"Secret Skin" by Michael Chabon- Close Reading 1

"Secret Skin" discusses the truth behind super hero costumes. According to Michael Chabon, a Superhero costume is not a disguise, but rather a "secret skin".

Michael Chabon uses many details primarily to serve as evidence to his claim that costumes are physical portrayals of your inner self. Chabon pulls from comics like: Superman, Batman, Spiderman, "Captain Marvel, Luke Cage, Wonder Woman, Valkyrie, and Supergirl"(Chabon 3). He describes that the S on superman represents the Kryptonian House of El, Superman's home. The spider logo represents Peter Parker's source of power, the spider. These emblems in the costumes describe the superhero's origins, not hide it. Chabon even pulls on details from his childhood in the beginning of the text. These details primarily serve the function of creating a meaningful and relate-able text. For instance, by recalling his Sunday teacher as "Mr. Spector"(1) it allows us, as reader, to think about our childhood and find our own "Mr. Spector"(1).

The language in "Secret Skin" is what you would expect to find in a passionate reflective essay. Chabon does however embrace the comedic aspect of analyzing a topic as hilarious as Superhero costumes. The first example of such is in the title "An essay in Unitard Theory" (1). Chabon also uses language to convey his personality, which is significant in a reflective essay. He shows his secular personality by making fun of his Sunday school, "The one time I felt my soul to be in danger"(1). In this instance he further explains that they were discussing comic books, but continues to hark on Mr. Spector and his lack of comic book knowledge. Chabon also utilizes some wordplay to again to add to the comedic tone that he is trying to convey, "To suit my purpose here, I might construct a similar etiology of the superhero costume, making due reference, say, to professional-wrestling and circus attire"(2).While at first glance, this choice of language may be funny and witty, it serves a bigger purpose, persuasion. Chabon is trying to sell his theory on the meaning of costumes in comic books. By doing so, he wants to write-off all other theories by patronizing them through humor.

Finally, we arrive at imagery. Imagery in this essay is used to show the passion and interest Chabon has in this topic. In the beginning he uses it to help the readers relate to his childhood and paint a picture of his teacher, "Spector was a gently acerbic young man with a black beard and black Roentgen-ray eyes"(1). As the paper turns from his childhood and looks at his theory on costumes, the imagery shows his passion. "Every seam, every cobweb strand of duct-tape gum, every laddered fish-net stocking or visible ridge of underpants elastic—every stray mark, pulled thread, speck of dust—acts to spoil what is instantly revealed to have been, all along, an illusion" (2). Chabon's use of imagery is an act of persuasion. By showing his passion (kind of like his "pre-requisites"), we begin to trust his opinion and theory on superhero costumes, uncreateable suits that symbolize the superhero who wears them, not an elastic cloth used to disguise one.