Is Mary Poppins a Super Hero?
Posted on Monday, October 19, 2009 in super heroes
Well I seem to be coming up with more reasons why she’s a super hero than why she isn’t. Please enter the debate.
But before you do, I have another assignment. Jonathan Goldstein on This American Life, show number 241, has Mary Poppins and the Penguin meet at a dinner party. Listening won’t help you make your verdict, but it’s just too fun to pass up. Just be patient for the story to come on.
Tuesday, October 20 8:18 pm
She’s no super hero, not even super heroine. Why? She’s about magic, not super powers. Plus she’s incredibly saccharine. Yuk! Not even close as a super hero. Not only does she not have a cape, she doesn’t have tights, a bustier(sp?), boots, or hot pants. At least not that one can tell under that Edwardian clothing. She is merely a magic bitch.
Wednesday, October 21 6:55 am
I suspect the author of the Mary Poppins stories would be pleased to hear you call her a bitch. From IMDb: “P.L. Travers so detested this film adaptation of her novel, she left the premiere in tears. Reportedly, she most objected to the altering of Mary Poppins’ character from cold and intimidating in the novel to warm and cheery in the film. She also took issue with the film’s perceived anti-feminist ending, in which Mrs. Banks gives up her campaigning for women’s rights to stay at home as a housewife.”
Wednesday, October 21 7:05 am
Hmmm, does using magic disqualify you for super hero status? Could be. Would I call John Constantine or Zatanna super heroes? Zatanna did work with the Justice League of America which might give her that status.
Thursday, October 22 4:48 pm
Kristeen,
I would say she is a superhero. And while magic may be a disqualifier, it leads me to ask why the Silver Surfer would then be considered a superhero. Or the Sandman. Or is the Sandman just a really cool graphic novel? Which leads to another question – are all heroes in graphic novels superheroes? Be that as it may, in the book of Mary Poppins, isn’t the villain the patriarchy of Victorian England? And doesn’t Mary Poppins’ undermining of said patriarchy make her very much like V (as in Vendetta), since she undermines the authority of the father and instills liberalizing values in the children, thereby equating the patriarchy with the destruction of imagination? And as to fighting crime, couldn’t the deterrence of crime qualify as fighting crime, given that chimney sweeps were the very poor and very likely to steal basic necessities, but Bert does not resort to those things and by Mary’s inspiration he becomes a role model for others? Enough semiotical reflection on Ms. Poppins for now…
Seth
Thursday, October 22 7:58 pm
I think you argue well for the side of Mary as super hero.
Let me say that I don’t think of Sandman or Preacher as super heroes. I’m not sure about V. I’d call them awesome graphic novel characters. I have a harder time with Cinderella or Boy Blue from Fables. They’re heroes, for sure. And supernatural. But maybe not super heroes.
At some other time I might post on how comics, graphic novels, and manga differ–from my point of view.
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