Physical Identity Construction in Powder Keg
For examples, please see the Physical Identity Construction Examples page
Powder Keg put a special emphasis on the physical strength of men on the base, as illustrated through valor in war or athletics. Powder Keg nearly always featured profiles of one of more veterans. Veteran status, of course, is very relevant given that the newspaper was produced by and for the Navy. However, the paper offered drab paragraphs about most veterans, but had photographs and large, glowing features on men who served in famous battles like Guadalcanal or who survived shipwrecks or other harrowing ordeals. Through these means, the paper facilitated heroic personas for men whose bodies had been put to the ultimate test, and these personas, in turn, became the primary identity of these men.
Similarly, the paper gave a lot of attention to achievements in sports at all levels - including high school, college, professional, and even war league teams. Sports provide men the opportunity to participate in the aggressive pursuit of glory and notoriety while cooperating with others within their organization (Rotundo, 286). This enabled men to pursue their traditional selfish pursuits and gain notoriety for their physical strength and aggressiveness without upsetting the strict order military and industrial society. Sports became important societal currency, and men's sports pasts became a primary identifier for the men - above their roles as husbands or fathers and above achievements such as education or awards based on other skills. The war league and intramural games gave men the opportunity to compete against each other and prove their physical ability, and the Powder Keg devoted a great deal of space to showcasing these competitions for the rest of the community. Not only was there a great amount of space dedicated to these games, but the coverage went a long way in building up the personas of the athletes, keeping season stats on the men and providing lots of photographs.
