Fish Out of Water

One may not immediately associate Captain America to the cliche of a fish out of water, but if we think about it, he literally is said fish. He is the gold fish struggling to catch a breath in the 21st century. I personally have not read Captain America comics, but I have seen the movie (I know, I know. For all the enthusiasts out there, they are not equivalent). Up until his time with the army, he has only known life in America during the 1940s, a time with very specific circumstances. For the greater good of well...humanity, he left this familiar life in exchange for what he thought would be death. However, as we know, he ended up re-awakening in today's century.

However, the title I imposed on him, "fish out of water" does not do him justice for he does not physically or mentally "die". Physically, he is fine as we know from his leadership in the Avengers movie. When looking at his mental state, which is more interesting, he falls at times, but ultimately thrives. Toward the end of the the movie, Captain America, it is obvious that he is shocked. He becomes overwhelmed by technology he has never seen, stores he never would have existed, etc. There are also some moments in the Avengers that shows that though he is slowly adjusting, he still has one foot in the 1940s.

   

Instead of wallowing in self pity forever and isolating himself from the 21st century, he takes his first step in adjusting to this new world by joining shield (having been convinced by Nick Fury). He puts himself back to what he is familiar with, what he knows how to do. He disregards the differences in social mannerisms, slang, and any other factor that reminds and in a way, tethers him to the 1940s. Via crime fighting, he adapts while staying true to his morals and beliefs. Despite some mishaps, his desire to fight for America and the country's value transcends the discrepancies between the familiar and the strange, and arguably, this is the reason he is one of our representations of justice, the symbol of America's superhero.