Anti Heroes Research Paper

Some decades ago, America’s Hollywood film industry heavily relied on the influence and popularity of stereotypical heroes and villains for their movies. Following the traditional qualities and traits of good versus evil, the films resonated with Americans who could look up to their favorite heroes or villains. However, since the turn of the 21st century, there has been a surge of anti-heroes within Hollywood films and TV. Characters such as Breaking Bad’s Walter White, Dexter’s Dexter Morgan, or Marvel’s Deadpool all embody this anti-hero idea. It is important to note that these TV shows and films have all received high praise for their work, awards, and critically acclaimed to be some of the greatest screenplays in the last few years.

Therefore, it is safe to assume that anti-heroes are a better representation of what might a real life hero may be. In the article “Creating the Myth” by Linda Seger, she explains why society connects or identifies with a hero. For example, Seger states; “They deal with the basic journey we take in life. We identify with the heroes because we were once heroic (descriptive) or because we wish we could do what the hero does (prescriptive)” (Seger 335). Society identifies with the character and intuitively recognizes the story as having some connection with an individual’s life. These characters share the same premise of life’s journey that the rest of society shares as well. Seeing these heroes or villains do things that society can’t is what makes them so easy to like and so attractive, it plays on society’s guilty pleasures. In another article titled “Why We Love TV’s Anti-heroes” by Stephen Garrett, he states that society is slowly changing and that there is no longer any pure “heroes”. For example, Garrett asserts; “The heroes of today are radically different from those of two or three decades ago. They have evolved to represent a radically changed world… There are no more heroes, only – at best – anti-heroes. That is the way of the world” (Garrett 321). Society has slowly changed to only appeal to heroes that share the same imperfections as society itself. This is evident in the politicians, business leaders, sport stars, etc. Society has essentially become bored with true good and evil, thus making complex characters more relatable by adding imperfections or negative