Themes of Propoganda in Tintin

Reading Tintin, I was initially struck by how notably different Tintin looks from the other characters he encounters during his various escapades. Stylistically, Tintin’s minimally detailed and rounded face is frequently the least detailed of any characters present. Going back to chapter two of McCloud’s textbook, authors typically use such a technique to encourage readers to project themselves onto the characters they observe. This immersion of the reader, alongside the virtually constant action, avoidance of any meaningful danger, and the presence of a talking dog, serves to cater the story towards a much younger audience.

However, despite the comic’s appearance as a children’s story, Hergé also embeds commentary on much more adult and serious themes throughout the stories. Examples include his depiction of lynching as a comedy, the progression of the Native Americans from dangerous, albeit misled, villains to victims of American greed, and the primitive and devoutly religious elements of Middle Eastern culture. Furthermore, as a result of the cultural nature of these examples, Hergé appears to be commenting on the inferiority of these foreign cultures. This is furthered by how Tintin, as the easily relatable protagonist, can do no wrong and often finds himself an object of respect all over the world as a result of his actions and reputation. In this way, the story of Tintin not only serves as a fun and sometimes goofy adventure story, but also serves to promote the superiority of Western European culture to its readers.