Heroes+Theme+Research

 **//__= Heroes =__ //** Heroes have impacted the world in an unfathomable way. They have made the people of the world more hopeful and stronger. In this page we are going analyze the two main types of heroes, community heroes and media heroes. How are they similar and how are they different? And why does the world just seem to need heroes?

__**Characteristics of a hero:**__ To make a hero people look for certain mental characteristics. These include Courage: The ability to face danger without fear, Conviction: The unshakable belief of something (a lot of times justice or other lives over their own), Loyalty: Never backing down on their word, and Determination: The firmness of purpose, according to Daniel Wheeler. Other characteristics of heroes are Dedication: Selfless devotion, Bravery: daring and impetuous courage, Sacrifice: the giving up something of high value for someone else, Perseverance: persistent determination, and Selflessness: quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others and acting with less concern for yourself, according to Vocal Prowess from Yahoo Answers. These characteristics show how a hero can help others with no worry of what will happen to them. People also look for these characteristics in a hero because with a display of traits like that a person can bet that the hero is also trustworthy. One of the most important characteristics of a hero though is the ability to risk their own lives almost instinctively, and they usually think what they've done is no big deal, according to Wesley Autrey. This characteristic is also called humility. These characteristics are coveted in hero because they are usually used to do good things.

http://www.fototime.com/6A4E29D2F3817F6/orig.jpg http://www.supermantv.net/wallpaperbattles/batmanbegins/batman.jpg

__**Bibliography:**__ Hero among the crowd." USA Today (Jan 5, 2007): 08A. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Highlands Ranch High School. 7 Apr. 2009 [|http://find.galegroup.com/ips/ retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC- Documents&resultListType= RESULT_LIST&qrySerId=Locale% 28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28ke% 2CNone%2C20%29Hero+among+the+ crowd%24&sgHitCountType=None& inPS=true&sort=DateDescend& searchType=BasicSearchForm& tabID=T004&prodId=IPS& searchId=R1&currentPosition=1& userGroupName=dcsd_hrhs&docId= CJ156849509&docType=IAC& contentSet=IAC-Documents] "What are the qualities of a hero? - Yahoo! Answers." Yahoo! Answers - Home. 07 Apr. 2009 <[|http://answers.yahoo.com/ question/index?qid= 20061212210814AASONKb]>. Wheeler, Daniel. "Qualities of a Hero." Keyboards for Christ Music Ministry/Award Program. Calvary Chapel. 07 Apr. 2009 <[|http://keyboardsforchrist. com/Cards.html]>.

What makes a hero? Heroes are supposed to be brave and heroic, bold and daring, and will be seen wearing a cape and tights? Well, the last time I checked my local police officer was not wearing tights… Heroes around you community or “reality heroes” are not always given as much credit as they deserve. These heroes are overlooked when placed next to their fictional cousins. I mean yeah, when all you do is wave a hose around a building dousing a flame it is hard to live up to the incredible superman who can bust through five walls unscathed and even fly. As it turns out, our local communities are full of heroes! What makes a community hero however? Community heroes “exemplify courage, selflessness, exuberance, superhuman ability and amazing grace.” (Schuur, 1999) In an article by Diane Schuur from a Time Magazine article Helen Keller is recognized as a community hero. Helen Keller “proved how language could liberate the blind and deaf”. Keller inspired Schuur and that is what makes her a hero. You see, Diane Schuur is blind as well. Keller, through her literature, gave Schuur hope and isn’t that what community heroes do? They give hope to those that need it? Another common trait that community heroes share is that they protect regular citizens like us. So they can be similar to a media or fictional hero except they do things differently. They pull people out of burning buildings and they rescue citizens from criminals and convicts, in other words, they save lives with no reward. That is what makes a community hero.
 * __Community/Reality Heroes:__ **

[|www.pocanticohills.org/ womenenc/keller3.html] -FalcnJzz- [] Schuur, Diane. (1999, June 14). //Heroes & Icons: Helen Keller.// Retrieved April 11, 2009, from www.time.com (Time Magazine Website): []
 * __Bibliography__ **

**__Media Heroes:__** Media heroes are loved and revered everywhere, even though they are fictional and usually in books or comics. Media heroes as well as superheroes have many abilities and characteristics that define them from everyone else who is not a media hero. One of these characteristics, which is by far one of the most important, is that they fight evil, fight crime, sometimes called costumed crime fighters, and while doing so struggle not to become evil themselves. They must also keep their standards higher then a normal person and strive never to give up. They have a strong moral code that sometimes includes not to kill. Being a media hero means never taking the easy way out and being faced with very hard choices. Most of these heroes have special powers or gadgets, and they almost always have a special weapon or ability like shooting webs or a special suit, also they are brave and strong but at the same time intelligent, most wear costumes and get respect and become roll models for others. Most heroes are unique and have some type of weakness that their nemesis uses against them. These heroes have a secret identity and have a hideout or secret lair. Heroes have a unique past, which make them determined and make them have a sense of dedication. These kinds of heroes are so loved and have so many characteristics and powers, it almost makes me forget they are fake and only in books or comics...or are they?

http://fusedfilm.com/2008/08/justice-league-still-in-development-wonder-woman-keeps-it-alive/

__[] [] []__ __ Which superhero are you?!?!?!?!?! [] __ Click the link above to participate in an interactive quiz to determine what "Media Superhero" you are! Will you bee Superman, the Flash, or Wonder Woman?

__**Real Life Heroes vs. Fictional Heroes:**__ When someone says “hero” we can’t help but think of Superman and Batman instantly, but we also know many real life heroes like Martin Luther King Jr. Of course there’s a difference between Martin Luther King and Superman. One saved the African Americans, and one saved the many damsels in distress. One was born in Atlanta, while the other came from the planet Krypton. Superman’s weakness is Kryptonite while Martin Luther King Jr. had a weakness more realistic. But fictional heroes and real life heroes have many similarities too. They both have spirit and determination and most of all GUTS! Superman would never think twice to jump into a pool of lava to save the world, and Martin Luther King Jr. would’ve never thought twice to jump into a sea of racism to save the world. Real heroes and fictional heroes both have one purpose and it is to inspire the world. http://www.sriramkrishnan.com/blog/2006_06_01_archive.html http://news.stanford.edu/news/2006/january11/mlk-011106.html || **__Heroes-Why Do We Need Them__** Every waking second of life a person is in trouble and somewhere around the world there will be a cry for help. We need heroes to give people inspiration and hope in which they could not have found on their own and they rescue people. We all need that rescuer at times and perhaps that is why the need for a hero never dies down. It will always be nice to know that we have that person around that shows “exemplify[ing] courage, selflessness, exuberance, superhuman ability and amazing grace.” (Schuur, 1999) Heroes have often been a real hit for entertainment, or at least, the media superheroes. Another reason to keep these heroes around huh? The next issue of "//Batman"// will soon come out and we will not want to lose that entertainment either. There are many reasons that we keep heroes around and why we need them so much but it depends on what type of hero you are looking at. We will all need someone strong to stand up for us or if we just want to read about or favorite media hero we will always love heroes.
 * "Martin Luther King, Jr. Biography." //WHO2//. 12 Apr 2009. 10 Apr 2009 < []

Schuur, Diane. (1999, June 14). //Heroes & Icons: Helen Keller.// Retrieved April 11, 2009, from www.time.com (Time Magazine Website): [|http://www.time.com/time/time100/heroes/]
 * __Bibliography__ **

** __Conclusion:__ ** If the world was going to burst into flames who would save us? I don’t have too much confidence in either Al Gore or Batman to save us, but some hero will rise up and save the day. This hero might fly through and cool the earth with his icy breath. Or some smart citizen will save the earth using a magical potion, but either way a hero will stand up for us and give us hope.