened to Captain America after World War II and what his identity crisis tells us about what it means to be an American today. That's coming up after a quick break.
This is Ira Glass. On This American Life, one thing we like is a good mystery. Sometimes about really big things, but most times, the little mysteries are the best.
Our lost and found is currently filled with pants. I don't know, I've never seen this happen.
Wait, this is true?
This is true. Mysteries of every size, each week. This American Life, wherever you get your podcasts.
Like all superheroes, Captain America has an origin story. And his goes like this. This scrawny guy named Steve Rogers is too weak to volunteer for the army. But he's got grit. So when the U.S. government asks him to be part of an experiment, he doesn't hesitate. Don't be afraid, son. You're about to become one of America's saviors. They inject him with a serum to give him super strength, and... There! It is done! We shall call you Captain America. During World War II, Captain America fought Nazi saboteurs and Japanese soldiers.
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