Essay Signs of Life in the USA

The modern day hero contributes positively to the society; he or she is a role model to different race, age and gender. In Beowulf, the king was in charge of the kingdom and he was obligated to fight with his warriors while the modern day, the President is in charge of the people but he does not fight with them in battle, he sends his soldiers off. Modern day heroes are not out looking for fame or fortune, they operate with great passion and drive to fulfill their dreams; if they get recognized for their great work, it is not publicized, it is done within the confines of the work environment. Modern day heroes do not depend on physical strength, they think of other ways to positively impact the society for example, Philanthropy is a great way to impact change in the community and philanthropist are seen as heroes in the eyes of the people they help. A person who donates his kidney to save

There is no doubt that the popularity of the anti-hero as we know it has increased in recent times. With unlikely, yet popular moral gray protagonists like Jack Bauer, Dexter, and Gregory House leading some of the most popular TV shows and characters like James Bond, Lisbeth Salander, Tyler Durden (from Fight Club), and Jack Sparrow being some of the most memorable in movies, it is not surprising that there has been an increased interest to understand what causes this characters to be so popular (Peter Jonason in et al., 193). What is it that makes them as likeable, if not more, than a normal hero? How come we relate to characters that perform actions that, if done in real life, would cause us to see them in a whole different light?

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.

“It’s not true that there are no heroes anymore…” (Oliver Stone SB 63) Heroes. Today when we hear heroes we think of superheroes with powers. but have we really thought what heroes really are? Heroes are your regular everyday people that work to the best of their abilities to make a difference in the world. A hero is not someone who thinks about themselves but someone who does things that they believe are right and are admired or idealized for their courage.

Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman—what do all these characters have in common? They are all products of the human aspiration to be saved. The word hero is passed around too much these days. A hero is not a football player that scores the game-winning touchdown or the goaltender who saves his team from a loss. A hero is usually an ordinary person that did extraordinary things. A true hero is really never a hero at all; at least not in their own mind. However, there are various cases today in which we see the exact opposites of these characters, the anti-heroes. The anti-hero is one who cannot be classified as a hero, for that said character lacks natural heroic qualities. However, the anti-hero cannot be described as a villain either.

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

An anti-hero is the protagonist of a book that is the opposite of the hero. They are graceless and sometimes stupid. Billy Pilgrim portrays is anti-hero trait and the anti-war point of view when Vonnegut writes, "He had been saving Billy's life for days" (34). Vonnegut is telling how Roland Weary, who hates Billy, has to save him over and over again because he is to stupid to save himself. Also, war is seen as ridiculous because Weary who doesn't even like Billy risks his life to save him just because of his duty to do so.

Without darkness, there is no light. Without cold, there is no hot. Without villain, there is no hero. Who and what dictates a hero? People try not to fathom whom they consider a villain, a hero in someone else’s perspective.

Anti-heroes do not solely exist in the fictional world. There are people in the real world, everyday who fit the anti-hero description. They are… the Mob. In ancient times loyalty was purest form of respect. It was a way of life. One was loyal to his or her family, govern, king, and God. Hand in hand with loyalty, comes the right to revenge. The Mob is one of the few “societies” that has reserved that tradition. For example: when a family member is assassinated, it is not only the right, but also the duty of the surviving family to avenge that death. This loyalty to one’s own, coupled with the fierce determination to protect them, are incredibly heroic qualities. Organized crime families are oohed and ahhed by the press and pop culture, and have their own fans. While these people are not ideal role models, they possess heroic qualities worthy of aspiration.

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.

Many people view heroes with unrealistic traits, but as more books are evolving to fit the expectations of modern society, the image of the hero is changing. The original hero character was a person given extraordinary abilities to prevail against all odds despite any situation. Due to events happening in today's society, we have a more realistic view on the world which has affected the reputation of the hero. Many writers are now depicting heroes within everyday people that have flawed traits. With the evolution of fiction, events happening that are affecting the portrayal of heroes, the hero character is losing prevalence.

Almost every movie or television series has a protagonist and an antagonist. These two characters perpetuate the dichotomy of good versus evil and, more times than not, good prevails. This format provides the go-to recipe for movies, shows, video games, books, theatrical productions, and most other forms of entertainment. However, there are sometimes characters who can be considered neither the protagonist or the antagonist. They drive the plot of the story as the main character, but also commit actions that are morally questionable and cannot be considered acceptable for a protagonist. These characters are commonly known as anti-heroes and they happen to be my favorite type of character. One of my very favorite anti-heroes is a man named Francis

As each day my surroundings broaden, I feel more desolated as my family members are being lacerated and decimated. I am a living organism in the Plantae kingdom. Humans, animals, and even some wild plant such as the Sarracenia can defend themselves, Darwin wrote The Origin of Life in 1859. In that book, he explains the process of natural selection and survival of the fittest. From the awakening of the second industrial revolution of the 19th century, more and more deforestation has this planet faced. An estimated of 18 million acres of forest, which is roughly the size of the country of Panama, are lost each year, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization.

The original hero archetype greatly contrasts the modern anti-hero archetype. A hero is someone who displays little to no flaws and is widely liked by the majority. This character presents its storyline with exceptional traits. The anti-hero archetype is completely opposite of the hero archetype. “Unlike the traditional hero who is morally upright and steadfast, the anti-hero usually has a flawed moral character” (Michael). Modern anti-heroes lack in grace, power, and social success (Neimneh). They deal with issues and insecurities such as alcoholism and infidelity (Michael). Anti-heroes make unpleasant moral compromises, in contrast to the desired, in order to reach something. They want to create order where it is impossible and put the protagonist to ‘justice’. Traditional hero characters often succeed when trying to complete their quests, which contrasts the extremely grimm success rate of anti-hero victory. Anti-heroes also do not let their inner thoughts influence their actions while original or traditional heroes seek self-definition (Teleky). Traditional hero characters often succeed when trying to complete their quests, which contrasts the extremely grimm success rate of anti-hero victory. The faultless ways of the hero archetype sets it apart from people in society, making it extremely unrelatable to the mass amount of humans today, allowing the anti-hero archetype to prevail through.

An anti hero is said to have flaws, he is gritty, and he often looks for redemption or for his own revenge satisfaction and sometimes for the greater good of society. One more significant point is that unlike tragic hero who thinks of what is a right or a moral thing to do at times, an anti hero does what appears to be right to him. He is often misunderstood by the society; he could perhaps be called as a noble criminal or a vigilante and their mostly motives are fulfilled by breaking the law a.k.a “the ends justify the means”. The last characteristic of an anti hero is his increased moral complexities and rejection of traditional