Hero As A True Hero

Since long ago, people carried an image of what it means to be a hero. It is evident in some great books one might even say. As in The Epic of Gilgamesh, Antigone, and The Iliad, heroism is displayed and exalted, but what does being a hero mean? Overarchingly, in regards to these works, the heroes earn their titles as heroes by notably doing what is right when the time is right, with humane purpose, and an everlasting message. However, Gilgamesh, Antigone, and Akhilleus, being different in their purposes, everlasting messages, type of heroism as whole, can not compare in regards to heroic status.

“Hero.” When many people her this word, they think of people with superpowers and cape like Superman and Batman, who are actually “superheroes”. To be a hero, you don’t have to been gifted with supernatural abilities, or even natural talent; you just need to do right thing and/or help others, whether it be saving them from a burning building or cheering them up in their time of need. Heroes can come from anywhere, and even greasers or hoodlums can be heroes. Despite coming from rough neighborhoods and being shunned by society, not all greasers are law-breaking criminals. Take the greasers from S. E. Hinton’s book The Outsiders for example. Many of them could be considered heroes for their good deeds and heroic personalities. That is why I believe three of the greasers from The Outsiders, Dally, Ponyboy, and Johnny, despite looking like criminals, are actually heroes in many ways.

A hero can teach many life lessons, morals and various other things. A hero is someone who can be seen as a role model or hope to people. A view of a hero is different to everyone. A hero can save someone from a fire, they can be there to give support or even enlighten people. My heroes may differ from another person writing this same paper. The title hero is given to people for multiple reasons.

As Thomas Paine once said, “The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection”. Through most recent generations, the word “heroic” is thrown around to a certain extent. At one time, heroes were naturally born into key figures, glorified through fame. Beowulf's’ nobility provides his key success towards being born into a hero. As for Oedipus, he had also been born into aristocracy by his father's legacy. Today’s concept of heroism is a concern for people in need—an involvement to defend a moral cause, the possibility of personal risk, done without the expectation of a reward. [In the fictional myths of both Oedipus the King and Beowulf, eccentric heroes prove their personal necessities in characterizing the importance of a culture; However, the current society’s tragic hero is one that often combats through the fear of bravery and the greater good of others.]

When labeling a hero, society seeks out certain traits or variables they find important to fulfill this job. “We look not only to public figures, but we look more broadly across culture, for the kind of values that we think are important during a time of crisis” (Cannon). The modern day hero has evolved based on the needs of the people of the time. For example, in the year 1200, war was fought by man-to-man combat resulting in great warriors to be viewed as heroes. However, in today’s society, the requirement of a hero has changed. We depict them based on the lives they have saved and how they have accomplished that deed. Many times, martyrs are considered heroes because they have died for the people they have protected, but not all heroes come face to face with war. They may be off site hidden from the battle grounds, while still fighting for our lives. Two outstanding heroes in history are Beowulf, King of the Danes, and Achilles, an important warrior in the Trojan

“The nation needs heroes because in a time of war, leadership itself is so critical” (Cannon). Heroes were once ones who were considered big and strong. Now heroes are not always the ones who meet that standard made. They are ones who are behind computer screens making things happen and saving lives. In the story “Beowulf”, the character Beowulf was a legendary hero who later became the king after his father had passed away. He comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the King of Danes when the mead hall was under attack by Grendal. In the second story “The Iliad”, Achilles the son of Peleus and Thetis. He was very independent person fighting for the good in life. He left the control of Agamemnon to create his own army to fight. He was one of the main

Today, some of the Greek’s values are still applicable, but as culture has evolved so has society’s outlook on heroes. A Modern day hero is not usually royal or an offspring of a god, and he may not be as physically robust as the Greek warriors, but he still must be superior in character, motivation, intelligence, and altruism to be admired. Modern heroes are characters that are uncompromising in their beliefs, motivated to make a difference in humanity, certain of their actions, and unmoved by detriments to their character. Modern heroes are people like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Susan B. Anthony; they all are ordinary on the exterior, but their actions and insight changed the modern world forever. A modern interpretation of heroism cannot always relate to characters created almost 3000 years ago, so a hybrid of the ancient and modern values is necessary in order to be applicable to an ancient character. A character from ancient

What does the word heroic mean to you? What pops into your mind? For me when I think of the word heroic, I think of my dad. My dad has always supported me on all my decisions and he is alway reliable. Not only does my dad supports me on everything, he is also very understanding and humble. He has always been loving and patient, not only with me, but with the small town of Manton. He also goes out of his way to make others feel good before himself.

In a time when dishonesty, greed, and crime are at its peak, it seems as if heroes have just ceased to exist. However, to those who think that the very concept of a hero exists, it seems that opinion decides it all. To many, a hero is seen as one who saves lives, commits deeds that make him reside in the minds and hearts of people. But the true hero sometimes may just be behind the curtains, writing, planning, or thinking of ideas that could revolutionize the world. Are heroes just physically strong, or is there a mental strength that also exists among those heroes? A hero is one who practices sacrifice, dedication, while maintaining a level of their credibility, no matter to what extent did they risk their lives.

A hero can be many different types of people and have many different qualities. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a hero as a person admired for achievements and noble qualities. Tom Hanks said “A hero is somebody who voluntarily walks into the unknown”. Heroes are strong and courageous, but they can also be quite and work behind the scenes. Eleanor Roosevelt once said “We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up... discovering we have the strength to stare it down.” Eric Blehm portrays many different heroes in his novel. Some are obvious heroes, but some of them are low key and stay behind the scenes. Throughout the novel Fearless there are many heroes;

When the word "hero" is spoken, everyone has different thoughts. Some will think of super powers like flying and saving people from villains; while others have a certain person they know or have heard of that come to mind who have done something to make a difference in the lives of others but who is a hero to you? To answer this question you must first ask yourself what a hero is; what comes to your mind when someone says the word. When I am confronted with these questions I always have the same thoughts; smart, strong will power, and someone who stands up for what they believe is right.

Christopher Reeve, a man of many hats once said, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” To me, this is the true definition of a hero, and nobody fits this description better than my mother. To elaborate, I guess I will start at the beginning. My whole life, my dad worked at UPS. Yes, he was indeed a hard worker and wanted to provide us with as much as he could; however, we hardly spent any time with him. My mother stayed at home with my sister and I until we both went to grade school. She then got a job doing what she loved: teaching. She taught kindergarten at a local church program. Everything was perfect in my world. However, as they say, ignorance is bliss. Too young to see what was happening, I couldn’t see that my mother’s was anything but. I later learned that my dad had cheated on my mom many times and he constantly ridiculed her intellectual and physical state. She gave him all she had, but he took it all for granted. When I was around the age of seven, my dad suffered from a hernia and, being the rash thinker that he is, he “retired” from UPS. Or that is what my sister and I were told. In reality, my father was taking part in some detrimental extracurriculars. After failing a surprise drug test at work, he quit. If he would have sucked up his pride, and owned up to his mistakes, his employer was willing to provide the help he needed and continue to employ him. He then could have worked

Today, we define a “hero” as someone who is revered for his or her noble qualities, just actions, and bravery. Compare this to the definition of a “hero” in ancient mythology, where most heroes lack what we define as heroic qualities. While there are similarities between the modern and ancient definitions (i.e. “sacrifice, trustworthiness, devotion to one's community”), the classifications diverge in this idea of the “good, virtuous” hero.

What it means to be a hero is to be able to use your strength to protect others. Plus, they should be witty, in order to talk their way out of tough situations.

Growing up we all have our heroes, and I was no different. I grew up in a family who loved superheroes and all things nerdy, so I was obviously exposed to that aspect of a hero at a young age. But I also grew up watching Animal Planet and with a father who is an animal behaviorist. So ever since I was very young I was surrounded by animals and was fascinated by anyone who worked with them. Because of this the two most prominent heroes I remember from my childhood were both complete opposites, but still inspired me and influenced my growing up and even who I am today. The heroes of my childhood are no less my heroes now that I have grown up. Add how they are still your heroes