“The Toy Store of Life”: Myth, Sport and the Mediated Reconstruction of the American Hero in the Shadow of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks

Abstract

This article interrogates the shared public efforts of athletes, sports leagues, and media myth-makers to reshape America's relationship with sport as a contemporary myth system in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A rhetorical analysis of several articles printed directly after the attacks reveals that the periodicals' coverage bolstered sport's mythic function in significant ways. These findings point to the role mediated messages continue to play in the reinforcement of contemporary American myths and underscore the extent to which enthusiasts persist in seeking mythological explanation, social grounding, and a symbolic experience of the divine in the achievements of modern stars of sport.

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Notes on contributors

Phillip J. Chidester

Philip J. Chidester, School of Communication, Illinois State University.