Tori Beaty
INTG 323
Reflective Essay #1
29 January 2012
Spiderman
The first superhero I remember taking a strong interest in was Spiderman, and that was simply due to the popularity of the 2002 film. Being eleven years old at the time, I had missed the opportunity to be a true fan beginning in childhood. However, the movie depicting a young boy with typical teenage problems was one I could very easily relate to. The audience saw Peter Parker (played by Tobey Maguire) as an average boy with average problems before he received his powers. The fact that he wanted to initially use his powers to gain money allows the audience to relate to the greed every human tries to hide. However, I felt very strongly towards Peter’s decision to use his powers to fight crime due to his guilt for not stopping his uncle’s murderer. Every time I watch the movie, I cannot help but hope the plot line will change and he’ll stop the man before he gets in the elevator. I also think it is interesting that I had absolutely no knowledge of superheroes prior to the movie debut. It was exciting for me to be able to have my first superhero experience with no information regarding the plot lines or boundaries superhero stories have placed upon them.
I know that it has become a cliché in our society, but the infamous quote “with great power comes great responsibility” defines the most important aspects of Spiderman. I highly enjoy seeing Peter Parker’s struggles with his powers because it reminds the readers/audience that superheroes might not always be perfect. Peter’s struggles with doing what is right for himself, his family and the good of society shows the thought process that a typical person would go through. I feel like humans are naturally selfish and would typically make decisions that would benefit them the most. However, thinking of Peter Parker reminds me that it is acceptable to have selfish thoughts, but at some point, every person is responsible for thinking of the greater good. Even though it endangers him and his loved ones, Peter decides that his role as Spiderman is too important to give up. In my own life, situations are not nearly as dire as crime fighting, but they can follow the same logic. Being a distance runner, I must work on an individual level, but I must also remember to work on a team level. Even though I am most interested in racing the 5K, I might also have to run another race within the same meet in order to score points for my team. Even though my 5K time might suffer, I must remember that if there is something I can do to help my team, I have to do it. Spiderman has taught me that it is acceptable to be afraid, nervous and somewhat selfish, but in the end, I must do what I know will benefit the most people.
