“Heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary” (Gerard Way). In movies and comics, heroes are depicted as people who wear capes, have superpowers, and save the world. In the real world, heroes can be any person who chooses to be one. Heroes are not born, heroes make themselves. A hero is a common person who goes out of one’s way to make a difference, no matter the size. Although happy endings are not always guaranteed, a hero puts others before oneself, and refuses to quit even if they are setback. A hero's journey does not always conclude with a happy ending. Even if a hero manages to accomplish their task, they can still perish in the end. For example, Abraham Lincoln was the start of something bigger than himself. He played his part in abolishing slavery, and helped many people, yet he lost his life. This did not stop him from being a hero to many. In Lincoln's funeral sermon, Phineas Gurley said, “He is dead: but the God in whom he trusted lives”(Gurley 77). Furthermore, a hero is also the dog who jumps in front of their owner to save them from a bullet. The dog was probably smart enough to realize that it would not live much longer, but the dog did …show more content…
The mother who cares for her sick child and not worrying about becoming ill is a hero. She puts her child's needs before her own to make sure the child will be alright. Ana, a wife and mother, fights a disease that is slowly killing her everyday, but she still finds time to love and care for her children and husband. When Ana’s daughter Monica is talking about her mother she says, “Day after day my mother has the strength to be a mother to me. She is my counselor, my teacher, and my best friend, even through her pain” (An Everyday Hero 48). Monica knows how much her mother is suffering, but Ana still finds a way to be everything to her daughter she was before the disease, and Monica notices and appreciates this. In
Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher and scientist, conveys, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom”. In other words, Aristotle states that the gaining of self-knowledge provides an individual with the ability to know one’s personal gifts and accountabilities. To start one’s adult life a person must pursue the journey of self-discovery to learn in depth about their skills and weaknesses. Individuals must find themselves through the limitations and ordeals that they face during their voyage for self-awareness. For example, in Tim O’Brien’s short story, “On the Rainy River”, the narrator shares his story about self-discovery. O’Brien looks back into his past, to the time when he was called to serve in the Vietnam War. O’Brien’s initial
Watching a film, one can easily recognize plot, theme, characterization, etc., but not many realize what basic principle lies behind nearly every story conceived: the hero’s journey. This concept allows for a comprehensive, logical flow throughout a movie. Once the hero’s journey is thoroughly understood, anyone can pick out the elements in nearly every piece. The hero’s journey follows a simple outline. First the hero in question must have a disadvantaged childhood. Next the hero will find a mentor who wisely lays out his/her prophecy. Third the hero will go on a journey, either literal or figurative, to find him/herself. On this journey the hero will be discouraged and nearly quit his/her quest. Finally, the hero will fulfill the prophecy and find his/herself, realizing his/her full potential. This rubric may be easy to spot in epic action films, but if upon close inspection is found in a wide array of genres, some of which are fully surprising.
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.
Joseph Campbell made himself one of the chief authorities on how mythology works when he published his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. In this book, Campbell describes what he believes to be the monomyth, known as “The Hero’s Journey.” Campbell wrote that this monomyth, the basic structure of all heroic myth, has three basic stages, which in turn have subcategories themselves. The heroic story of Katniss Everdeen, told in the movie Hunger Games, follows Campbell’s monomyth outline quite well.
The Hero’s Journey is an ancient archetype that we find throughout our modern life and also, in the world of literature.Whether metaphorical or real, the journey that a character goes on shows not only the incredible transformation of the hero but it also gives them their life meaning. It is the ultimate human experience and it reflects on every aspect of life. Take Logan, also known as Wolverine, from the X-Men movie as an example. His adventure starts with “The Call,” which is the first step of the Hero’s Journey. This step happens due to the realization of imbalance and injustice that the character has in their life. Logan steps into the first stage of the pattern but is hesitant to start his adventure because he does not know what and
Since the creation of the universe humans is not the only one who has stepped on earth. Centuries before the discovery of science monsters have ruled all four corners of the world and demons ranking the highest on their hierarchy, while humans cower in fear of being livestock one hero stand amongst them all.
The hero's journey is the typical path the hero in a mythological adventure follows and is typically characterized by certain key stages. In the Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf, the hero's journey can be characterized through a valiant warrior as he quells evil and protects his people but the hero's journey does not necessarily require itself to be seen through the eyes of a inherently righteous man. A few hundred years later writers still made great use of the hero's journey in their writing but from a different perspective. Christopher Marlowe's 16th century work, Doctor Faustus, follows another form of the hero's journey, the flip side of Beowulf, as one sells his soul to the devil and pursues more evil desires. While both protagonists are entirely different they both remarkably follow the same journey of showing a great division over time in what one might consider to be a hero.
Recently, students of Olympian High School have stumbled upon the question, "What is a hero?" In the school's 2013 Young Minds Essay Contest, students are expected to consider universal concerns and ideas. Many times when people think of a hero, they think of Superman, Batman, and many other Marvel characters who display unattainable superpowers. However, heroes are prevalent throughout the world. A hero can be anyone who has the desire to help others, brave in dangerous situations, and does not look at exterior gain from helping others.
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
Overall, hero stories endure because they are entertaining and allow readers to escape from everyday lifes pain and sorrow. Hero journeys bring creativity and imagination to life as the readers embark on the journey rights alongside the characters. The readers could be the soldiers, the princess, the monster, or even the hero, but each time the book is opened the readers are transported into the story. While reading the book everyday problems cease to exist. How could someone be worrying about the boy that likes them when their whole village is about to be destroyed by a dragon?
“The journey of the hero is about the courage to seek the depths; the image of creative rebirth; the eternal cycle of change within us; the uncanny discovery that the seeker is the mystery which the seeker seeks to know. The hero journey is a symbol that binds, in the original sense of the word, two distant ideas, and the spiritual quest of the ancients with the modern search for identity always the one, shape-shifting yet marvelously constant story that we find.” (Phil Cousineau) The Hero's Journey has been engaged in stories for an immemorial amount of time. These stories target typical connections that help us relate to ourselves as well as the “real world”.
Throughout life, one decides who is considered a hero. The choosing of a hero can be anywhere from a fireman, police officer or even the ordinary mailman. Either way a hero is someone looking to make a difference in this world. Through “The Red Convertible”, “The Ranch Girl, and “Superman and Me”, three different perspectives of heroes are seen. Heroes are chosen through beliefs of the people, but this can vary on opinions by different perspectives. Heroes are decided by the people, and in the end that hero will be there to save the day.
Once upon a time in a land not so far away, there lived a person who would change the face of the earth. Their ideas and their actions could revolutionize the way the world works. That person is you and that person is me. Each of us have gifts that enable us to be the heroes of our own stories, but if we play our cards right, we could help many others reach their happily ever after. Heroes are ordinary people that go on a journey to rid the land of problems that defile it. They come in different shapes and sizes, a hero could be a missionary or someone close to you, but what unites them is that they don’t just sit in a tower, waiting for someone to save them. Instead they go out and create positive change in the world.
Hero’s gives us hope that there can be a choice other than the selfish one, that there is a reason to take the more difficult way. Why do we need superheroes? Because without them society is lost in despair. Kurtis Mathews explores the creation of the archetypal hero and societies frequent demand for them.
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.