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Hannah Arendt's Theory Of Strength In X-Men

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Dazzler, chapter two of Chris Claremont's X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga, unfolds the desperate struggle for unity in the X-Men team as Queen White and her goons secretly hunt them down. Throughout the plot a newly-seen power struggle in the hero's is shown, leaving the reader questioning whether or not the elite-fighting force is actually what they are made out to be. This plight directly reflects Hannah Arendt’s theory of strength in her essay “On Violence”. By connecting the X-Men’s struggles with Arendt’s description of strength, the reader can better understand the effects that physical, mental, and emotional strength have on the feeling of fear in superheroes. Physical strength, a common characteristic among several X-Men, is used by most of the superheroes as a means of coping with a problem in the plot. Throughout the storyline of Dazzler, Dazzler herself uses her physical strength to overcome her fear of being attacked by White’s goons. In the midst of the last fight scene, Cyclops and Phoenix have been disabled by the goons special weapons, and Dazzler fears that she may be taken down as well. During this scene, she is depicted at the bottom of a panel distanced …show more content…

For example, Arendt explains how the act of strength can be influenced by someone’s peers, but the type of strength, such as physical, mental, or emotional, is unique to the person acting on it. “Strength… is the property inherent in an object or person to its character, which may prove itself in relation to other things or persons, but is essentially independent of them” (Arendt,“On Violence”). Through the actions of Dazzler, Nightcrawler, and Kitty, it is evident that strength is just that. In all three instances of fear, each superhero was pushed to act on their inner strength, whether it be physical, mental, or emotional, to help their friends escape

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The use of personal anecdotes allows for readers to relate to him allowing for pathos, and ethos to be established, as the sense of authenticity and relatability helps connection between the writer and the reader to form. The use of allusions or references to superheroes helps strengthen the emotional bond further as he taps into the reader’s existing knowledge and experiences making them feel prideful of their knowledge, furthermore, it also highlights the cultural significance of superhero culture, the narratives, and morals that the stories teach, emphasizing a logical perspective. By projecting himself as knowledgeable and relatable in the essay it builds credibility and a foundation of trust to be formed. Moreover, the audience was well targeted to an older, more educated audience as the concepts and critical thinking are required to understand the essay allowing for the writer to communicate appropriately and effectively. Finally, the essay's structure enables a thorough examination of the topic, as the readers are led through Chabon’s thought process, and the main argument is reinforced by the flow of ideas that result from the progression of personal anecdotes, and general observations about superhero costumes.

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