Robert Ray “The Thematic Paradigm”

“And you take responsibility! You’re supposed to be their leader!” is a quote by Hershel Greene from The Walking Dead. Herschel is speaking to Rick in a time of great peril and confusion. The world is slowly melting away into a pit of violence, death, and destruction and Rick is the chosen one to lead a small group of survivors through the hot land mass known as Atlanta, Georgia and Herschel is the wise sidekick of the group who is known for his calm and gentle demeanor. These two types of heroes are intertwined in the journey of The Walking Dead where it is every man for himself but there is still a glimmer of hope for humanity. Robert Ray thinks that there are only two types of heroes an official hero and an outlaw but The Walking Dead proves otherwise because Rick is considered the chosen hero and Herschel is the sidekick hero.

According to Ray “Embodied in the adventurer, explorer, gunfighter, wanderer, and loner the outlaw hero stood for that part of the American imagination valuing self-determination and freedom from entanglements” (378). He is referring to an outlaw charter from the wild west for example Davey Crockett or Jesse James who according to Robert Ray were outlaw legends that had “mythical” (378) stories told about them in order to increase their legend, ego, and popularity. These types of heroes according to Robert Ray were the outlaws that embodied the gunslinger mentality that would appeal to audiences who lived on the frontier or in the wilderness. Another type of hero according to Robert Ray are a smaller breed of legend or “The Good Good Boys” (378). These legends included George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Robert E. Lee. These men were either generals who served in the military ...

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...art, wise, and a good person which makes him a strong sidekick hero for Rick.

Heroes come in all shapes, sizes, and forms. Heroes are not just classified as outlaws or noble heroes, they can be everyday people such as Rick and Herschel from The Walking Dead who made the best of their current situation in order to save others. Rick is the chosen one who will stop at nothing to ensure that the main group, his family, and the rest of the survivors weather the storm and come out of the zombie apocalypse alive. While Herschel is a strong supporting character who is considered a wise sidekick hero who uses his brain and past experiences to help the group. Robert Ray thinks that there are only two types of heroes an official hero and an outlaw but The Walking Dead proves otherwise because Rick and Herschel are far from the narrow classifications Robert describes as heroes.