...Hero Essay English 9 Mr. Castellano Our next major writing assignment is to write an essay about someone you consider to be a hero. We are doing this essay now because it coincides nicely with our reading of The Odyssey. As we have discussed in class, Odysseus is the archetypal Western hero: brave, strong, clever, quick-thinking, steadfast. The list could go one. My point is that as we read about this ancient and, I believe, still relevant hero I want you to think and write about someone who is a hero to you. This should be a fun assignment. I am sure you have heard all too often that there are no more heroes today, that everyone we look up to is corrupt and will ultimately disillusion us. I whole heartedly disagree. Heroes are everywhere we look: we just need to look. (In a book I read this Summer, one of the characters says, “We find what we look for.”) Heroes can be people we know personally and people we have only heard about. Here are only a few suggestions: Jesus Christ, St. Francis, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., Barack Obama, Captain Chesley Sullenberger, your Mom or Dad, an athlete, coach, teacher, or friend. Again, the list goes on. Just thinking about and planning this essay (as well as writing it, of course) will be a good exercise in recognizing how many heroes you have – how many people strive for high ideals and live virtuous lives. They’re there: look for them. Part of this essay will include what you define as...
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...Definition Essay 06 September 2012 Definition Essay The key principals of heroism are courage, selflessness and a lasting impact. To some people that can mean a person admired for their achievements, to others it could be a renowned warrior. A hero to me is someone who shows great courage and puts others before themself but expects nothing in return. It is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as a mythical or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability. Often heroes are portrayed as male figures in films and stories usually depicting warrior- like traits. Some dilute heroism when they attribute it to celebrities, giving them hero recognition when in reality they’re job is to entertain. Some illustrious political figures are also admired for their stature, sometimes being thought of as heroes. Many religions hold mere men as demigods or magnates. All of these fail the true definition of heroism in my eyes. Heroes can be described as someone who is able to resist fear. An individual who does a courageous act doesn’t necessarily have to affect society as a whole but can definitely change the lives of those involved. They’re putting themselves at risk, or using their resources purely to help someone else in need. These people may not get media attention, or be praised by hundreds of people, but they have certainly made a lasting impression on people’s lives. A hero, in Greek Mythology or folklore, was originally described as a demigod...
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...or community. Sometimes acting courageously requires someone to speak out at the risk of such rejection. We should consider those who do so true heroes. Should heroes be defined as people who say what they think when we ourselves lack the courage to say it? Plan and write an essay blah blah blah, etc. A hero can be anyone- someone who fights crime, one who stands up for another, and maybe even one who silently defends. In my opinion, and Im sure many would agree, a hero is one who defends, protects, and stands up for what he/she believes in. Whether they have braved physical danger or not, heroes come in all different types, include those who protect with words over actions. Therefore, a hero should also be defined as one who says what he/she thinks when others lack the courage. One of the finest examples of this is the ever famous black woman Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery bus in the times of racial segregation. Parks did what many other blacks were unable to do and stood up for her beliefs , that a black woman is no different than a white woman. She was spurned by the entire community of whites, yet she stuck to her beliefs and brought about change. To this day, she is hailed as a hero, even though she did not brave physical danger. Parks stood up for her beliefs when others lacked the courage to do so and is definitely a true American hero. Another example of a hero comes from a renowned piece of American literature, To...
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...Arthur Miller wrote his essay titled “Tragedy and the Common Man” in 1949. This essay explains Miller’s definition of a tragic hero as well as why a common man has as much ability to be the hero of a tragedy as someone of nobility. The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller in 1953 that dramatizes the Salem witch trials of the late seventeenth century in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In the play, the town of Salem falls into hysteria after Reverend Parris finds his daughter, niece, and their friends dancing in the woods with his slave Tituba. The young girls claim they have been bewitched by people in the town to avoid punishment, although, the punishment then comes for the accused regardless of their innocence. A vital character to the...
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...in books and movies are really that extraordinary? Could these characters truly be more than just an ordinary person? Are we, as real people and not figments of literature, capable of making the same changes we see them make? The answer can simply be a yes. If that is all it takes to sate your curiosity you can stop reading now. If you want to learn how heroism is part of our nature, then I suggest you continue on. I'll be attempting to determine what are the true makings of a hero. By the end you might even discover that we can all be heroes as well. So how might we define a hero? Well, if we were to google the definition of the word, we'll find that a hero is a term for a submarine sandwich. As delicious as that might be, it doesn't help much. The next one tells us that a hero is “the principal character of a play or story”. A little warmer, but a little too broad for our terms here. Dictionary.com gives us our answer. They define a hero as “a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal.“ Now that we know what a hero is considered etymologically, how does this apply to ourselves or the people we meet every day? Mark Twain provides an option for heroes in his 1901 essay The United States of Lyncherdom. “Why does it lift no hand or voice in protest? Only because it would be unpopular to do it, I think; each man is afraid of his neighbor's disapproval – a thing which, to the general run of...
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...1 - Character must be of noble/high stature 2 - Hubris (tragic flaw) - pride blinds them 3 - Downfall 4 - Enlightenment (near the end of the play) 5 - Their death Someone of high position; in this time period, that meant royalty. He is 'universal,' meaning that everyone everywhere can relate to the kinds of problems or sufferings or emotions that the hero experiences. He has a 'tragic flaw' - this could be a personality trait (like greed, lust, ambition, jealousy, etc.), OR an error in judgement (a bad decision). This 'tragic flaw' leads to his downfall - usually ruins his career, reputation, power, etc. He is enlightened at the end of the story, meaning he realizes where he went wrong, he is humble, and he accepts the consequences . A tragic hero is a character in a work of fiction (often the protagonist) who commits an action or makes a mistake which eventually leads to his or her defeat. The idea of the tragic hero was created in ancient Greek tragedy and defined by Aristotle (and others). Usually, this includes the realization of the error (anagnorisis), which results in catharsis or epiphany. Aristotelian tragic hero Characteristics Aristotle once said that "A man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall." An Aristotelian tragic hero must have four characteristics: Nobility (of a noble birth) or wisdom (by virtue of birth). Hamartia (translated as flaw, mistake, or error, not an Elizabethan tragic flaw). A reversal of fortune(peripetia)...
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...African Americans Heroes Shawn Okelley Taylor COM/150 04/28/2013 Lee Eubanks Who is a Hero? African American heroes have a great impact in our society and are often not recognized for their great achievements. What kind of life did they lead? What was some of the problems they faced? And what did they do to make them well known. So, What does define a Hero and Heroism in today’s society? Black History month has often spoken upon famous African-Americans such as Martin Luther King Jr., Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman and George Washington Carver. Those legendary figures are certainly worth celebrating, yet there have been many other African-American men and women who achieved significant milestones for their race, and made significant contributions to society, but get little attention today. Such people as: Hattie McDaniel, Guion Bluford, Edward Bouchet, Fritz Pollard, Oscar Micheaux, Madam C.J. Walker and James “Cool Papa” Bell. Hattie McDaniel was actually the first black person to win an Oscar in 1940. Halle Berry who is well known made headlines in 2002 when she became the first African American to win an Academy Award for best actress, for her role in Monster’s Ball. McDaniel’s Oscar winning performance was as the character Mammy in gone with the Wind she was also regarded as the first Africa American to sing on the radio in the United States. McDaniel has two stars on the Hollywood walk of Fame honoring both her singing and film careers....
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...Qualities of an Epic Story in The Notebook What is an epic? An epic, by definition, is the telling of an epic hero’s story through the vast journey and sacrifices he makes. The Notebook would be considered an epic for many reasons. Some may disagree and say it’s just a love story that contains no characteristics, and no proof of being an epic. But in this paper the characteristics of an epic will be explored through facts and examples from the text and from today’s present life and culture. The epic hero, Noah Hamilton in Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook states, “I am no one special, just a common man with common thoughts. I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me. And my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect, I've succeeded as gloriously as anyone who ever lived (The Notebook).” Some examples of the characteristics in The Notebook that proves this is an epic would include vast settings, the story begins in medias res, the characters have epic digressions and that the hero embodies the values of the culture. Because of how the story starts, media res would be considered the first characteristic of an epic that can be noticed in The Notebook. Our story begins at a nursing home in the south where Allie is being looked after due to her dementia. The nurse is in her room, attempting to have Allie come out and go outside for a little while until a mysterious man shows up. Now, we don’t know who this man is that has just entered her room, and we’re not...
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...In his essay “Tragedy and the Common Man” Arthur Miller attempts to redefine both the genre of tragedy and the tragic hero. According to Miller, a tragedy is defined as a man wrestling with how he defines himself in regards to his environment, and that above all, Miller believes that tragedies should be optimistic. Miller states that the “wound from which the inevitable events spiral is the wound of indignity… Tragedy, then, is the consequence of a man’s total compulsion to evaluate himself justly”. Miller is saying that all tragedies stem from an attack on the main characters dignity, and all tragedies are therefore a result of a man’s attempt to make sense of who he is after having been shamed. By using the word inevitable, Miller seems to...
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...Key Components of Existential Philosophy John Contemporary Philosophy (PHI 311) Newberry College November 1, 2013 Abstract This paper will discuss the human condition generated from existential thought. The blanket term “human condition” will include the topics of “existence precedes essence”, and absurdity. The paper will also discuss the existential relationship with others mostly described by Sartre’s literary work No Exit and analysis from Being and Nothingness. Components of Existential Philosophy This paper will firstly discuss the major existential principle of existence preceding essence. This notion is discussed by Sartre’s (1946) lecture “Existentialism is Humanism”. This central theme existence preceding essence is the backbone for most existential thought and that is why it is discussed and understood thoroughly from the beginning of this paper. This leads to the existential thought, absurdity of life. Life being absurd is a component of the existential human condition and this is discussed using The Myth of Sisyphus as a beacon of how absurdity applies to life and happiness. This was written and discussed by Camus in his work The Myth of Sisyphus. Lastly this paper will discuss how others impact the individual or human relationships, discussed by Sartre. His thesis regarding others interactions are that it is Hell. This is the central theme in his play No Exit, and unpacking this existential thought this paper will use his work Being and Nothingness...
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...“In most parts of the world, when a girl is born, her wings are clipped. She is not able to fly.” -Ziauddin Yousafzai What do men still have that these women lose? In this quote, it states that in most parts of the world girls lose something because of society. After that, they are no longer able to feel confident or feel that part that they lost. This quote was incredibly powerful and proves that society has always made men more powerful even from the beginning. Also this metaphor has to do with flying. These boys get to fly while these girls must stay stuck on the ground. This means that women are limited and can only do few things while men have the ability to “fly” and become a doctor or a businessman and these women become nurses and receptionists which is always lower. This quote belongs in this essay about men because these men that have the wings must live up to their word and have to learn how to fly and be excellent at flying. The men in Macbeth had to live up to their word and avenge their families, , avenge father. These men have to also, be a good king ad Also some women explain this in this story to just state what a man must act and be like. Some women believe that they should stay with their family and be loyal, while others believe that they must keep their word and stay loyal....
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...Hamartia in Oedipus the King According to the Aristotelian characteristics of good tragedy, the tragic character should not fall due to either excessive virtue or excessive wickedness, but due to what Aristotle called hamartia. Hamartia may be interpreted as either a flaw in character or an error in judgement. Oedipus, the tragic character in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, certainly makes several such mistakes; however, the pervasive pattern of his judgemental errors seems to indicate a basic character flaw that precipitates them. Oedipus’ character flaw is ego. This is made evident in the opening lines of the prologue when he states "Here I am myself--you all know me, the world knows my fame: I am Oedipus." (ll. 7-9) His conceit is the root cause of a number of related problems. Among these are recklessness, disrespect, and stubbornness. Oedipus displays an attitude of recklessness and disrespect throughout the play. When he makes his proclamation and no one confesses to the murder of Laius, Oedipus loses patience immediately and rushes into his curse. Later, he displays a short temper to Tiresias: "You, you scum of the earth . . . out with it, once and for all!," (ll. 381, 383) and "Enough! Such filth from him? Insufferable--what, still alive? Get out--faster, back where you came from--vanish!" (ll. 490-492) If an unwillingness to listen may be considered stubbornness, certainly Oedipus would take advice from no one who would tell him to drop the matter of his...
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...Law of Human Nature from Mere Christianity by C S Lewis, the author is stating that people know the Law of Human Nature, they know what is right or wrong but they refuse to follow it themselves. He says that people thought that everyone knew it by nature and did not need to be taught it. That each man is at every moment subjected to several different sets of law but there is only one of these which he is free to disobey “As a body.” 2) Find a total of six different literary devices The six literary devices used in the article “The fight against evil is far from over” are; theme which was based on evil. The author chose this theme to give an idea to the readers that doing evil means that you’re doing harm to someone, intentionally and unjustifiably. This theme was effective in this essay because it was a universal theme, it’s something anyone can relate to and very common. Analogy and ideology was used to compare how during a century’s first half, that it was “ideology that fuelled the lion’s share of human destructive-need.” The author chose analogy through the usage of personification to tell the readers that in the other half, other forces have taken that place of ideology as their primary source. Those forces were religion and nationalism. Euphemism was used through diction in this article. “...euphemistic term: we aren’t sending someone to a gas chamber,” The other used this word very effectively to bring out his point kindly about how he doesn’t want to get rid...
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...INTRODUCTION My research question for this essay is “How can M.A.’s novel ’Oryx and Crake’ be seen as a critique towards modern society?” I have chosen to use this research question, because I find it interesting how literature can be used as a medium to warn society against what could happen, if we do not take action and just let things evolve. The book ‘1984’ written by George Orwell is similar to the book chosen here, since they both, according to how both novels fall into the post-apocalyptic genre, can be interpreted as a warning to our present society about letting technology take over, and letting technological development be more important than developing human qualities. This essay will investigate how the novel can fall into the...
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...Someone That I Admire In life we all have that one person that we look up to. We all have that one person that we idolize or worship for that matter. In life we all have that one person that we admire. The one person that I look up to, the one person that I worship and the one person that I admire more than anything in this world is no one other than my mother. When I just sit and think of everything that she has done for me and all of the times she has been there for me I can honestly say that I am truly blessed to have her in my life. She is truly the definition of a real mother. My mother is the best in my eyes. She has been there for me since day one on this earth. If there was any problem that I ever had she was always there to solve them with me. If there was anything that I ever needed she would see to it that I got it. She is my number one supporter in my life and she always keeps it real with me no matter what which is one of things I admire about her. She doesn’t sugar coat anything, she just tells it like it is and I love that about her. My mother keeps it 100. She tells you exactly what you need to hear and not what you want to hear which is how it should always be. Honesty truly is the best quality in my mother’s eyes and you can always expect nothing but the truth from her. I admire my mother for several reasons so many that I can’t even name them all in this essay. She was there for my brothers and I when we needed someone most. She was there when we had nowhere...
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