Throughout the novel, Superman
is incorporated. He is shown as the actual Superman, in Jimmy's fantasies when he himself is Superman, and also intertwined with other characters in the book. He represents
everything Jimmy is not, and is yet another fantasy in which Jimmy immerses himself
in on a regular basis. At the beginning
of the novel, Jimmy witnesses the “real” Superman jump to his death off of a
building. This moment was crucial and I
found it to symbolize a turning point in Jimmy’s life where he had to become
his own hero and stop waiting on someone else to save him from the monotony of
his existence. Shortly after, Jimmy
receives a letter from his father and that’s where his adventure (however dull
it actually is) begins.
The page in the novel I chose included Superman in a way
that I felt was profound and revealing.
It is the page on which Jimmy gets hit by the mailman’s truck in
Michigan. Jimmy is engaged in one of his
fantasies when he wanders right out into the road, like a child. He is laying in the road while the mailman
repeatedly says “You okay, Buddy?” Jimmy’s
response is a blank stare as usual.
However, the first panel that shows Jimmy looking up at the mailman
appears to be Superman’s face looking back down at him. This is symbolic of Jimmy once again wishing
his hero was here to come scoop him up and solve his problems. I think that in Jimmy’s mind he can’t do
anything right, and he feels that the only solution to his multitude of issues is
a fantastical one. His life is so
mundane and ordinary, he can’t help but look for more theoretical but exciting
ways to seek release and happiness. The next panel in the scene switches the image back to the mailman, whose face is partially obscured, which puts much less emphasis on him as a figure in Jimmy’s eyes. As the scene continues, the mailman repeatedly asks if Jimmy is ok and Jimmy’s dad arrives on scene. When Jimmy’s dad comes into view from Jimmy’s perspective, he is shown in almost complete shadow and he seems to drastically contrast the image of the Superman Jimmy was looking up at. In this way Jimmy’s dad is shown as the disappointment he is to Jimmy. He isn’t fulfilling any of Jimmy’s expectations and the whole trip so far has lacked any sort of bonding between the two Corrigan men. I also found it noteworthy that although the mailman kept asking both Jimmy and his dad whether they knew each other, neither one acknowledged the nature of their relationship and Jimmy’s dad never actually offered any assistance to Jimmy. Jimmy’s dad only responded with “He’s mine” while Jimmy remained silent. This is yet another instance where we can see the connection between the two of them is not forming at all and both feel uncomfortable in their situation. In fact, Jimmy’s dad finally answers the mailman’s question with what he considers to be a justifiable answer of “He’s mine! He’s wearing my pants!” To me, this isn’t the exact phrase I would imagine my parent using to say I was their child. I think this scene demonstrates just how abandoned Jimmy feels by his father and how disappointed he is that his dad isn’t the real life hero or role model he had hoped to find on this trip.
I find this to be an interesting point. I would add to this discussion that not only is Jimmy searching for a Superman, but even when he finds one, he is so quiet and withdrawn that he does not acknowledge his hero.
ReplyDeleteThe mailman, as Morgan said, is Jimmy’s ‘wanna-be Superman.’ While the mailman cannot actively fix Jimmy’s problems, the mailman provides a brief opportunity for Jimmy himself to address his own issues. When the mailman asks how Jimmy and Jimmy’s dad know each other, Jimmy had the chance to speak up and take ownership. He could have said, “That’s my dad.” This simple statement could have been the moment to bond the two men. Jimmy was searching for a human connection, specifically with his dad, and this was his big opportunity. For Jimmy to say, “That’s my dad,” out loud would have forced his father to accept their connection, providing the necessary start to a new relationship.
Thus, in a way, the mailman was Jimmy’s Superman; he provided the perfect opportunity for the two men to come closer together. The problem lies in the fact that Jimmy did not pull through. He says nothing, just as he has been saying nothing for the whole novel, and Jimmy misses the chance to truly get to know his father.