Week 04 Discussion - Top Gun and the Nation

As I said before b/c of our shortened week, you'll be completing a discussion post for this week's concepts instead of your standard written assignment. Complete the discussion below using the following questions, keeping in mind the process we went over 

1) What were your general thoughts on Top Gun? Have you seen it before this class? If so, what was it like to review it in context with Imagined Communities and the assigned reading?

2) How does the movie feel about America, as a nation and as a concept? What does Maverick represent? How would you describe him, and is he meant to be symbolic as an aspect of the nation? 

3) How does the film feel about the enemy?

4) Why does the film only refer to the country they are attacking as the enemy? What effect does referring to the country as the enemy have? As in, why do they refer to the country as a whole when talking about the enemy?

5) How does the film make you feel about the enemy?

6) Ultimately, I want you to consider the film and readings to consider how Top Gun imagines America, and story does it tell of the nation?