Essay on Heroes in Western Film

Heroes willfully put their own life in the place of someone else’s. In other words, a hero risks their life for another person because they wish to benefit the society they live in. This creates a more superior society for the

because he proved his loyalty to Mr. Keating by standing up to Cameron’s accusations of Mr.

A hero, “a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character”(“Hero”). A hero shows much more than honor and glory, they sacrifice their own life to selflessly help out the lives of others. By having heroes it gives us hope, wisdom, and justice throughout the nation. The three main types of heroes include an epic hero, superhero, and your own personal hero. These heroes show that it 's more than the cape or armour they wear, they show the true meaning of a hero by defining sacrifice, loyalty, and determination.

The concept of a hero has been around for many generations, and the meaning of a hero is defined in ways people grasp its idea. A hero can be a person who has a superpower and is willing to make a personal sacrifice for the benefit of others or can be an ordinary everyday person who just wants to help people out of his or her own heart. Linda Seger’s article, “Creating the Myth,” tackles the idea of a “Hero 's Myth,” and shows the ten steps of how heroes are transformed from an ordinary person to the Savior. On the other hand, Robert B. Ray piece titled, “The Thematic Paradigm,” emphasizes that in modern films, it is either having an “Outlaw Hero or an Official Hero,” which he uses three stages to demonstrates how they are different each other in the way they perform in the society. Further, the article, “Out of Character: Wonder Woman’s Strength Is Her Compassion - What Happened?” by Stevie St. John, explains how Wonder Woman was viewed as a compassionate woman in the 1940s and 1950s, and in the 2000s she changes into a more violent person. In this essay, I argue that a hero is subjective, and is defined by the villain or event that they had to adapt to suddenly.

The term “hero” has many different interpretations for different individuals. In his speech “Heroes”, Tim O’Brien tells his audience how he views a hero and redefines the often dramatized term. He defines a hero as one who knows what a person needs and is willing to give that to them without question. O’Brien accomplishes sharing his argument of what a hero is through the use of appealing to Kairos, diction and syntax.

American Heroes were inspired by Greek Tragic Heroes, yet both are very different from each other, but American Heroes have very similar traits to those who are Contemporary Heroes.  An American Hero is a person who seeks justice and always defeats the enemy which results in all people having the justice they deserve.  American Heroes also tends to protect all and has the tendency to fall in love with the “ damsel in distress”.  This type of hero goes about his daily life, just like anyone else would, until it is time to fight, and at that time, their “supernatural” powers shine through in their fighting techniques.  On the other side, all Tragic Heroes possess a flaw that will change their life from a life of happiness to a life of pain and despair.   Ordinarily, Contemporary Heroes have nearly the same traits as American Heroes.  Contemporary Heroes save and protect many individuals from violence and harm and lives a normal life until they have to face another obstacle.  Both American and Contemporary Heroes are able to celebrate their victories, while Tragic Heroes can not do so because they are not victorious.

separate himself and his family from the community. He also shows courage by again taking the

Everybody has their own version of what a hero is supposed to look like and what they must do to act as a hero, but heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Heroes are defined by how they are able to help under certain circumstances. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr. fought for racial equality in the 60’s, Susan Brownell Anthony fought for the women's right to vote in the 1800’s, Christianity’s Jesus Christ fought to protect humanity for all their sins over 2000 years ago, Luke Skywalker fought the Galactic Empire to restore order for the entire universe a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, and Iron man who fought numerous villains to keep the public safe in popular media. The story of “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. shows how an anti-hero may be the best type of hero in a dystopian setting. This anti-hero is better known as

What is a hero? A hero might not be the flying ,fictitious and fabricated forteller of good that humanity has decided upon. Everyone is the protagonist of their own story therefor a hero could be anyone from any place or time; no matter how strange their circumstances. According to merriam-webster dictionary heroism is an act of great courage. Meaning heroism is facing a great fear while being fully aware of the danger.

Historically American film have been centered on heroes. In Ray’s “The Thematic Paradigm” he states that heroes as have two preset archetypes with certain characteristics. These two archetypes are the family orientated “official hero” and the loner “outlaw hero.” In Segar’s “Creating the Myth” she states that heroes are made by the steps or events that they go through on their way to becoming a hero. This means that to Seger the heroes do not start out as heroes, but as normal people. However, Ray and Seger suggest different ways in which Americans relate to film heroes, they both agree heroes are popular through common experience and relatability.

Usually, when people think of the word ‘hero’, their mind conjures up several images of Superman, Batman, or Spiderman. Most people think of a hero as a steroid-riddled man in a tight suit and a cape, capable of flying, shooting lasers out of their eyes, or using some other kind of superhuman abilities. But a hero in a classic story is a completely different kind of archetype. Archetypal heroes are far from perfect – receiving supernatural help and making fatal flaws. A hero also embarks on an epic journey in which they face many issues, and are often honored after their death.

THE LIFEGUARD: He had influenced McMurphy to start obeying or at least keeping quiet to whatever Big Nurse did. He made McMurphy realize that Big Nurse had control over him and that it was in his best interest to not lash out on her or taunt her. He sparked a change in the way McMurphy acted and he made McMurphy go through that period of being docile which was one of the causes for Cheswick feeling betrayed.

Heroes are those who have gone above what the average person would do to ensure the welfare of others. Natural disasters, terrorism, poverty, and war are some of the many things that destroy and end people’s lives. Throughout history, many people have made a difference. However, as history progresses, what we consider to be socially normal changes along with our definition of a hero. In Ancient Greece, Theseus, Hercules, and Perseus were considered heroes, but today only Theseus and Perseus would be considered heroes because Hercules would be shunned by society.

Heroes are prevalent in everyone’s life. Whether someone’s hero is a living person or a fabled character from a movie, everybody has come into contact with some sort of hero. In fact, the concept of heroes has existed for hundreds of years, dating all the way back to Ancient Greece. Over time, heroes have drastically changed. As society has evolved, our heroes have evolved with it. Their goals and motivations have changed to coincide with the views of modern society. Modern day heroes have less selfish motives, better qualities, and are portrayed differently than ancient heroes.

The hero archetype has prevailed throughout literature and media for thousands of years. This quixotic character completes a quest or expedition with little to no faults. In recent times, the ideal hero archetype is challenged by the untoward anti-hero archetype. Today, the anti-hero is largely represented and featured in recent film and society. The hero archetype is losing prevalence in modern fiction stories due to the increasing demand of the anti-hero.