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What are the characteristics of a hero
What are the characteristics of a hero
What are the characteristics of a hero
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Heroism As time passes, the meaning of heroism constantly changes for me. Throughout my nomadic stroll through life, I’ve come to view all people as having the potential to excrete heroic quality, but this has not always been the case. In my younger years I only identified Heroism as being obtainable for men. It’s certainly my judgement then, did not serve me well. In deciding who has displayed such true, genuine acts of heroism, I missed seeing it for what it really is. It’s easy to label heroes as a child, and also easy to misunderstand who can qualify. Then, as you mature, you begin to realize you didn’t quite understand that it’s not always possible to just ooze Heroism, as those dressed up in costumes on your T.V screen. Your expectations of what it means to demonstrate such heroism, changes dramatically with age, you realize heroism isn’t discriminatory. There have been many times in my teenage and adult life, when I have felt as if the person lives, but the hero I thought they were has …show more content…
It takes very little impression to leave a child believing you are one of great heroism. I say this because, looking back to my childhood, I looked up to so many without even really knowing their true character. If you bought a five year old me an ice cream on a hot summer day, you were my hero. Then you have the hero’s seen on television, and story books. Those characters which are portrayed as having heroism attributes really influence your sense of heroism detection. I remember thinking fireman looked really scary in their gear, and I didn’t consider them having heroism. Yet, I thought the man at the bakery who would give me a free cookie at every visit was. Even though my idea of a hero was a bit misconstrued as a child, it was a great feeling to at least have an idea of what a hero was. I knew heroes meant well, even if I selfishly took into account only the things I benefited
Although not every hero shouts “Avengers Assemble” before a worthy deed, heroism is shown in all aspects of the everyday world. Webster Dictionary has exactly 5 definitions under the word hero and still no two people explain heroism the same. Superman and Captain America are a glimpse of the fictional characters society titles a hero. Firefighters and Military portray heroism each day in the lives of every civilian. As Sullivan and Venter stated “individuals are referred to as ‘heroes’ for seemingly different reasons” and even through endless studies the adjectives referring heroes is ever changing. Among the various ideas of what it means to be a hero, boldness and valiance capture the essence of heroism.
The word "hero" is so often used to describe people who overcome great difficulties and rise to the challenge that is set before them without even considering the overwhelming odds they are up against. In our culture, heroes are glorified in literature and in the media in various shapes and forms. However, I believe that many of the greatest heroes in our society never receive the credit that they deserve, much less fame or publicity. I believe that a hero is simply someone who stands up for what he/she believes in. A person does not have to rush into a burning building and save someone's life to be a hero. Someone who is a true friend can be a hero. A hero is someone who makes a difference in the lives of others simply by his/her presence. In Tim O'Brien's novel, The Things They Carried, the true heroes stand out in my mind as those who were true friends and fought for what they believed in. These men and women faced the atrocities of war on a daily basis, as explained by critic David R. Jarraway's essay, "'Excremental Assault' in Tim O'Brien: Trauma and Recovery in Vietnam War Literature" and by Vietnam Veteran Jim Carter. Yet these characters became heroes not by going to drastic measures to do something that would draw attention to themselves, but by being true to their own beliefs and by making a difference to the people around them.
George Orwell once offered this definition of heroism: ordinary people doing whatever they can to change social systems that do not respect human decency, even with the knowledge that they can’t possibly succeed.
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.
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.
Through reading about these heroes, kids believe that there are good things that happen to good people. These heroes encourage many kids when they’re young, and provide them with right and wrong. For example, many fairy tales and comic stories show kids the kinds of behaviors that need in order to succeed in life, to improve society, and to overcome hard times. They become their example of healthy adult role models who through hard times and many contractions they were able to react positively and overcome hard times. Heroes prove to them that no matter how much suffering and hardships in the world, there are good people, who always do the right thing and provide us with hope in hard times. Heroes do provide courage for us to overcome emotionally, physically, or spiritually
Heroes are found everywhere in the world. They are seen in movies, on television, in books, and in reality. A hero can be anyone, from a friend to a fictional character. To be considered a hero, one must make selfless sacrifices, develop and learn, overcome challenges and temptations, and ultimately present their known world with a gift of any kind. Homer’s
“I wish I could be a hero!” Many adults in today’s society hear small children wishing they could become heroes. Children wish to be more like heroes for the reason that heroes are the type of people who risk their lives to help others. Throughout history, children have had a positive connotation with the word “hero.” The heroes many small children talk about are the fictional ones who protect cities from villains: Superman, Batman, Spiderman, and others. However, these are not the only types of heroes in today’s world. Firefighters and policemen are also considered heroes because they save the lives of those in danger. Many adults consider their inspirations to be heroes, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Michelle Obama. Heroes do not always have to be real; for instance, they can also be literary characters such as Atticus Finch, Jonas, and Odysseus. Heroes, fictional or not, only have one purpose, to help people in need. These motivating people are in the rare category of people who willingly spend their whole lives helping people achieve their dreams. Heroes are the people who unselfishly help people live their lives in a peaceful manner. Many children wish they could become heroes, such as Bilbo Baggins. In The Hobbit, J.R.R Tolkien explores how Bilbo Baggins matures and ultimately becomes a hero.
The word hero as defined as an “individual who has the courage of conviction to perform feats that benefit the general populace, acts as a soldier of virtue, and has an altruistic spirit that urges him or her to act against evil and defend the greater good at all costs, even sacrificing his own well-being or life.” (Harrison 2). Although heroes can come in any shape and size they are commonly found in stories we read, movies we watch, or people we look up to. We do not think about it much but even our own life is made up of many hero’s journeys. We never realize that our hardships and how we overcome them is exactly what a Hero’s Journey is about and why we relate to and enjoy these stories so much. I will be going into the depths of a Hero’s
An English proverb states, “ A hero is a man who is afraid to run away”. I agree with this proverb, because when you see a hero in a comic book, they have super cool back stories, are not afraid to fight, and stare danger in the face and not blink. They are not afraid of anything. That’s nice to look up to, but they are not real. Our definition of a hero is too much for one man to become, you can do something honorable, heroic, but you will never actually be a hero because it's too much, in real life. Heroes don’t just do it so they can get paid, or respect. What really determines whether someone is a hero is if they choose to do something about it in a bad situation. We have people that do heroic acts, for example, people putting their lives before others. Those people cannot be heroes because they get paid to do it, they are, firefighters, cops, and military, they get paid to help people, so they aren't considered a hero.
Heroism. Heroism is “heroic conduct” or “courageous action”(“Heroism”). People throughout America’s history, and the world’s history, for more than hundreds of years, have satisfied the standards of heroism, rising above and doing what is right. Heroism doesn’t have to mean saving somebody’s life. To be a hero, one does not need a cape or a villain to fight. Exhibiting acts of heroism can be as small helping retrieve a cat from a tree or as large as helping put out the fire of a burning building. Whether one’s acts of heroism are miniscule or major, they occur every day by ordinary people, proving their extraordinary abilities. After World War II ended, many acts of heroism were displayed that are still remembered today, specifically involving Operation Little Vittles. Over two million citizens living in West Berlin were doomed, cut off from the outside world by the Russians, praying for a miracle. Their wish came true when a handful of pilots agreed to drop thousands of tons of food and fuel from the air in Berlin. One of these esteemed pilots goes by the name of Gail Halvorsen, who changed the situation of the Russian blockade for the better. Halvorsen made the daring decision to drop thousands of individual packages of candy to all of the sweet deprived citizens of West Berlin. Pilot Gail Halvorsen contributed a daring effort by flying day in and day out dropping candy all with the hopes of trying to improve the awful conditions for those involved in the blockade, putting smiles on people’s faces and living up to the standards of heroism.
Weber, Ann. "WHAT MAKES A HERO? Ordinary People Put Their Lives on the Line to Help Others." The Blade [Toledo] 19 Apr. 2009, City Final ed., Toledo Magazine sec. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Oct. 2010.
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.
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.
Many of the heroic acts done by heroes end up either dying or wound from the hazard event that the hero took place in. Every act of heroism plays a significant part to the society because it adds to the quality of each person in humanity and as a whole. Also, the acts of heroism are always inspiring and remembered due to their courageous actions and selflessness. Works Cited The Children’s March. Dir.