Hero Definition Essay

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According to the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of a hero is as follows: a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. This definition is a key part of the “what makes a hero” argument. I believe that just because one person views someone as a hero doesn't mean everyone views that individual as a hero. It is a definition that could relate to anyone in this world because any action could show at least one of the traits, simple or large. The meaning of hero is shaped by one’s culture, personal experience, the time in which one lives, and the reasons why a figure is chosen as a hero (Topic Pages). The American culture’s figure of a hero embodies the qualities of the ideal citizen, qualities that are brought to the spotlight through extraordinary performance in battle, business, politics, sports, science, or fiction (Encyclopedia of American Studies). When asking someone of the …show more content…

Time period greatly affects ones view of a hero because only people from that time period are the only ones experiencing that individuals actions first hand. Someone who was around in the 1960’s may see Martin Luther King Jr. as their hero because of what he did in the sixties. Now, an individual in the 2000’s may still see him as a hero but not to the extent of someone who experienced it first hand. In the 1990’s many people in the sports world viewed Olympic gold medalist in the 200 and the 400, Michael Johnson, to be their hero. Many sports fan today may still view him as someone who did a great thing but now view someone, such as Stephen Curry, the 2015 NBA MVP and NBA Finals Champion, as their hero because of what he is doing right now in the NBA. In the world we all live in now people have to see to believe and thats why most individuals will more often than not view people from their time period as their

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