A hero can be anyone, short or tall, big or small, and not necessarily empowered with super abilities. Heroes can be someone to look up to for their acts, and personalities, in the case of Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel Extremely Loud and Incredible Close Oskar Schell is the unlikely hero. He exemplifies traits associated with the common hero like courage, as he enters into scenarios that under normal circumstances he would never dare confront. While also being slightly untraditional in the sense that he is only nine years old and suffering from depression as result of the loss of his father, and other ailments. Throughout Oskar’s journey he becomes molded into a stronger person as he comes to closure near the end of the novel thanks to those he encounters along his path. While not your average Odysseus, Oskar Schnell sure is deserving of the title …show more content…
One example being when he finally comes to terms with his mother over the day his father died, and how see told him his “Dad would have been proud” (Foer 323) for going on and searching for the answer. Another example of his evolution a character is when Abby Black contacts him once again about the whereabouts of his father’s lock he takes public transit without a second guess, something he would have avoided at all costs due to his previous concerns about terror attacks, like the one that took his father. As Oskar paced through his excursion he slowly flourished out of his introvert based lifestyle, which many would have considered out of the norm. All in all, Oskar the victim of fates wheel comes out on top as the hero in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Being the unconventional hero he is, someone most people would just pass by on the street, manage to beat the odds and through perseverance, and courage he meet his
A hero, is someone who rises out of the ordinary, and enters the extraordinary, whether on purpose or by mistake, heroes are people who can be related and looked up to. Heroes can come in many different shapes and sizes one of which is Scott Hudson, from Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie, written and published in 2005 by David Lubar. Scott is a boy about to enter high school. On the night before his first day of ninth grade, Scott finds out his mother is having another baby. With his life about to change in every way, Scott must to rise up to the challenges presented to him and face them head on. Another hero who overcame the ordinary is Max from Sharkboy and lavagirl, released in 2005 and directed by Robert Rodriguez. Max is a lonely boy whose world is collapsing around him. To cope with his crumbling world he turns to his dream planet of Planet Drool. But when his dreams come to life he must rise up and save his dream world. The outline these heroes follow in
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Being a hero doesn’t mean you are invincible. It just means you’re brave enough to stand up and do what’s needed. In the historical fiction novel, “Crispin: The Cross of Lead” by Avi, 13 year old Crispin, who is now an orphan after the death of his mother, is forced to flee his village after being accused of stealing and is to be killed. He comes across a man who helps him along his quest and faces many overwhelming challenges.
Everyone has their own perception on what defines a hero; some may argue that they exhibit characteristics such as honesty or courage, while others may think that heroes have special power. Our society may have changed the values in which we associate heroes with, but one thing seems to have never changed: the main character of the book turns out as the hero. In my analyst, Holden Caulfield, the protagonist in The Catcher in the Rye, is put on trial as we see through our own eyes how Caulfield can not be considered a hero in modern society.
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.
In Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Oskar Schell can be seen confronting several different types of trials, some of these being man versus man conflicts, and others being man versus self. One of the major man vs. man trials Oskar faces throughout the course of the book is in the form of the noticeable and consistent bullying he takes because of his awkward personality and odd quirks. Kids like Jimmy Snyder can be seen exploiting Oskar’s social shortcomings verbally, and even being ready to turn towards physical bullying (Foer 189-192). As Oscar is not the knight in shining armor, he rarely stands up for himself, instead fantasizing about actions he would like to take and follows that up by saying, “that’s what I wanted to do. Instead I just shrugged my shoulders” (Foer 203). Throughout the course of the story, Oskar also faces many internal conflicts. The death of his father has left Oskar traumatized giving him fears of taking showers and getting into elevators…people with mustaches, smoke, knots, tall buildings, and turbans” (Foer 36). As Oskar continues on his quest, he eventually comes face to face with many of his fears, and is forced to confront and ultimately overcome them. Oskar’s final and arguably most daunting challenge is facing his own inner demons in regards to the death of his father. A year after his father’s passing, he has
“Nothing is beautiful and true” (Foer, 43). Oskar tells this to his mom towards the beginning of the novel, and it is a surprisingly depressing and haunting thought for a the average nine year-old to have, let alone vocalize to an adult so off-hand. The reader could use this quote to show how Oskar’s worldview has changed since the death of his father. With is loss of innocence comes a darke...
What is a hero? Is it a character who has immense strength and is admired for his or her outstanding achievements in situations that are different from what normal life is like? After World War I, many young boys thought that participating in a war was a rite of passage, a way of becoming men. They looked up to their fathers and grandfathers as “heroes” who fought for their country, and they wanted to become just like them. When World War II began, those boys believed this was their chance to become just like their heroes by fighting for their country. If they survived, they would be considered heroes upon their return.
A hero is a man who, in the opinion of others, is greatly admired for his brave deeds and fine qualities. A hero is a man who, in the opinion of others, is greatly admired for his brave deeds and fine qualities. In Schindler’s List directed by Steven Spielberg, Oskar Schindler is regarded as a great hero amongst many Jews regardless of the fact that he is a German Nazi, because he saves the generations and lives of 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust. The Holocaust was the systematic mass murder of about 6 million Jews and millions of others during World War II that was taken place in Nazi Concentration Camps, under the German Nazi regime. In the midst of this brutal time period, Oskar Schindler finds the heart to undergo a change from being the mere pragmatic, rich man to becoming the virtuous, good man who helps save Jews. But rather than a benefactor, Oskar Schindler was more of a self-motivator who set goals upon his own visions and dreams, and one who undertook goals to have them achieved into reality. We see this characteristic in Schindler being brought forth when he works toward his goal in becoming rich, when he influences some of his self motivation on Goeth, and when Schindler approaches toward his newly changed goal in saving Jews.
The concept of heroism has been explored by every author in every generation of writing. The earliest heroes were “self” described heroes that existed within Greek mythology and gained the actual title “Hero” by completing feats that, while they were humanly possible, were only accomplishable by those at peak human form, both physically and mentally. For as long as heroism has been used in literature, and spoken word, they have all had the common theme of humanity. The most prominent heroes were all human, some were “underdog” heroes starting at a disadvantage, some were a manifestation, or reflection, of the average person of the time, and yet others were supposed to represent the peak of humanity. The hero embodies the ideals of the society but is often helpless at the hands of fate.
real reason he got blind. He knows that seeing the eclipse without protection wasn't the
Denial and anger are the first two stages of the grieving process. Denial is the step in the process that delays the emotions that accompany grief. Denial is first shown by the way Oskar and his mother, when his father Thomas does not return home...
A hero is generally understood to be a noble individual that is known for their admirable qualities or actions. The characteristics that make up the concept of a hero differ according to the ideas of the philosophers Soren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche. While a hero’s connection to religion and faith is extremely important in Kierkegaard’s eyes, Nietzsche believes that an individual who seeks the truth and enlightenment should be considered a hero.
Hero’s come in all shapes and sizes. They can be fictional or nonfictional. Maybe a hero is a child or
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.
A highly esteemed childhood development philosopher, Erik Erikson believed that the personality of a child develops in a series of stages, and in each stage children experienced crucial events that affected ones development. These events either impacted that child’s development in a good or poor way. Relationships are pivotal in all of Erikson’s stages as it can start to form ones personality, which helps one grow in the future. In Erik Erikson’s fourth stage, competence, children develop self-confidence by interacting with peers and people. Likewise, Alice undergoes this stage in Through the Looking Glass. Alice develops these skills as she socializes with the many characters in the story, leading her and giving her lessons to help her on