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ESSAYS-33417 War Analytical Essay: What is a Hero
Trying to define what a hero is may be one of the most troubling topics there are because there may not be a right or correct answer. Is it due to circumstance alone or something that people learn? Human nature stinks, but people are taught how to function in civilized society, but few people are “taught” how to be heroes, so where does it come from? If we cannot answer that, can we answer what truly defines a hero?
I posit that humans are not born heroes. Human nature is cruel and very selfish. People are taught values as they grow older and are taught to respect others as they in turn wish to be respected. People are not born heroes, but there is something in life that drives one person to be a hero and not another.
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Of this I am not sure. I am not arrogant enough to believe that if there was a god that I would understand it. I do not believe any person is smart enough to fully comprehend even the idea of what a god or higher power is. Since I will never know, I cannot rule out that a higher power makes people heroes.
If human nature stinks, as I suggest, and if people are taught good values, then what makes one person heroic and another cowardly? Two identical twins may be taught the same values and both may be born with the same inclinations, and yet one may be a hero where the other is not. Part of my argument is that it is circumstance, and another part is the human desire or free will to break the norm.
Circumstances may have their part to play in what makes a hero. If a person is repeatedly put into a circumstance where there is a chance to be a hero, then his or her may one day take the opportunity. However, if such an opportunity never arose, it is possible that a potential hero may never become
Heroes are goals for our own aspirations. Humanity is assembled around the necessity for role models and the transference down of information, this is how we learn. A hero is defined as someone with admirable traits or people who, in the face of danger or from a position of weakness, display courage or the will for self-sacrifice, whether it be moral in a literal or figurative approach. These notions of heroism are portrayed directly through the collection of relating texts, ‘The Epic of Gilgamesh,’ and ‘The Ballad of Mulan,’ and the film ‘Saving Private Ryan.’
What makes a man a hero? Where lies the line which when crossed changes a mortal man into a legend? Is it at the altar at Canterbury? in the Minotaur’s labyrinth? or is it an age or a time? Does a man become a hero when he transforms from a boy to an adult? or when he stops being a man and becomes a martyr? Where are the heroes of 1993? In whom do the children of this age believe? Like whom do they strive to be? Kennedy, Lennon, and even Superman are dead. World leaders are mockeries of real men, more like Pilates than Thomas Mores. Pop culture’s icons change daily. It is interesting that nearly 600 years ago someone was writing about heroism in a way that can be understood today. The poet of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight tells a tale in which a man is proven to be a hero through the seemingly un-heroic decisions made in the course of numerous tests. Sir Gawain is a hero for the 21st century. He is tried and trapped, he is inundated with opportunities to fail and yet he does not lose. More importantly though, in the end he learns an essential, inescapable fact about himself and human nature.
If you watch modern movies you will find that these times it is quite easier to be a hero than it was fifty years ago. The world gives us multiple opportunities to proves ourselves and give us the self-satisfaction of being able to say you are a hero. But what is a hero? Grant says, “A hero is someone who does something for other people. He does something that other men don’t and can’t do. He is different from other men. He is above other men. No matter who those other men are, the hero, no matter who he is, is above them.” (193) Obviously Grant matches his own description of a hero. He proved himself a hero by counseling Jefferson while being a teacher with “more than enough” problems of his own.
The bulk of the praise a hero receives tends to be in response to his or her actions. People look up to the heroes who can perform the most miraculous feats. However, there is an element of heroism beyond the superficial element of a hero’s actions: the hero’s character. Both heroes and antiheroes might do great things; however, the similarities end where motivations are considered, and these differences in motivations are rooted in the differences in the character of heroes and the antiheroes. An antihero’s character is flawed, leading to actions based on selfish and impure motivations. In contrast, a hero is characterized by his or her selflessness; this can be defined as putting the interests of others above the interests of oneself, and
Where does heroism lay? Does it belong in the purity of one’s heart and soul as we come together as a whole, or does it stay printed in the comic books? Heroism can be found by connecting a point of view to certain concepts. The concepts used to describe heroism throughout this essay are sacrifice, belief, and support.
Some people are born to be heroes. Some people may be forgotten heroes. Some people are born not to be heroes at all. In ways they are similar and in some ways they are different. John Campbell’s Hero’s Journey Monomyth shows the certain stages that a hero would traditionally go through to be qualified as a hero. Elie Wiesel is not a monomyth hero, because he does not follow the correct steps and does not hit enough steps to be considered a monomythic hero.
Everyone wants to be a hero. It is just a fact of life. To be a hero is every young man’s dream. Weather a superhero in a film, a war hero, or just a peacemaker; we all come across times when a hero is necessary but, for the most part, we humbly decline the pressure and responsibility of the moment.
In my opinion, a hero is someone whose principal purpose, whether it be in one situation or over the span of their entire life, is to help others while simultaneously making the world a better place. When the word hero is brought up, the most prevailing image that comes to mind is superheroes like Batman and Superman. But I don’t think you have to have superpowers or even be well known in order to be a hero. There are people all over the world whose intention is to do selfless deeds and go out of their way for others without expectation of obtaining anything in return. These are the type of people I like to consider everyday heroes. They go through life just trying to be the best they can and trying to help as many people as they can. Whether
A person can be a hero to his or her family, or to the world. A jewel thief or a Mob member can be exceptionally heroic. The greatest difference in the hero of today and the hero of times past is the number and social standing. In times past, the hero was cultural perfection; today anyone can be a hero. In that aspect, we have progressed as a civilization. Now there is an ever growing number of heroes that societies can idolize and imitate. With ever more idols, there comes, ideally, a boost in a society’s overall goodness. If each individual was encouraged to pick a personal hero, perhaps the world would have fewer problems.
If a hero is not brave it is hard for them to succeed doing things that they stand up for. Even though there are many other characteristics that can be used to describe the qualities of a
What is a hero? That is the question that has many different answers depending on who you ask. There are some pretty popular answers to that question. One of those answers is; “A hero is someone who helps other people, or helps to make other people's lives better.” Another is; “A hero is a person who tries to make the world a better place.” or “A hero is a person who does something that is more than what is expected.” Still others are “A hero is someone that doesn't do something for his or her own problems but for the benefit of others” and “A hero is a person that doesn't want to be a hero just to be famous.” Those were just some statements about what people think a hero is, but what about the qualities a hero should have?
Heroes are very selfless and want everyone to be safe and protected ; they care about others well being.
There is another type of hero that almost no one is aware of. In the poorest areas of the country, live mostly minorities and other ethic background. All their lives they’ve been expected to work harder and expected not succeed in life. Some individuals living in poverty with a determination to succeed work hard all of their lives to become what everybody doubted they could. Escaping the crime, drugs, and prostitution is enough to escape hell, even if they don’t go to college. Despite of their financial problems, drug and crime surroundings, or difficulties in the language skills, their desire to triumph fuels their persistence. Those who make it to success are the few living examples of the purest form of hero anyone can be. They are not only their own heroes but also the heroes of the poor children who dream of becoming like them someday.
Heroes act selflessly and their actions are not usually motivated by their own interests. For example, they could be in need of revenge. The revenge can turn out to be heroic if the crime cannot be resolved or the regular authorities are not willing to punish them. Another motivation for becoming a hero is that they may feel as if in order to be able to fit into today’s society and gain acceptance, they will have to accomplish something that people will remember them by, it will have to be something good and not bad so they they do not receive hate from it. Hatred is known to motivate others and makes them stronger.
Heroism is defined as an act of courage and an act of selflessness. They reflect the highest levels of morality in society. Heroes have embodied the morality codes of civilizations throughout the ages. When heroes display courage, observers often identify with that courage. The refusal to take the easy way out and the ability to act in spite of fear, is what makes a person a hero. This is the way everyone wishes to react in the midst of a crisis. As witnessed in literature and real life, mankind needs heroes to provide an inspirational role model, an escape from the mundane, and a guide for morality.