Hero/Heroine: „A man/woman, who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities: a war hero, she was a true feminist heroine” (Oxford 2010). The need for a hero or a heroine is probably as old as humanity itself. Whether it was the mythical Achilles in Greek mythology, Admiral Nelson in British history or Margaret Corbin, a heroine of the American Revolutionary War, in the American one, people always felt the urge to have somebody to look up at.
By the example of two modern heroic legends, Jessica Lynch and the average British soldier in Afghanistan, I want to find out why this need for heroes exists, where it comes from, and how the media deals with it. Additionally, I will try to find out whether the manufacture of heroes serves the interests of the media and the government, and if it does, what interests this could be and how they are pursued
Table of Contents
1.0. Introduction
2.0. The US Media
2.1. Objection, hearsay! Initial Media Reports of Jessica Lynch’s Abduction
2.2. "She did not want to be taken alive." How the US Media Covered the Legend of Lynch
3.0. The British Media
3.1. Counting the Dead. The New Standard of Reporting?
3.2. “Backing Our Boys.” How the British Media Covers the Fate of British Soldiers in Afghanistan
4.0. Conclusion
5.0. Appendix
5.1. Endnotes
5.2. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this study is to examine the societal and political demand for "heroes" in modern conflict and to analyze how media outlets in the United States and the United Kingdom manufacture these heroic narratives. By contrasting the media representation of Jessica Lynch's ordeal with the coverage of British soldiers in Afghanistan, the work investigates whether the construction of heroism serves specific governmental and corporate agendas, such as justifying military actions, maintaining public morale, or maximizing profit through human-interest storytelling.
- The psychological and cultural necessity of the hero myth in modern society.
- Media strategies in constructing "hero-victims" to frame war narratives.
- The influence of corporate media ownership and profit maximization on reportorial objectivity.
- The role of "embedding" journalists and how it shapes reporting from war zones.
- The political utility of heroism in diverting attention from the realities and costs of war.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2. "She did not want to be taken alive." How the US Media Covered the Legend of Lynch
The oft-cited quote in the headline stems from an unnamed US-official and was published in a disputed article by Schmidt and Loeb in the Washington Post. It was one of the reasons why Jessica Lynch became a shining heroine for so many, and it was also the reason why she should become a tragic heroine in the eyes of others. Her abduction was tailor made for the media. Lynch had some features that made her the perfect victim: She was a young and seemingly fragile girl, was wounded, and a member of a non-combat unit (thus particularly in need of help). Kumar (2004: 300) observed that the media accordingly dubbed her as a "tiny" and "petite" 19-year old, alongside with pictures that showed Lynch’s small stature. Her alleged rough treatment helped the media to portray her as a heroine.
O´Connell (2006: 38) explains the media’s obsession with the Lynch story with the special fascination captivity stories traditionally have on the minds of many American people. Accounts of women who were captured by Native Americans and carried off to Indian Country (a term which many US soldiers still use for enemy territory (Silliman 2008: 237)) proved to be especially fascinating. The captivity story triggered certain reflexes in American public as the New York Times (McAllister 2003) found out: "Americans were primed to expect a story of rescue (...) because for more than two centuries our culture has made the liberation of captives into a trope for American righteousness." The captive had become a symbol, "representing the nation's virtuous identity to itself" by showing the best of the American character in resisting her captors bravely.
Summary of Chapters
1.0. Introduction: This chapter defines the concept of the hero and outlines the research intention to analyze how media narratives manufacture heroism in the context of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
2.0. The US Media: This section explores the intense and often exaggerated media coverage of Jessica Lynch, illustrating how institutional and cultural biases shaped her into an American war icon.
3.0. The British Media: This chapter analyzes how British media outlets frequently employ the "hero" label in their coverage of the conflict in Afghanistan, often prioritizing human-interest stories over critical war reporting.
4.0. Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes the findings, noting that despite minor differences, both nations' media landscapes share systemic tendencies to manufacture heroism to distract or comfort a war-weary public.
5.0. Appendix: This section contains essential supplementary documentation, including detailed endnotes and a comprehensive bibliography of the sources consulted.
Keywords
Media, Heroes, War, Jessica Lynch, Afghanistan, Propaganda, Journalism, Conflict, Public Opinion, Manufacturing Consent, Human-interest, Captivity stories, Military, Britain, United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research examines the phenomenon of how media outlets in the US and the UK construct and manufacture heroic narratives in the context of modern military conflicts.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The work explores media framing, war propaganda, the impact of commercial news production, and the cultural psychological need for heroes during wartime.
What is the central research question?
The study seeks to understand why the need for heroes exists, how the media utilizes this need, and whether this manufacture of heroes serves the interests of governments and media corporations.
Which methodologies are employed in the study?
The author employs a qualitative comparative analysis, utilizing media theory—specifically Chomsky and Herman’s propaganda model—to assess news coverage and source reliability.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body investigates specific case studies, such as the media construction of the "Jessica Lynch" story and the portrayal of fallen British soldiers in Afghanistan, alongside the systemic pressures on journalists.
Which key terms characterize this study?
Key terms include "Manufacturing Consent," "Embedded Journalism," "Hero-victim," "Propaganda," and "Human-interest reporting."
How did the US media's framing of Jessica Lynch affect her public image?
The US media constructed a "damsel in distress" narrative, framing Lynch as a fragile yet brave symbol of American virtue, which obscured more complex truths about her actual military experience.
How does "embedded journalism" influence the reporting of war?
The study suggests that embedding often leads journalists to lose objectivity, as they become dependent on military sources for safety and information, resulting in sanitized narratives that avoid critical perspectives.
What is the "propaganda model" mentioned in the text?
Based on Chomsky and Herman, the model identifies filters such as ownership and sourcing that constrain media output to align with the interests of powerful elites and corporations.
Why does the author argue that the media focuses on "hero" stories?
The author argues that these stories satisfy an audience's emotional needs, attract profit through human-interest appeal, and effectively distract the public from the costs and moral complexities of the wars being waged.
- Arbeit zitieren
- MA Urs Endhardt (Autor:in), 2011, The manufacture of heroes: A critical comparison of the press coverage of the British campaign in Afghanistan and the Jessica Lynch case, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/179460
