Discuss one contemporary hero, real or fictional, and the challenges he or she faces. Describe your hero, and then briefly analyze him or her using these questions:
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What sort of evil or oppression does your hero confront?
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Why does he or she confront evil?
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What’s the motivation?
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For whom does your hero confront evil?
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What virtues does your hero represent?
Ms. Hargraves' English 12 Honors Class 
My hero is John Proctor. He is a strong, good-willed man. His strong Christian faith is what grasps me.
1) My hero is confronted with the horrifying idea that his wife Elizabeth was involved with witchcraft. Abigail Williams ruins his marriage and family because she was jealous.
2) He confronted evil to save his wifes life.
3) The motivation is that he loves her, and he knows that she is not involved in the witchcraft dealings.
4) John Proctor confronts evil from himself and his wife.
5) Loyalty is the number one virtue that Proctor holds.
Danielle–
This is an exccellent post! I, too, view John Proctor as a hero. You do a wonderful job of explaining your case for making him a hero.
Thank you! Good work!
Good choice I loved reading that last year. You have a good argument
My heroes are the passengers of Flight 93. These were our family, friends, and fellow Americans. They had everything to lose and yet they fought anyways.
My hero was faced with the evils of terrorism and their worst fears coming to life. Although, they knew they were going to be killed they fought for the ones at home. ( the motivation) When being faced with a decision and losing all sense of selflessness to fight for others is beyond the greatest act of bravery, love, and honor anyone can acheive. These people will never be forgotten or unloved.
That’s a great example, Victoria. The passengers of Flight 93 do not immediately come to mind for most, so your example is quite original!
The hero that I chose is Spiderman. Before the superhero seen today he was a geeky teenager named Peter Parker. While on a fieldtrip he is bitten by a radioactive spider which mutates his DNA allowing him to have super powers.
The evil that Spiderman has to confront is crime in daily life and anybody that threatens the existance 0f people not only is the cIty he lives but also a threat to the human race.
Spiderman doesn’t protect people for commisssion or fame;but he protects them because it is the right thing to do.
Spidermans original reason for protecting people was so that he could find the criminal who selflessly killed his elderly Uncle Ben who; along with his Aunt mae; raised his since he was a baby. But he sees that there is crime all over the city and decides he should use his powers to help others too.
Spiderman not only confront and fights evil for the people of the city but he does it for himself and the people he loves who are enevitably always in danger because of his superhero status.
Spiderman not only emplefies honesty by doing the right thing and helping the public, but he does it for the good of society.
He also takes the responsibility for the people, when others like the government or the local police station cant help Spiderman will be there.Loyalty is another virtue that Spiderman represents, some superheros’ have abandoned there “devotion” to the human race turning evil and decided their selfish actions mean more than the lives of others. Spiderman on the other hand has never forgotten the people who he protects and serves.
Although the name of my hero may seem very common, he is a very extraordinary man. His name is William Hernandez, a gay rights activist fighting for the rights of gay people in El Salvador.
My hero faces the opposition of many people that do not believe that homosexual people should have equal rights under the law because they are different or simply because it may go against what they believe. He faces this opposition because he wants to see change in the society that we live in today, so he fights for what he knows is rights and hopes for the best. His motivation is that he is a gay male, so he knows what it feels like to not be treated equally because of being out of the “norm,” in addition to this his motivation is his hopes that one day society will grow to accept this more and that the lives of gay people may become not as difficult. William confronts this opposition for himself and others like him, because he is selfless and cares about others in his “family” of gay people.
Victoria:
Your choice of hero is different. I like it. A wonderful, original choice of a hero.
Daphne and Justin–
These are both terrific examples of heroes. You both do a nice job providing a full explanation for each of your heroes.
Spiderman is an example of a classic epic hero–he’s similar to the hero we’ll be reading about, Beowulf. I have never heard of William Hernandez before, but he definitely fits the bill. People like this particular hero revolutionalize and change societies.
Nice work! See you both Monday.
My heroes are kind of ordinary. No one super special or noticeable. Not someone who you see on the news or who has superpowers. My heroes are everyday people who strive to do what is right. My heroes are my family and friends. No matter what, all these people stick up for me and take care of me. They never let me down even if it means letting themselves down.
These people face normal everyday challenges such as, going to work, raising children, going to school and other things that many people do or take for granted. My family and friends always try to face the day with a smile and a laugh to try to make theirs and someone else’s day better. I think that everyone should try to be just as nice and funny as these people because without people like them in the world it would be a dark and gloomy place that isn’t worth living in.
Mahatma Gandhi is one of my heroes. He faced the suppression of his people and used nonviolent methods to free himself and countrymen from imprisonment by the British empire. He confronted this evil because he believed he was equal to a british man. He believed that all men were equal. He confronted this evil for the nation of India. Gandhi showed humility, courage, and perseverance.
THE PERSON THAT I FIND TO BE A HERO IN MY LIFE IS MY MOTHER. SHE IS MY EVERYTHING AND THE REASON I CAN MOVE ON IN MY LIFE. MY MOTHER, STEPHANIE IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL, GENEROUS, AND EDUCATED LADY. HOWEVER, SHE IS FACED WITH MANY OBSTACLES IN HER LIFE ONE IN PARTICULAR BEING THE DEVIL. WHEN SHE WAS 7 MONTHS PREGNANT WITH MY YOUNGER BROTHER SHE WAS HIT BY A CAR AND EVERY SINCE THEN IT SEEMS THAT SHE HAS BEEN FIGHTING WITH THE DEVIL ON THE REGULAR BASIS. SHE CONFRONTS THE EVIL SHE FACES BY PRAYER. KNOWING GOD AND HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HER AND THOSE WITHIN HER HOUSEHOLD. HAVING GOD IN HER LIFE AND PUTTING HIM FIRST ALLOWS HER TO MAINTAIN A SUITABLE LIFESTYLE. HER MOTIVATION FOR LIVING AND ACCOMPLISHING GOALS IN HER LIFE IS HER TWO CHILDREN. SHE IS DETEMINED TO NOT ALLOW THE DEVIL TO INTERVINE WITH HER OR HER CHILDREN. SHE COMBATS CONTINUOUSLY WITH THE EVIL ONE WHO COMES TO KILL, STEAL, AND DESTROY (THE DEVIL). SHE COMBATS WITH THE POWER OF PRAYER DAY IN AND DAY OUT. MY MOTHER REPRESENTS THE EPITOME OF A STRONG, INDEPENDENT, GOD-FEARING LADY TAKING CARE OF HER CHILDREN BY HERSELF.
Great responses, Sandra, Bianca, and Amelia–these examples are well-written and well-explained. Thank you!
My Hero is Optimus Prime of the Autobots
1. He opposes Megatron and his evil decepticon minions in a fight for universal domination of good vs evil.
2. He confronts the evil to save the universe.
3. He is motivated to stay free from decepticon rule and to stay alive.
4. He confronts evil for the universal bliss.
5. The virtues he represents are the protection of the weak and innocent.
My hero is Jimi Hendrix because he was the greatest guitar hero of all times from his jazzy blues style to his out of this world sounds. He remade Rock-n-Roll during the sixties and left his impression on the world forever.
What virtues does your hero represent?
My hero is Mohandas Gandhi. He was a lawyer in Britain and major leader of India and its independence movement.
I think he was so great because he got Britain to leave India so it could rule itself and have independence. He worked to help India because he saw their struggle with poverty. He worked to help stop the oppression there because he, as well as other Indians, faced racism and prejudice there and was unhappy with it. He confronts the “evil” by going on a hunger strike, helping educate the people, strikes, resistance, and doing many other things, he helped India have independence.
My hero is Batman!
What sort of evil or oppression does your hero confront?
Evil criminals.
Why does he or she confront evil?
He witnesses his parent’s murder and it leads him to train himself to physical and intellectual perfection and don a bat-themed costume in order to fight crime.
What’s the motivation?
He’s driven to fight crime in order to avenge the death of his parents.
For whom does your hero confront evil?
The citizens of Gotham City
What virtues does your hero represent?
He doesn’t possess any superpowers; he makes use of intellect, detective skills, science and technology, wealth, physical prowess, and intimidation in his war on crime.
My heros would have to be my best friends and my mom. No matter what they have always been there for me, been able to give me strangth when i thought there was none to be found, they have been able to deal with my mood swings and PMS, my boyfriend brake-ups and havin my back when I’m about to have somes face meet my hand. 🙂 They always know the right things to say and they never give up on me. The opression would be me in a bad mood, trust me, i’m not pleasent.
My mom is a huge hero to me because she has never given up. She has always made sure she can provide for me and my sister, even if that meant she had to sacrafice. As a single mom, she has been through more than she has ever had to but she takes each day as a new adventure. Even when she’s in the worst situation she thanks God for being alive and sees the best in the situation.
Zara, Brooke, Brandon and all my other really good friends – they have been by my side through the up’s and the down’s. We know how to have a good time no matter what. Our evil that we all cofront would be the drama that makes us fight, and sometimes the rules our parents give us. But i know no matter what i need, i can always count on them.
Everyone had really good examples, I especially liked the ones on Batman and Spiderman! It was cool that Dani mentioned John Proctor, I liked the Crucible a lot.
My hero is my mother. She helps me in times of trouble. She always knows what to do to take care of me. My mom basically raised herself. At the age of seven her dad died and her mom became and alcohlic. Going through divorce several times, i think my mom is a stonger person. She is always trying to give her children the best life she can give.