Abstract ：With increasing popularity of mass media culture, film has become an essential part of human modern life. Film is a stage for the country to display its culture, which advocates humanistic spirit which is deeply embedded in the country's blood. Hollywood, the core of the film industry of the United States, produces numerous movies every year and exports them to the world. However, Americans have a passion for "super hero" films, promoting a strong American values of heroism. Captain America is one of the most popular movies in America and even the whole world.Through a case study of the film Captain American, from the perspective of American mass culture, and on the basis of the comprehensive analysis of this film, a thorough analysis of the historical origin, connotation and influence of American heroism on the development of the United States nowadays and in the future is carried out.

The thesis first explores the two forms of American mass culture,then reviews the historical background and development characteristics of American heroism and introduces heroism values: pursuit of personal fulfillment, justice and loyalty, self-confidence and courage in its relation to the film Captain American. In conclusion, heroism values reflected in Captain American is an indispensable part of American mass culture and the appreciation of Captain American helps the understanding of American culture.

Key Words: heroism, Captain American, mass culture

摘要 ：随着大众传媒文化的日益流行，电影已经成为人类现代文明生活的重要组成部分。电影是一个国家用来展现其文化的舞台，宣扬着深深融于这个国家血液中的人文精神。好莱坞是美国电影业的核心，在这里，每年都会有大量电影拍摄完成，并向世界出口。然而，美国人酷爱以“超级英雄”为主题的电影，宣扬着浓厚的美国式英雄主义。其中，美国队长是美国乃至全世界最受欢迎的电影之一。本文主要通过对电影《美国队长》的个案研究，从美国大众文化角度出发，全面分析电影《美国队长》的基础上，对美国的英雄主义的历史由来、内涵意义以及对当代和未来美国发展的影响进行了深入的分析。

本文首先先介绍了美国大众文化的两要素，其次介绍了美国式英雄主义的历史背景和发展特点，并以电影《美国队长》为视角，通过正义与忠诚、个人价值追求、自信与勇气三个层面来阐释美国式英雄主义价值观。最后总结电影《美国队长》反映的英雄主义价值观是美国文化的核心，欣赏电影《美国队长》有助于更好地了解美国文化。

关键词：英雄主义，美国队长，大众文化

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments. i

Abstract. ii

摘要 iii

1 Introduction.. 1

2 Essence of American Mass Culture.3

2.1 Culture of Comics....... 3

2.2 Industry of Hollywood Movies..4

3 American Heroism .. 7

3.1 The Definition of American Heroism.. 7

3.2 The Reasons for American Heroism..7

3.3 The Influence on human characters...9

4 Code Hero in the Movie Captain American... 9

4.1Pursuit of Personal Fulfillment9

4.2 Justice and Loyalty.10

4.3 Self-confidence and Courage.... 11

5 Conclusion...12

Bibliography 15

1 Introduction

The term of mass culture was first used in western society more than a century ago. Scholars both home and abroad have different opinions on how mass culture take it shape and its role in modern society. One of them mentioned about the mass culture in his article The Definition of Mass Culture that mass culture as a specific category mainly refers to the culture rising in the contemporary city life, closely related to the current industrialization and commercialization. (Jin Yuanpu,2004)Thus, mass culture is contemporary cultural form of mass production promoted by global modern media. It also exists in the consumption age, which is a modern cultural consumption form that plans or guides the public, and adopts the fashion with the consumption ideology. In this thesis, a typical country the United States is chosen to explore the unique mass culture of America.