Superman for the Ages | Social Sciences RC Passage

What makes a fictional character survive nearly a century while countless others fade into obscurity? Can moral principles alone sustain cultural relevance, or does adaptability determine longevity? These moderate difficulty GMAT RC passages and GRE Reading Passages explore competing scholarly perspectives on Superman’s enduring appeal, challenging readers to distinguish between evidence-based arguments and theoretical assumptions.

Read these RC passage(s) in Social Sciences and answer the question(s) that follows. You can choose the GMAT style Reading Passage and the question or the GRE RC variant and answer the GRE-style question. Even better, you could solve both.

GMAT Reading Practice | Medium Difficulty | ~210 words

Superman’s evolution across nine decades reflects broader shifts in American cultural consciousness. Created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster during the Great Depression, Superman initially championed the disenfranchised, fighting corrupt landlords and abusive employers rather than cosmic threats. World War II transformed his cultural function as the character evolved from social reformer to patriotic symbol, with comic covers depicting him battling Axis powers while his motto “Truth, Justice, and the American Way” became associated with 1940s radio serials.

Subsequent decades witnessed adaptations reflecting contemporary anxieties. The Cold War era emphasized Superman’s role as defender of democratic ideals, while post-1970s interpretations explored existential themes of identity. The 1986 “Man of Steel” reboot humanized Clark Kent, making his dual identity central to narratives. Superman’s 2011 renunciation of American citizenship signaled a shift toward universal rather than nationalist symbolism, demonstrating the character’s capacity to serve as both mirror and vehicle for evolving cultural narratives.

Contemporary cultural theorists propose that Superman’s endurance stems from his function as mythological archetype rather than static character. His malleable identity allows each generation to project values onto his narrative framework, ensuring continued relevance across changing social contexts. This perspective suggests superhero narratives operate as modern mythology, providing stable symbolic structures that accommodate shifting cultural meanings.

Question Type: Inference | Question Difficulty: Medium

Which of the following statements about the relationship between Superman’s character development and American society will contemporary cultural theorists agree with?

1. Superman’s creators were compelled by changing political ideologies to design the character to reflect different historical periods.
2. The character’s adaptability suggests that cultural narratives require periodic reinvention to maintain symbolic power.
3. It is likely that mythological archetypes persist by embodying contemporary values while maintaining core structural elements.
4. The shift from nationalist to universal symbolism demonstrates that American cultural exports inevitably transcend original contexts.
5. Superman’s transformation from social reformer to patriotic symbol proves that entertainment media primarily serves propaganda purposes during wartime.

GRE RC Passage | Moderate Difficulty | ~160 Words

Scholars remain divided over the mechanisms underlying Superman’s extraordinary longevity since his 1938 creation by Siegel and Shuster. Cultural traditionalists contend that Superman endures because he embodies immutable moral principles that transcend temporal boundaries—unwavering dedication to justice, protection of the vulnerable, and triumph over malevolence. These scholars argue that audiences consistently gravitate toward Superman’s moral absolutes, finding solace in his idealized virtue during periods of uncertainty. Conversely, adaptive theorists maintain that Superman’s longevity stems from remarkable malleability rather than moral rigidity, emphasizing how the character undergoes substantive reinvention to reflect contemporary anxieties and values.

The evidence appears to corroborate the adaptive interpretation regarding Superman specifically and superhero archetypes generally. Historical analysis reveals that periods of Superman’s character stagnation coincided with declining cultural relevance, while strategic reinventions consistently revitalized popular appeal. Superman’s evolution from Depression-era populist champion to wartime patriotic symbol to modern global humanitarian exemplifies this adaptability, suggesting that enduring fictional characters function as cultural vessels accommodating shifting ideological currents.

Question Type: Role of Sentence | Question Difficulty: Medium

Identify the sentence that provides the author’s primary evidence against the position held by cultural traditionalists regarding Superman’s endurance.