James R. Gapinski
Evidence that Super Mario Bros. is the ‘Great American Novel’
Forget books. Nintendo has already delivered the definitive ‘Great American[1] Novel.’ Super Mario Bros. explores a milieu of topics central to American life in the late twentieth century, and it retains sociocultural relevance today. It speaks to common experiences and probes difficult subjects with more depth and breadth than the finest literature.
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Exhibit A: Super Mario Bros. explores classism in contemporary American society
Mario is a working-class plumber. He’s enamored with Princess Toadstool,[2] seeking upward class mobility throughout Super Mario Bros. (see also: Exhibit B), but the princess doesn’t seem to care. Princess Toadstool is perpetually absent from Mario’s life, even as Mario visits several castles looking for her.[3] Meanwhile, Mario does not appear to even have a decent apartment. When they finally meet, there is no apparent sexual attraction despite Mario’s idealization (see also: Exhibit G) of this upper-class woman. It’s an in-depth look at the great class divide.
Exhibit B: Super Mario Bros. satirizes American preoccupation with wealth
The protagonist is obsessed with gold coins. He sets a personal goal of one-hundred coins, but when he attains one-hundred coins, his count resets to zero. He is never satisfied. The act of accumulation becomes his actual goal rather than achieving any finite number of coins—analogous to the unquenchable American obsession with money and status (see also: Exhibit A).
Exhibit C: Super Mario Bros. addresses the complexity, rivalry, and existential crises of modern inter-sibling relationships
Mario and Luigi are codependent, but they are working toward self-actualization. In Super Mario Bros., the two never appear on the same screen, even though the previous Mario Bros. arcade game saw them constantly together.[4] They still unconsciously mimic each other despite the self-imposed separation; their personal searches for identity (see also: Exhibit H) are confused by their dysfunctional relationship. Super Mario Bros. represents Mario’s first deliberate step toward personal efficacy, and it can be considered a modern bildungsroman. Throughout the game, Mario must reconcile his past family relationships with his future independence.
Exhibit E: Super Mario Bros. takes an unflinching look at substance abuse
One cannot overlook the constant drug references. Mario eats mushrooms that make him feel ‘big.’ He believes magic flowers let him throw fireballs. He also has manic drug-induced episodes wherein he eats Starman, feels invincible one moment, and then crashes the next. He is always looking for his next fix. Super Mario Bros. takes a liberal approach to substance use, but it is quick to point out gritty realities of overuse and chemical dependency.
Exhibit F: Super Mario Bros. highlights the growing need for ‘green’ dialogue in America
Mario seeks his goals without regard to the natural environment. If a native plant is in his way, he burns it. If a creature walks toward him, he stomps on it. To make matters worse, Mario sometimes kicks injured Koopa Troopas after they recoil into their shells, showing outright sadism toward the natural world. Mario believes that the world is his to shape, use, and abuse. He does not consider the greater consequences of his slash-and-burn mentality. While Mario’s actions are detestable, they help spur critical dialogue on American ecological shortsightedness.
Exhibit G: Super Mario Bros. explores the oppression of women in America
Mario is a chauvinist who treats women like objects in need of ‘rescue.’ Furthermore, the kingdom is ruled by a patriarch. Super Mario Bros. paints a realistic portrait of American life, showcasing institutionalized discrimination at every turn. However, despite Mario’s perception that he is the ‘hero,’ astute gamers will note that Princess Toadstool has the ultimate power to reverse Bowser’s[5] spell. Mario defeats a few minions on his journey, but Princess Toadstool’s final act restores the entire kingdom, breaking Bowser’s enchantment. While the male protagonist in this story believes he is the center of the universe, Super Mario Bros. ends with a sobering reminder that patriarchy is an unjust and artificial societal structure. Super Mario Bros. doesn’t ignore the Princess’s objectification and oppression, rather it looks at anti-feminist and feminist ideology within the same narrative, exposing similar conflicts between institutionalized discrimination and feminist ideology in American culture.
Exhibit H: Super Mario Bros. probes the modern American identity crises
Throughout Super Mario Bros., characters grapple with identity crisis. In contemporary American society, people struggle to reconcile individualism and globalism. Because of Mario’s consumerist orientation, he defines himself through his wealth, which is never sufficient (see also: Exhibit B). He ‘dies’ several times throughout the story, only to be reborn, grapple with the same issues, and die again. He isn’t sure how to live his own life. Other characters struggle with similar identity issues. For example, Bowser is replaced by a false avatar seven times throughout the game; Bowser isn’t sure who he really is. Mario tries to reconcile his actions with his personal morality, but it’s increasingly difficult in an ethically ambiguous culture where heroes are flawed and villains have humanity. It’s no coincidence that ‘boss battles’ occur in gray-hewn rooms, symbolizing the lack of black-and-white reality throughout Super Mario Bros.
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To experience this classic game novel for yourself, visit your local library. After the librarian laughs at you, dole out a hundred bucks for a barely functional[6] NES console on eBay.
< End >
[1] While some may argue that Super Mario Bros. is a Japanese masterpiece, avid gamers note that Super Mario Bros. underwent distinct changes between its initial Japanese Family Computer (Famicom) release and its North American Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) release. The NES version is a distinctly American artifact. Besides, the United States as an immigrant nation, so logic suggests that the country’s greatest literature ought to come from overseas too.
[2] Princess Peach
[3] “Thank you Mario! But our Princess is in another castle!”
[4] One may also find them on-screen together the Mario Bros. arcade follow-ups: Punch Ball Mario Bros. and Mario Bros. Special—both of which pre-date Super Mario Bros.
[5] King Koopa
[6] A new 72 pin connector may fix the problem.
* * *
Exhibit A: Super Mario Bros. explores classism in contemporary American society
Mario is a working-class plumber. He’s enamored with Princess Toadstool,[2] seeking upward class mobility throughout Super Mario Bros. (see also: Exhibit B), but the princess doesn’t seem to care. Princess Toadstool is perpetually absent from Mario’s life, even as Mario visits several castles looking for her.[3] Meanwhile, Mario does not appear to even have a decent apartment. When they finally meet, there is no apparent sexual attraction despite Mario’s idealization (see also: Exhibit G) of this upper-class woman. It’s an in-depth look at the great class divide.
Exhibit B: Super Mario Bros. satirizes American preoccupation with wealth
The protagonist is obsessed with gold coins. He sets a personal goal of one-hundred coins, but when he attains one-hundred coins, his count resets to zero. He is never satisfied. The act of accumulation becomes his actual goal rather than achieving any finite number of coins—analogous to the unquenchable American obsession with money and status (see also: Exhibit A).
Exhibit C: Super Mario Bros. addresses the complexity, rivalry, and existential crises of modern inter-sibling relationships
Mario and Luigi are codependent, but they are working toward self-actualization. In Super Mario Bros., the two never appear on the same screen, even though the previous Mario Bros. arcade game saw them constantly together.[4] They still unconsciously mimic each other despite the self-imposed separation; their personal searches for identity (see also: Exhibit H) are confused by their dysfunctional relationship. Super Mario Bros. represents Mario’s first deliberate step toward personal efficacy, and it can be considered a modern bildungsroman. Throughout the game, Mario must reconcile his past family relationships with his future independence.
Exhibit E: Super Mario Bros. takes an unflinching look at substance abuse
One cannot overlook the constant drug references. Mario eats mushrooms that make him feel ‘big.’ He believes magic flowers let him throw fireballs. He also has manic drug-induced episodes wherein he eats Starman, feels invincible one moment, and then crashes the next. He is always looking for his next fix. Super Mario Bros. takes a liberal approach to substance use, but it is quick to point out gritty realities of overuse and chemical dependency.
Exhibit F: Super Mario Bros. highlights the growing need for ‘green’ dialogue in America
Mario seeks his goals without regard to the natural environment. If a native plant is in his way, he burns it. If a creature walks toward him, he stomps on it. To make matters worse, Mario sometimes kicks injured Koopa Troopas after they recoil into their shells, showing outright sadism toward the natural world. Mario believes that the world is his to shape, use, and abuse. He does not consider the greater consequences of his slash-and-burn mentality. While Mario’s actions are detestable, they help spur critical dialogue on American ecological shortsightedness.
Exhibit G: Super Mario Bros. explores the oppression of women in America
Mario is a chauvinist who treats women like objects in need of ‘rescue.’ Furthermore, the kingdom is ruled by a patriarch. Super Mario Bros. paints a realistic portrait of American life, showcasing institutionalized discrimination at every turn. However, despite Mario’s perception that he is the ‘hero,’ astute gamers will note that Princess Toadstool has the ultimate power to reverse Bowser’s[5] spell. Mario defeats a few minions on his journey, but Princess Toadstool’s final act restores the entire kingdom, breaking Bowser’s enchantment. While the male protagonist in this story believes he is the center of the universe, Super Mario Bros. ends with a sobering reminder that patriarchy is an unjust and artificial societal structure. Super Mario Bros. doesn’t ignore the Princess’s objectification and oppression, rather it looks at anti-feminist and feminist ideology within the same narrative, exposing similar conflicts between institutionalized discrimination and feminist ideology in American culture.
Exhibit H: Super Mario Bros. probes the modern American identity crises
Throughout Super Mario Bros., characters grapple with identity crisis. In contemporary American society, people struggle to reconcile individualism and globalism. Because of Mario’s consumerist orientation, he defines himself through his wealth, which is never sufficient (see also: Exhibit B). He ‘dies’ several times throughout the story, only to be reborn, grapple with the same issues, and die again. He isn’t sure how to live his own life. Other characters struggle with similar identity issues. For example, Bowser is replaced by a false avatar seven times throughout the game; Bowser isn’t sure who he really is. Mario tries to reconcile his actions with his personal morality, but it’s increasingly difficult in an ethically ambiguous culture where heroes are flawed and villains have humanity. It’s no coincidence that ‘boss battles’ occur in gray-hewn rooms, symbolizing the lack of black-and-white reality throughout Super Mario Bros.
* * *
To experience this classic game novel for yourself, visit your local library. After the librarian laughs at you, dole out a hundred bucks for a barely functional[6] NES console on eBay.
< End >
[1] While some may argue that Super Mario Bros. is a Japanese masterpiece, avid gamers note that Super Mario Bros. underwent distinct changes between its initial Japanese Family Computer (Famicom) release and its North American Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) release. The NES version is a distinctly American artifact. Besides, the United States as an immigrant nation, so logic suggests that the country’s greatest literature ought to come from overseas too.
[2] Princess Peach
[3] “Thank you Mario! But our Princess is in another castle!”
[4] One may also find them on-screen together the Mario Bros. arcade follow-ups: Punch Ball Mario Bros. and Mario Bros. Special—both of which pre-date Super Mario Bros.
[5] King Koopa
[6] A new 72 pin connector may fix the problem.