Essay Question: Heroes reflect the best and worst in human nature
Introduction
It is accurate that heroes reflect the best choose word, thesaurus! and worst in human nature. The themes of how compassion after destruction results in love, and sacrifice to survive, portray the best and worst of human nature Repeat?. The novel Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, and the film Frozen directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, both explore these themes. In both texts, it is clear that a hero does portray the best and worst in human nature .
Theme 1
To fathom that heroes reflect the greatest and worst in human nature, it’s important to know how compassion after the worst of destruction, results in love. In the novel Ender’s Game, when Ender understands the buggers sufficiently enough to destroy them, he loves them. Whilst talking to Valentine, Ender expresses that “when [he] understands [the enemy] well enough to defeat him… [he] also loves [them]”. The use of diction, such as “truly understand” and “love”, places positive connotations and symbolism to emphasise the positives of human nature. The moment after annihilating the buggers, Ender “truly” understands the buggers; he then feels compassion towards them and saves them, displaying compassion and love. This contradicts the idea of Ender being “a (reckless) murderer” (pg 65), like Peter. On the other hand, annihilation of the buggers portrays the worst in human nature. The belief that the “only power that matters… [is] to kill and destroy” (Graff), foregrounds the pain and annihilation of human will. Card uses strong denotation to enhance the negative power to destroy. Ender explains to Valentine, “I destroy them. I make it impossible for them to ever hurt me again”, this explanat...
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...fore enforces the hopelessness of the situation. The portrayal of murder, selfishness and deceitfulness – and ultimately the need of sacrifice – reflects the worst of human nature. It is clear in the film frozen that the sacrifice of the survival of others, and the need for that sacrifice, reflects how heroes portray the best and worst of human nature.
Conclusion
It is clear through the analysis in Ender’s Game and Frozen that heroes do reflect the best and worst of human nature. The two themes of how compassion after destruction results in love and the sacrifice to survive, portrays this. The compassion, love and sacrifice for survival of Ender and Anna displays the best. Whilst, the destruction and a need of a sacrifice – in which shows hate and annihilation – displays the worst. In conclusion, it is truism that heroes reflect the best and worst of human nature.
The Enders Game written by Orson Scott Card provides understanding of the characters and their relationships with others through indirect characterization and diction. Orson Scott Card uses literacy devices and specific word choice to let the reader draw conclusions about the characters and the relationships between Peter and Ender, the symbolism of the bugger mask/bugger-astronaut game, and the foreshadowing of Peter and Valentines death.
He uses a combination of Peter’s ruthlessness with Valentine’s compassion. “In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it’s impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves” (Card 238). Ender reveals this to Valentine because it is the main reason why he despises himself. Ender first uses his method against Stilson after getting his chip removed. He realizes that with the way Stilson is, the only way to stop him is to cause enough pain to deter retaliation. Learning from his enemies does not only occur on Earth. While being rejected in Salamander Army, Ender studies the good and bad techniques in the battle room. Given that, Ender ultimately beats Bonso once he is in command of his own army. He continues to do this with every person and battle he comes into contact with, making him the best commander at
One key component that is produced through Ender’s struggles at his young age is self-reliance. Ender is born unto a family where he is seen as an outcast; he’s a “third.” In a world where population control is major concern, a third-born child is looked upon in disgust. He is isolated even before he is brought into the world. John Kessel reveals his insights into Card’s interpretation of Ender’s exploitation when he says,” Orson Scott Card presents a harrowing tale of abuse. Ender’s parents and older brother (. . .) either ignore the abuse of Ender or participate in it” (Kessel 1). No one contributes more to this abuse than his older brother, Peter. Along with his birth, jealousy and hatred are especially common towards Ender. This disapproving outlook is particularly apparent from Peter. Peter let’s Ender know hi...
Heroes in literature and history, more often than not, meet tragic ends, unless they were created by Walt Disney. These particular people are often seen as someone who is apart from the masses in morals and attempt to accomplish a higher calling for the common good. The problem with this type of hero is that they are destined for suffering.Two such characters exist in classic literature, Winston Smith of George Orwell’s 1984 and Hamlet of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.” Hamlet is the true classic tragic hero, though, because he is of noble birth, possesses high moral standards, completes the task he is given to better the world, and causes tragedy in both his life and the lives of others.
Loewen defines heroification as “a degenerative process (much like calcification) that makes people over into heroes” (Loewen 11). During this process, negative or controversial facts are often ignored or altered in regards to these heroes, which create “perfect creatures without conflicts, pain, credibility, or human interest (Loewen 11). When one changes or omits facts concerning figures in history for this type of glorification, we are left with an invented story of the event or person; in other words, history has become a myth. History textbooks are filled with these types of glorifications, especially older texts. The purpose of heroification is to present events or people in a favorable light and to give ideal role models in which to follow. In my own words, I call Loewen’s heroification an effective form of brainwashing. For example, I was always taught that the Civil War was fought to free slaves, but later learned this war was about states succeeding from the Union. Many people still believe the Emancipation Proclamation’s purpose was to free the slaves; however, it was actually the last resort Lincoln used to win the Civil War. Of course, this is not how these events were portrayed to most of us in History class. Heroification alters the purpose of these events so that we, as citizens, can feel proud that America did away with slavery because our forefathers felt it was morally wrong. Loewen also points out how heroification can lead to role models in the case of Helen Keller, “the blind and deaf girl who overcame her physical handicaps, as an inspiration to generations of schoolchildren” (Loewen 12). The problem with Keller being used as an exemplary model for American schoolchildren is that only her early life is portr...
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Afghanistan, United States of America, and Iraq are all various places where violence takes place due to various obstacles people face in their lives. People often choose the path of violence because they lack the choice to choose other options thus forming violence as a priority. In Ender’s Game by Orson Scott, Ender Wiggins, a boy who is known as a different child since he was a third, was put through various scenarios where he is impacted by the lack of options in order to face everyday problems. Therefore, Ender realizes that the obstacles he faces pushes him to express his emotions in a violent form due to the lack of options.
From the beginning of time, mythology has appeared to be one key method of understanding life’s confusions and battles. Within these myths lies a hero. From myth to myth and story to story, heroes experience what may be called a struggle or a journey, which lays down their plot line. Bearing tremendous strength, talent, and significant admiration, a hero holds what is precious to their audience, heroism. Over time however, no matter the hero, the hero’s role remains indistinguishable and identical to the position of every other hero.
... based upon historic events, the protagonists portrayed here perpetuate the idea that man has always chosen for his super-heroes the qualities which he desires for himself: power, near-perfection, pride and loyalty. We celebrate theism as heroic qualities in the twentieth century. Will there ever be different qualities, qualities that might preserve a civilization longer than the civilizations that created these two brutal epics?
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
Aspects of good and evil are portrayed in a number of different ways throughout the film, ?Schindler?s List?. The story of Schindler's List reminds us that there is hope; that sometimes the actions of one person - one ordinary person even, for Oskar Schindler is not the stereotypical altruistic hero - can make a difference, even in the face of mass apathy and e...
A child's innocent is their worst enemy, and yet it should never be taken from them . In the view of the young boy he observes something quite unique that he has never seen before from most students around his age in Battle School, that they all “(...) act like – history. Napoleon and Wellington. Caesar and Brutus” (110). Ender compares the students from Battle School to his classmates back at home (Earth). Remembering that back on Earth the kids always were loud, played around, and said dumb things, and seeing that the students in Battle School acted like little adults, he couldn't understand how. With this in mind, Ender is a child, who doesn’t comprehend the truth behind the image. He is looking at something unknown as any child would be,
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.
For a time, the main characters in a story, poem, or narrative were easily classified as either being a hero or a villain. A hero would be easy to identify by the traits he'd possess, such as bravery, honesty, selflessness, trustworthiness, courage, leadership, and more. The villain would be easy to identify as well, possessing traits such as maliciousness, deceitfulness, immorality, dark, wishing harm upon others, and more. But what if the character lacked the natural heroic qualities but wasn't a villain either? What if the person displayed personality flaws that would traditionally be associated with a villain, but has heroic intentions? These questions were finally answered with the emergence of the anti-hero in literature.
Have you ever thought about what qualities make a hero? Many people would define a hero as a cartoon character for example Superman or Batman or Someone that fly’s into burning building, fights evil and always rescues the world. They would also have super powers like super strength, also have the ability to fly. Others consider a hero as someone that acts of bravery as heroism. And, those who have performed truly amazing acts in the face of grave danger. Some consider firefighter, law enforcement, military and civil right activist our everyday heroes. What we all know is that every hero need to have qualities like bravery, determination, be willing to sacrifice, and self-confidence to be able to achieve their purpose and to be consider a hero.