Transformations of the American hero in the US media discourse
Abstract In the era of digital technologies, media has become a powerful tool of shaping worldview of people by means of sociocultural stereotypes. Formed in the process of evaluative categorization, sociocultural stereotypes represent simplified and conventional images of individuals and groups in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Когниция, коммуникация, дискурс |
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| Online Access: | https://periodicals.karazin.ua/cognitiondiscourse/article/view/24764 |
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| author | Svitlana Lyubymova |
| author_facet | Svitlana Lyubymova |
| author_sort | Svitlana Lyubymova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In the era of digital technologies, media has become a powerful tool of shaping worldview of people by means of sociocultural stereotypes. Formed in the process of evaluative categorization, sociocultural stereotypes represent simplified and conventional images of individuals and groups in media discourse. Affected by a range of factors, stereotypes undergo changes. Mass media play a particularly influential role in this process. The prominent figure of the US media landscape is ideologically charged stereotype of the American hero that embodies nationally significant ideas of freedom, individualism, and enterprise that lead to the accomplishment of a much-desired goal. I argue that the idealized cultural construct of the American hero, embodied in a sociocultural stereotype, is conceptualized through an image schema integrating foundational elements: PART–WHOLE–FORCE, SOURCE–PATH–GOAL. The WHOLE, representing the hero, comprises PARTS such as appearance, clothing, and behavior. FORCE signifies hero’s strength necessary to achieve the GOAL. SOURCE arises from one’s understanding, while the PATH involves overcoming adversities, culminating in success as the GOAL. This paper outlines transformations of the American hero stereotype in the US media discourse in diachronic perspective. Invariably virtuous, courageous, self-confident, purposeful, and hardworking, the American hero is inspirational and idealized image that takes on different forms due to changes of historical context. In different periods, the American hero is represented by a first settler, a cowboy, a ranger, a scientist. This stereotype functions as a model pattern for evaluating individuals and social groups. While the portrayal of the American hero in media discourse adapts to changing contexts, his image schema remains invariable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d553635f8e0745eba5f484b5c72e71ca |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2218-2926 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Когниция, коммуникация, дискурс |
| spelling | doaj-art-d553635f8e0745eba5f484b5c72e71ca2025-01-22T12:14:02ZengV. N. Karazin Kharkiv National UniversityКогниция, коммуникация, дискурс2218-29262024-12-0129425410.26565/2218-2926-2024-29-0324764Transformations of the American hero in the US media discourseSvitlana Lyubymova0South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University named after K. UshynskyAbstract In the era of digital technologies, media has become a powerful tool of shaping worldview of people by means of sociocultural stereotypes. Formed in the process of evaluative categorization, sociocultural stereotypes represent simplified and conventional images of individuals and groups in media discourse. Affected by a range of factors, stereotypes undergo changes. Mass media play a particularly influential role in this process. The prominent figure of the US media landscape is ideologically charged stereotype of the American hero that embodies nationally significant ideas of freedom, individualism, and enterprise that lead to the accomplishment of a much-desired goal. I argue that the idealized cultural construct of the American hero, embodied in a sociocultural stereotype, is conceptualized through an image schema integrating foundational elements: PART–WHOLE–FORCE, SOURCE–PATH–GOAL. The WHOLE, representing the hero, comprises PARTS such as appearance, clothing, and behavior. FORCE signifies hero’s strength necessary to achieve the GOAL. SOURCE arises from one’s understanding, while the PATH involves overcoming adversities, culminating in success as the GOAL. This paper outlines transformations of the American hero stereotype in the US media discourse in diachronic perspective. Invariably virtuous, courageous, self-confident, purposeful, and hardworking, the American hero is inspirational and idealized image that takes on different forms due to changes of historical context. In different periods, the American hero is represented by a first settler, a cowboy, a ranger, a scientist. This stereotype functions as a model pattern for evaluating individuals and social groups. While the portrayal of the American hero in media discourse adapts to changing contexts, his image schema remains invariable.https://periodicals.karazin.ua/cognitiondiscourse/article/view/24764american herosociocultural stereotypemedia discoursediachronic perspectivecognitive-linguistics aspect |
| spellingShingle | Svitlana Lyubymova Transformations of the American hero in the US media discourse Когниция, коммуникация, дискурс american hero sociocultural stereotype media discourse diachronic perspective cognitive-linguistics aspect |
| title | Transformations of the American hero in the US media discourse |
| title_full | Transformations of the American hero in the US media discourse |
| title_fullStr | Transformations of the American hero in the US media discourse |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transformations of the American hero in the US media discourse |
| title_short | Transformations of the American hero in the US media discourse |
| title_sort | transformations of the american hero in the us media discourse |
| topic | american hero sociocultural stereotype media discourse diachronic perspective cognitive-linguistics aspect |
| url | https://periodicals.karazin.ua/cognitiondiscourse/article/view/24764 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT svitlanalyubymova transformationsoftheamericanherointheusmediadiscourse |