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2 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Emergency services Science of Wine fundraiser planned Highland Games return to Wimer May 2 Klamath Tribes hope to gain USFS lands Since You Asked: New turf is in the budget Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services Central Point garage fire believed caused by electrical issues Medford mushroom grow suspect facing federal child porn charges Serial killer's squalor Man arrested for stealing keys, truck, fuel from Lithia car lot Politics and Elections Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Gov. Brown touts need for transportation funding in talk to Medford chamber Kent Bush: Clinton 2.0 is neither new nor improved Arthur I. 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Mangino: Faulty hair analysis has far-reaching implications Granlund cartoon: Paging Dr. Oz Our View: Buildings belong with the Jackson County Library District Editorials Other Views: UO president search happened in the dark Our View: Buildings belong with the Jackson County Library District Our View: Public's right to film police should be protected Our View: Raises for Jackson County officials — again Other Views: Delay edible marijuana products for safety Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, April 25 Letters to the Editor, April 24 Letters to the Editor, April 23 Letters to the Editor, April 22 Letters to the Editor, April 21 Columns Michael Gerson: 'The Road to Character' starts with humility Dana Milbank: The right's new claim: same-sex marriage is deadly Kathleen Parker: Mr. Hughes goes to Washington Esther Cepeda: What happens in Latin America should be reported Kathleen Parker: Presidential election 2016: The woman trap Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: This Earth Day, we celebrate the Northwest Forest Plan The Medford School Board was wrong: 'American Pageant' is a political agenda, not history The Medford School Board was right: 'American Pageant' is a fine book, and the board did its homework Guest Opinion: Removing barriers to walking, biking benefits everyone Guest Opinion: Conversion therapy on LGBT youth is child abuse Lifestyle Latest stories Community blog: 'Good' sushi may be more rare than real wasabi Anniversary: Bobbie and Don Mills celebrate 60 years together Anniversary: Wayne and Shirley Tinnin celebrate 50 years together Community blog: Jackson County Votes to Pay Wildlife Services: the War on Wildlife continues ENGAGEMENT: Sellers-James Food Community blog: 'Good' sushi may be more rare than real wasabi Community blog: Oregon Breweries to grow or seriously to grow? 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Brent St. Germain: One year and counting Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, April 24 Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Religion briefs: Friday, April 10 Religion briefs: Friday, April 3 Milestones and Achievements ENGAGEMENT: Sellers-James Witham's birthday bash draws hundreds for 1950s prices Charlesworth-Murphy Drizzle doesn't dampen Pear Blossom Parade spirit New Arrivals: Sunday, April 12 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories 5 picks for live entertainment this week A Taste of Ashland pairs food and wine at galleries Rogue Valley Earth Day 2015 Regional brewers, distillers, winemakers at Harry & David Field Moment in Time presents 'Viejo con Nuevo' Theater 'Secret Love' playwright Stan Lai appears in Ashland REVIEW: 'Secret Love' strikes comical, poignant balance Ashland New Plays Festival chooses new artistic director A tale of two plays at OSF Oregon Cabaret Theatre's "The Musical!" delivers five clever Broadway parodies in Ashland Music Maria Muldaur at the Unitarian Fellowship Genticorum at Paschal Winery Southern Oregon Repertory Singers Live Music in Local Clubs The Farr Side: Slow disappearance of physical music Community Events A Taste of Ashland pairs food and wine at galleries Rogue Valley Earth Day 2015 Foreign language film festival set at SOU Regional brewers, distillers, winemakers at Harry & David Field Third Fridays celebrates poetry, student art Movies Reader Review: 'Danny Collins' a sentimental and funny tribute to John Lennon Reader Review: 'Birdman' for the birds Movie review: ‘Ex Machina’ is the droid you’re looking for Movie review: Fairly smooth sailing for ‘The Water Diviner’ Movie review: ‘Age of Adaline’ is sweet but a little sloppy Dining Island Grindz serves up Hawaiian specialties Have you wandered down the Bear Creek Wine Trail yet? Restaurant inspections: April 19, 2015 Siam Cafe offers 'mild' to 'very spicy' Thai cuisine Restaurant inspections, April 12, 2015 Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Klamath Tribes hope to gain USFS lands ... Residents say armed mine supporters sully Josephine County's reputation ... Medford mushroom grow suspect facing federal child porn charges ... Klamath Tribes hope to gain USFS lands ... Residents say armed mine supporters sully Josephine County's reputation ... Medford mushroom grow suspect facing federal child porn charges ... David Murdock: Toward a modern mythology Comment By David Murdock More Content Now MailTribune.com By David Murdock More Content Now Posted Apr. 22, 2015 at 8:30 AM By David Murdock More Content Now Posted Apr. 22, 2015 at 8:30 AM » Social News Occasionally, I find myself doing the silliest things which turn out to be not so silly later. A case is point is an ongoing “project” I have been pursuing for several years now that had its genesis in two separate observations. First, I noticed that my students are increasingly unacquainted with Greek and Roman mythology. They mostly know the basics, but not too much more than that. Second, the British actor Michael Caine said something that has resonated around the Internet for a while. Caine co-starred as Alfred Pennyworth in the 2008 film “The Dark Knight,” which is the second movie in the latest re-imagining of the Batman story. Of course, Alfred is Bruce Wayne’s butler and confidante, one of the few who knows he is Batman. Caine said, “Superman is the way America sees itself, but Batman is the way the world sees America.” Caine’s comment has become so ubiquitous that it’s difficult to track down his exact words and the exact circumstances of the quote. His words have stuck with me through the years. Why on earth is this important? The other day in class, I was trying to explain an ethical dilemma to my students. Instead of using an allusion from Greco-Roman mythology, I went with “It’s like that ferryboat scene in ‘The Dark Knight’…” and made my point. They got it. Not all of them would have gotten a reference to the classics. The most valuable teaching advice I got on my first day behind the lectern was “Teach the students in front of you.” In other words, find out what they know and build on it. Students today are far more likely to know the Batman story than, say, the Odysseus story. The ones who know the Odysseus story will likely know the Batman story, but not vice-versa. That fact used to trouble me. In fact, it troubled me greatly when I started to see selections from comic books show up in college-level literature textbooks. However, I looked into the matter before I got upset. To stay current on content, I pick a “project” about once a semester and use spare hours at home to study the current thinking on that subject. Last semester, for example, was taken up with a project about the literature of the 1920s. So, several years ago, I did some research to find out what comic books were considered “classics” and started reading them. I was shocked — in many ways. First of all, they don’t call them “comic books” anymore. The more serious “comic books” are usually referred to as “graphic novels” these days. The term “comic book” usually means that the content is geared toward kids. “Graphic novels” are aimed at adults. At a minimum, characters in graphic novels deal with moral and ethical dilemmas that a kid without life experience simply cannot understand. At the other end, graphic novels are not appropriate for kids, in my opinion. The “graphic” part of “graphic novel” refers to the visual arts definition of the word, but the stories are also far more “graphic” in terms of how clearly events are portrayed. If comic books for kids are rated “G,” in movie terms, graphic novels for adults are at least “PG-13” if not “R.” Batman never killed anyone in the comic books I read as a kid. In graphic novels, he might. The Joker’s worst crime back in the day was theft; now, he’s a psychopathic mass-murderer. Not kid stuff. Of course, neither are some of the Greco-Roman myths. Some modern graphic novels aren’t even about superheroes. There is a whole class of them that are realistic depictions of life, but even those tend to be graphic. The one excerpted in literature textbooks, for example, is usually Art Spiegelman’s “Maus.” Spiegelman chronicles the life experiences of his father, a Holocaust survivor, by depicting the various nationalities of humans as different types of animals. It’s very powerful. So powerful, in fact, that “Maus” won a special Pulitzer Prize in 1992 for its achievement. On the other hand, some of the best achievements in superhero fiction are aimed at younger audiences but have an adult appeal. One of the best films made this century, in my opinion, is “The Incredibles,” about a family of superheroes who are trying not to be superheroes. Although the movie is rated “PG,” adults can easily appreciate its examination of mid-life crisis in its depiction of the parents. I am not quite ready to assign the graphic novel excerpts in our literature textbook. However, I appreciate what these artists are doing. They are creating a whole new American mythology. Allusions to this mythology are easily understood, even by people who have never read comic books. After all, we all know how Superman can be defeated. Expose him to kryptonite, and he’s helpless. However, what goes on in Superman’s head? For that matter, what goes on in Odysseus’ head? In literature, character is everything. David Murdock is a correspondent for The Gadsden (Ala.) Times. By David Murdock More Content Now MailTribune.com By David Murdock More Content Now Posted Apr. 22, 2015 at 8:30 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. 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