HUMN240-E2WW Assignment 2-1: Icon Analysis

 Icon Analysis

There are three icons that I hold in high esteem. They are Mahatma Gandhi, Stephen King, and American Idol. These three icons are dedicated to the entertainment and fulfillment of mankind.

To begin, Mahatma Gandhi is a well-known philosopher. He provided the world with many speeches and writings about his thoughts on (to name a few) peace, nonviolence, truth, love, GOD, and the practical techniques which he adopted. There are 100 volumes of his works available to the public to view about his thoughts. He is considered one of the most revered souls of the Twentieth Century. The book that I favor most by him, The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi, is about his dedication to the liberation of humans. His life encompassed the compassion of Gautam Buddha and the passion of Christ for service to humankind. Several scholars have described this book as being the new “bible” or the new “gita.” On another note, Stephen King is also one of my favorite authors. His writings started in his sophomore year in college when he wrote articles for the campus newspaper, The Main Campus. He was active in student politics and he was against the war in Vietnam. In 1970, he graduated the University of Maine with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on a high school level. After graduation, a draft board examination found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums. He was unable to find a job as a teacher and was forced to take a job as a laborer at an industrial laundry. He started writing short stories for men magazines and made a little profit. In the fall of 1971, he took a teaching job at Hampton Academy. In the evenings, he wrote short stories and novels. In the spring of 1973, his first novel, Carrie, was published. This novel, including many others written by Stephen King, is a thriller. The money he made from this novel provided him with the means to eliminate the teaching career and write full-time thus being the start of the decades of novels and movies produced by Stephen King. Lastly, American Idol is a major icon for people who are musically-inclined. This television show provides an opportunity for struggling artists to “make it” in the music business. The music business is a harsh and competitive market. This television show is not prejudice against any person who tries out, but they do pick the entertainers that they feel will succeed in the music industry. There are three judges (Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez, and Randy Jackson) and the audience that determine the singers’ fate when the actual competition starts. Furthermore, American Idol has won the Emmy Award. This show was created by Simon Fuller who was a judge but has moved on to work on other entertainment shows. In conclusion, American Idol is ranked number one amongst adults 18-49 for the past seven consecutive seasons and is currently ranked the number one television show for 2010-2011 season.

I chose these three icons to discuss because I love to read about the different philosophies that are produced in the world, particularly by Gandhi. In addition, I love to read novels that are considered “too scary” for the public and that test the boundaries of what is considered “acceptable” in society. Finally, I love music. Fortunately, my family is musically-inclined and this show does capture my attention because of this factor. I love the competition and I love to see new, determined musicians “make it” in the music industry.

In conclusion, I grew up reading the many works by Gandhi and Stephen King. They have increased my knowledge in many different areas of my life. When it comes to music, I love all of the different areas of music. Whether it is rock, pop, jazz, gospel, bluegrass, hip-hop, country, opera, heavy-metal, death-metal, alternative, and so, it is all great entertainment to me.