My presentation was originally going to display the parallels between Jungs theories, as presented in his book Man and his Symbols, and the lives of an array of superheroes, both male and female. However, after starting to research the superheroes, I decided to focus on one of the most well-known: Superman himself. I made this decision because I felt the class would be most familiar with Superman and therefore the Jungs theories would make more sense in the application.
One of the most prominent aspects of Superman is the diamond-shaped emblem featuring an S on the interior. Whether standing alone, or as seen on his cape, this is the universal symbol for Superman. As Jung describes, symbols not only represent something, but also are connotations with a deeper meaning. Often times, the symbol is used to represent something that cannot easily be grasped. In the case of Superman, the diamond-shaped emblem represents more than just the man. It is used to represent the doer of good and the corrector of evil. As Superman himself said, Im here to fight for truth, justice, and the American way! What the symbol represents goes deeper than the superficiality of a mere man.
Another aspect of Superman is his duality. As a day job, he is known as Clark Kent, a reporter working with Lois Lane for the Daily Planet. However, when duty calls, Superman emerges from Clark Kent. According to Carl Jung, Superman/Clark Kent suffers from the common dissociation. His conscious persona is the Clark Kent piece. This side lives a life that is a farce. He uses it merely to conceal his identity so he can save the world. His unconscious persona is the piece that is Superman. He cannot deny his powers and moral obligations, even if it interferes with his conscious, Clark Kent. This part of his personality reflects his true self and his true nature.
A perfect example of dissociation as applied to Superman/Clark Kent is apparent in his interaction with Lois Lane. As Clark Kent, he is capable of having a legitimate relationship with fellow reporter, Lois Lane. However, when appearing as Clark Kent, no affections are reciprocated. On the flip side, Superman cannot have a legitimate relationship with Lois Lane; it would endanger not only her, but his duty and himself. Unfortunately, it is only when Superman has surfaced that Lois Lanes affections surface as well.
Another of Carl Jungs theories revolves around the concept of an archetype. According to Jung, an archetype is a tendency in the way the mind thinks that is found in all people. Though the details may vary, the essence is the same. The concept of a universal hero is epitomized in Superman. In this archetype, a man gets involved in a huge, nail-biting, on the edge of your seat battle in order to do away with a particular evil to save himself, his people, and/or the world. Each time, he must come close to losing, though you always know that everything will be okay in the end.
At one point during the conclusion of my presentation, someone in the class made a comment referencing Supermans self-proclaimed duty: Im here to fight for truth, justice, and the American way. Though the question asked was vague, the emphasis was on the American way and how Superman would be reflected differently in other areas of the world. In response, I referred to Jungs description of an archetype. He emphasizes that though the details may vary, the essence remains the same. This would appear to mean that in the case of Superman, the concept of Superman is an archetype found worldwide of a man fighting against evil. It is not significant if he wears his underwear under his spandex tights or over; the essence of the archetype remains the same.
One of the less prominent theories of Jung is the concept of inexorable opposites. He briefly describes how humans have a tendency to divide things into categories of opposites, such as day or night and happy or sad. This concept is evident in Supermans world. He is engaged in a constant battle of good verse evil and must be able to categorize everything as one or the other. In many cases, Superman represents the good and an enemy such as Lex Luther represents the evil.
Overall, the presentation went mostly as planned, though slightly on the short side Only the one question was asked as mentioned above. There was much discussion that followed on comparing comics, television series, and different medias as they pertained to Superman. A brief discussion also followed that focused on how Jung could be nearly identically applied to Spiderman, as featured in the latest movie.
(that is, whenever I'm not out there partying like a rockstar with my smoking hot girlfriend 
) sad...sad life, indeed....
It's a lot to fit in. 
t:
