Scott Latarge Why Heroes Are Important

80 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Essay on heroism

Heroism: Why Heroes are Important is a short essay by Scott LaBarge. In the essay, LaBarge is the narrator and tells a story his choice of becoming a philosopher. Inspiration came from one of his hero’s, Henry David Thoreau. Through the essay, LaBarge reveals what message the reader should learn. He not only informs the reader, but persuades them to think deeply and research who a hero is by using historical background information, an intended original audience, and emotional appeals.

Show More
Related

  • How Atticus Finch and Elie Wiesel Demonstrate Heoric Actions Unintentionally

    556 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to Umberto Eco, “The real hero is always a hero by mistake….” In other words, one doesn’t act heroic as a lifestyle, but by surprise when the time comes to do so. To be heroic means to put others before you in a desperate time of someone else’s despair. Two works of literature that agree with the critical lens are the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee and the memoir, Night, by Elie Wiesel. Atticus Finch and Elie Wiesel both demonstrate heroic actions unintentionally.

    Read More

  • Elie Wiesel: A Hero's Journey Monomyth

    819 Words  | 2 Pages

    Some people are born to be heroes. Some people may be forgotten heroes. Some people are born not to be heroes at all. In ways they are similar and in some ways they are different. John Campbell’s Hero’s Journey Monomyth shows the certain stages that a hero would traditionally go through to be qualified as a hero. Elie Wiesel is not a monomyth hero, because he does not follow the correct steps and does not hit enough steps to be considered a monomythic hero.

    Read More

  • 'The Hero Myth In O Connor Lassiter's Unwind'

    589 Words  | 2 Pages

    Humanity has created this “universal story” of what a hero is, or at least the myth of it, time and again. Different tasks and encounters with a variety of villains all lead the hero to the prize, to a new life (Seger). This person deemed the hero is as ordinary as the next but what makes them different is the drastic test that they must face. Individuals admire this character because the hero stands for something, something bigger than themselves. Whether it be the compassionate act of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games or the death of the oldest brother in Brother Bear, as an outsider, an individual sees the human side of these heroes and relates. Connor Lassiter from Unwind by Neal Shusterman is an ideal example of the myth due to the

    Read More

  • Scott Labarge's Heroism: Why Heroes Are Important

    686 Words  | 2 Pages

    Who is your hero? Many of us can clearly picture our idea of our personal hero in our head, but is the person you consider to be a hero really a hero by definition? In Heroism: Why Heroes are Important, Scott LaBarge, a Classics and Philosophy Professor at Santa Clara University, awakens your thoughts on the word heroism and how it has changed since its origins in ancient Greece. Throughout his essay, he goes in depth into the term ‘hero’ and compares it to society’s take on heroes today. Although LaBarge uses examples to back up his stance that “Today, it is much harder to detach the concept of heroism from morality (LaBarge. 1),” his essay contains flaws and he contradicts his own words.

    Read More

  • Epic Heroes Compared: Achilles, Sundiata and Rama

    770 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Comparing the Hero in Sophocles' Oedipus the King, Homer's Odyssey, and Tan's Joy Luck Club

    2135 Words  | 5 Pages

    Tracy, Stephen V., The story of the Hero. Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, c1990.  PA4167 .T7 1990

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis: Why Heroes Are Important

    901 Words  | 2 Pages

    Are heroes important? This is the question that Scott LaBarge, a philosophy professor at Santa Clara University, tackles in his article “Heroism: Why Heroes are Important.” He encourages teachers, parents, and students to realize that heroes are tremendously significant in society by using references to factual and historical details, personal association, and various examples of different types of heroes. LaBarge effectively uses the rhetorical appeals of ethos, logos, and kairos to convince his audience that heroes are important.

    Read More

  • Not Always the Hero

    2022 Words  | 5 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Gatsby’s Quest For True Love

    1513 Words  | 4 Pages

    “The Hero’s Journey.” Ariane Publications, 1997. Course handout. AS English I. Dept. of English, Woodside High School. 26 October 2013.

    Read More

  • Humanity's Heroes: Heroification

    1310 Words  | 3 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • The Heros Journey: A Hero's Journey

    1131 Words  | 3 Pages

    Joseph Campbell defines a hero as “someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself” (Moyers 1). The Hero’s Journey consists of three major parts: the separation, the initiation, and the return. Throughout a character’s journey, they must complete a physical or spiritual deed. A physical deed involves performing a daunting and courageous act that preserves the well-being of another person. A spiritual deed calls for action that improves another individual’s state of mind.

    Read More

  • Gilgamesh: A Mythical Hero

    855 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Mystery Of Heroism Analysis

    192 Words  | 1 Pages

    In life, there could be multiple ideas on what heroism really mean. Many people would be curious about what it would take for them to become a hero. In the short story “The Mystery of Heroism” by Stephen Crane, a young union soldier’s name Fred Collins, who is engaging in a devastated war, decided to take a risk of running across a raging battlefield in order to retrieve water from a well for his fellow soldiers. Collins reveal the essence of bravery and courage by endangering his life to retrieve water for his fellow soldiers but at the same time he also did it to assist himself. Collins wants to prove to all of his company that he is brave enough to take risks. As a result, Collins demonstrates that his heroic actions is based on whether

    Read More

  • How Heroes Have Changed

    1291 Words  | 3 Pages

    Wilhelm, Jeffrey D., et al. A Brief History of Heroes. 2004. Glencoe Literature. New York: Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2009. 69-72. Print.

    Read More

  • The Definition of a Hero

    562 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

More about Scott Latarge Why Heroes Are Important

Open Document