The Meaning of the Word Hero
Kathleen Tennison
Eng122: English Composition II
Instructor: Shelley Palmer
April 21, 2014
FINAL RESEARCH PAPER DRAFT
The definition and guidelines for using the term “hero” to describe a person can be as diverse as the land we live in, however, regardless of your cultural identity the shield of “hero” must be earned. It is defined as “a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities, is regarded as a model or ideal (Dictionary.com, 2014). In Classical Mythology, a hero is “a being of godlike prowess, a warrior of special strength, courage or ability” (Dictionary.com, 2014). This describes how we have portrayed our present day heroes, the pedestal that we put them on, after actions reflecting heroism, have been awarded the title. Difficult to earn, harder to retain, but forever remembered.
What is a hero and what has he or she done to deserve that title? A recent example is Todd Beamer. In an article from Christianity Today (2001), “Todd Beamer will always be remembered as a national hero, he was a hero long before he and others on United Flight 93 tried to overpower hijackers on Sept. 11, 2011. In his final moments, Beamer 32, called a GTE Airfone operator and gave details about the hijacking, then recited the Lord’s Prayer with the operator. Beamer set down the telephone, and the operator heard him say to other passengers, Are you ready? Let’s Roll!
The plane crashed within minutes, killing 44 passengers and crew. “What they did was to foil, I think the attack on Washington D.C., “Vice President Dick Cheney said on NBC’s Meet the Press. “Without question, the attack would’ve been much worse if it hadn’t been for the courageous actions of thos...
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Teachers Turn Heroes in Oklahoma Tornado. (2013, May 24) Forsyth County News. Dallas Morning News (2013, May 22) Retrieved from Newsbank.com database.
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The dictionary defines hero in mythology and legend as, "a man who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and born of divine or royal blood. He is a person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life." In addition, I believe a hero is one to be looked up to and emulated. What is interesting about epic heroes is that their great deeds and exploits all have to do with defeating themselves, so with help from the gods they can truly become heroic. They can only defeat themselves with the help of the gods.
Webster’s dictionary defines a hero as any man admired for his courage, qualities or exploits, especially in war. Some people attribute the term hero mostly to war. My personal definition of a hero is someone who takes a stand against evil or an unjust cause. The term hero can be applied to anyone, it isn’t necessary to save the world from explosion to be a hero. The act of standing up for a friend can also be called a heroic act.
A hero is defined as "someone admired for his bravery, great deeds or noble qualities". There are three categories to which all heroes can be classified into, one of which is the anti-hero genre.
Who is a hero? In contemporary times, usage of the term has become somewhat of a cliché. Over the years, the term “hero” has become representative of a wide variety of individuals, each possessing differing traits. Some of the answers put forth by my colleagues (during our in-class discussion on heroism) as to whom they consider heroes pointed to celebrities, athletes, teachers and family members. Although the occupations differed, each of their heroes bore qualities that my classmates perceived as extraordinary, whether morally or physically. Nonetheless, Webster’s defines “hero” as “a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.” Thus, it is worth considering that individuals become heroes relative to the situation with which they’re faced.
An important aspect of Abraham Lincoln’s overall performance is his personal and political background. Concerning his opinions on slavery, his personal background shaped his ideals in a very unique way. James McPherson, author of the short biography Abraham Lincoln, provides some insight into Lincoln’s background, writing that Lincoln’s fathe...
Being a hero means to be willing to risk your life for others. Such as, Pat Tillman. Pat Tillman was a fantastic football player and he loved playing it too. Despite that, Pat Tillman turned down a 3.6million dollar contract to the Arizona Cardinals to go fight the war against terrorism. He ended up dieing from friendly fire. All this goes to show how brave Pat Tillman was to risk his life and give up his football career to go fight in Afghanistan to help protect the American people. Likewise, the people that helped evacuate New York City after the
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According to google.com a hero is someone who “is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievments, or noble equalities.” (google.com). For example, superman , superman is an all time american classic modern hero who is admired for his courage and for saving earth multiple times from super villains. Another example of a hero is Beowulf. Beowulf was created around 1000 AD and was known far and wide throughout the lands for his selflessness,bravery, and courage .
9/11. A horrible act viewed by many, where 4 ill-fated planes were hijacked and propelled into important super-structures, and pastures, is broadcasted on the news on every anniversary of this travesty, and every time, eye-witness stories show up. These stories are often talked about for a large amount of time, but with the numerous accounts of that fateful day, nobody can get all of their stories. I would like to show you some of the most obscure stories that are often overlooked by many. From people in a different country, people right in the tower, and residents of the island of Manhattan, everyone was affected on that fateful day, so what exactly are those stories?
Flight attendant Amy Sweeney called up the control office in Boston and began to give a report of the terrifying scene. At 8:44 A.M., she said, “Something is wrong. We are in a rapid descent. We are all over the place. We are flying very, very low. We are flying way too low. Oh my God we are way too low!” At 8:46 A.M., American Airlines Flight 11 smashed into the North Twin Tower in New York City. Everyone on board was killed instantly.
Gibson, Donald B. The Red Badge of Courage: Redefining the Hero. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1988.
When I think of a hero I immediately think of someone who is strong, intelligent, handsome, and daring. Upon closer examination, many different qualities than these become apparent. Courage, honesty, bravery, selflessness, and the will to try are just a few of the overlooked qualities of a hero. The definition of heroism changes with the context and time. Heroes of the past are not necessarily heroes of present time and vise versa.
Johnson, Robyn. "10 Revolutionary Acts of Courage by Ordinary People." Matador Network. Matador Network, 15 Sept. 2008. Web. 24 Apr.
“That’s all a man can hope for during his lifetime- to set an example- and when he is dead, to be an inspiration for history.” (William McKinley) Anyone can be inspiring, small, big, old, young, but to be inspiring you have to set good examples. In other words, to be inspiring you can’t do normal things, normal things are irrelevant to heroes, you have to be different. The true definition of a hero is someone who is inspiring to others positively.