Extended Definition of a Modern Hero Essay - 706 Words

Classical heroes commonly display bravery and strength in their noble feats of self-sacrifice in order to attain fame and glory as a savior of his or her people. However, in modern times, a hero may represent a cause to achieve peace and amity with his or her society, no matter the differences between each person. Other admirable modern heroes express indifference towards racial and religious distinctions and help those in need, sometimes at their own life’s risk, despite their disapproving society. Whether society recognized their contributions years later or immediately after, our culture appreciates a hero’s expressions of courage and goodwill. In the early 1970’s, a gay man named Harvey Milk refused to accept discrimination as a†¦show more content†¦Proceeding with his campaign peacefully, people admired King’s non-violent efforts toward reaching a common goal: amity throughout the nation, regardless of cultural, racial, and religious differen ces. His assassination by a racist white man, James Earl Ray, in 1968 caused riots nationwide. Martin Luther King, Jr., a courageous man who sought the acceptance of all races into society, died for his cause knowing that his campaigns may cause a negative stir among the prejudiced. Also believing in morality and justice, Miep Gies demonstrated her disapproval of the Nazi’s behavior when she refused to join a Nazi association for women, risking deportation to Austria, her homeland. During this Nazi empire of the early 1940’s, Gies assisted the Frank family by transferring them into a secret annex to conceal themselves from Nazi soldiers. Despite the trouble and horror she would face if the Nazis caught her, Gies brought food, books, and more to the family to aid in their survival. Anyone who participated in such acts of treason towards Hitler were killed, or sent to death camps. Most people during this time turned in their Jewish friends, acquaintances, and neighbors t o the Nazis for a mere sum of money, and Gies, an impartial and kindhearted woman, refused. Miep Gies celebrated her 100th birthday this year. Like Gies, Oskar Schindler also realized the evil crimes committed by Hitler and his Nazis. He initiallyShow MoreRelatedEssay On Narrative Poetry1730 Words   |  7 Pagesuse of these effects to generate feelings and emotions is what marks poetry. In primitive societies, poetry was used as a means of preserving oral history, telling long, detailed stories (epic poetry), and other forms of expression or knowledge that modern societies might expect to be handled in prose. Prose is language that is meant to portray meanings in a more expansive way, constantly using more logical and narrative structures than poetry does (â€Å"What is Poetry†). 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