Random Thoughts about HEROES and SUPERHEROES

I don’t know why, but I really like definitions. I like dissecting definitions to find greater meaning to words, phrases or ideas. Since a theme to our class this semester is superheroes, I’ve been thinking about the definition of a superhero. In the dictionary the word HERO is a noun. It’s defined as a “person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.” Another way they define it is “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.” The word HEROIC is an adjective; defined as “suitable to the character of a hero; daring; noble; having or displaying the character or attributes of a hero; extraordinarily bold, altruistic (meaning unselfishly concerned for or devoted to the welfare of others), determined, etc.” It’s kind of going back to the basics, but I think the definitions give neat insight to heroes and their heroic deeds.

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Something kind of interesting that I wish we would look into a little more in class is the idea people had of hero’s in the past. We talk quite often about whether or not the characters in the stories we’re reading are a SUPERHEROES or HEROES, but we haven’t really delved into the history of the cultures or societies enough to confirm whether or not they believed these people/characters were actually heroes. Was their idea of heroes synonymous with our idea of superheroes today?   The Greeks had a thing called the HEROIC AGE, defined as “one of the five periods in human history, when, according to Hesiod, gods and demigods performed heroic and glorious deeds.” It makes me wonder if the Greeks believed people could be heroes or just gods and demigods… And if that’s the case, I feel that it’s possible there’s a really strong connection between their heroes and our superheroes today. (Except for the slight difference relating to worship; people worshiped the Greek Gods, but we don’t worship superheroes as far as I know…) It also makes me wonder if there are a select few who are deemed worthy of the title HERO and that others are just simply HEROIC meaning that they are like heroes.

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Are there different levels to being a hero? The best way to explain my question is to give an example using temperature. Simply defined there’s HOT, COLD, and WARM. There are two extreme opposites and then a balanced middle, then of course varying degrees of temperatures in between. What causes this thought is the definition of an antihero or anti-heroine. The dictionary defines them as a protagonist in a novel or plays whose attitudes and behavior are not typical of a conventional heroine. Conventional meaning: conforming or adhering to accepted standards, as of conduct or taste.) People look up to their father, mother, sister, brother, teacher, or friend as heroes in their life. I think it’s safe to say that in most cases, the people we look up to as heroes in our lives may have some heroic attributes about them, but might not be considered a HERO in the worlds’ view of heroes.

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Just something that’s kind of interesting… Most superheroes have their set of super-villains and villains they fight against. But next in line come the reporters or “misinformed” public that don’t like the superhero (usually because of the reporters). People in law enforcement don’t usually like superheroes because they see them as a nuisance or a vigilante often putting themselves above the law.

Examples:

SPIDERMAN-Reporters turn around the good he does, to make headlines that sell papers.

BATMAN-Police don’t like him because he disregards the law which always seems to put his heroic character and true motives in question.

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-This is just a funny example of how the roles of Hero and Villain are strongly connected.  

Metro Man is the hero of Metro City, but gets tired of being the hero so he fakes his own death, which is kind of funny because superheroes don’t die, but anyway, he fakes his death and retires, never to be seen again. This gives Mega Mind (the villain) the perfect opportunity to complete all his evil plans and rule the city, but without someone fighting against him he doesn’t find joy in his “evilness” it because it’s so easy… he feels like something is missing so he creates a superhero to fight against him, but there’s a funny twist when the superhero he created turns evil and Mega Mind is forced to become the superhero to save the city and the girl he loves.

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I drank a dragonfruit vitamin water the other day and I always like reading what they have on the side of their bottles. It’s usually something funny, interesting or witty and they change them all the time so there’s always something new to be discovered.  This one said, “If you want to be a superhero, here are a few mandates: tights (with underwear on the outside) and knee-high boots (even if you’re a dude). But if you don’t want to fight crime and just want to help in the fight for your overall health, we recommend this bottle. It’s got zinc and 120% of your daily value of vitamin C per serving to help support your immune system. So leave your sidekick back at the cave and bring along this bottle. Best part, you won’t have to attach one of those ridiculous sidecars to your motorcycle. Vitamins + Water = all you need”

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So like the title of this blog states, these are just some random thoughts I've had lately about superheros... Let me know what you all think...

Fairy Tales

One theme that I think is prevalent throughout the story is that of protecting and honoring your good name. (Or in other words, saving face) I think it’s safe to say that a majority, if not all don’t like it when people are spreading rumors about them that degrades or diminishes their character or reputation. There are many instances in this story where things that, for lack of better expression, aren’t pleasant are done to save face. Rama gives up his wealth and his future as King to allow his dad to keep his promises. Sita also gave up everything when she left with Rama. While in the forest Sita hears the cry of “Rama” and tells Laksmana to go help him. When he tries to explain that Rama will be ok and that it’s his duty to protect her she gets angry and tells him, “I think you would be happy should some disaster befall your brother. You have no real affection for him, so you stand there calmly with the splendid prince gone from sight… You treacherously followed Rama to the forest, the two of you alone: You are either in the employ of Bharata or secretly plotting to get me.” (Pg. 881,882) Frustrated himself Laksmana leaves to go find Rama. He probably left to get away from Sita for a while after she said such rude and awful things about his character, but I think it was also a way to show that what she had said was not true. Another example of this is at the very end when Rama tells Sita he doesn’t want her anymore because she had been living with Ravanna for so long. Sita throws herself in the fire to show that she had been true to Rama.

I’ve enjoyed reading the Ramayana. I almost wish we had the parts they took out because it would be interesting to read the details of how Rama found out Ravanna was the one who took his beloved Sita. The ending of the book was almost a disappointment, but it ended happily; which is a nice change from the other stories we’ve been reading this semester. This story kind of reminds me of fairytales I grew up reading. There’s always a prince and princess, an evil step mother in pursuit of power and riches, there’s always something hard to overcome, and the prince usually rescues the princess somehow and they live happily ever after… For those of you saying, “wait a minute, that’s not how ALL fairy tales go.” You’re right, but it’s the basic idea and storyline of most fairytales. And I find that the Ramayana fits into that kind of story line.

I like the character Sita. She’s not your typical princess. She’s a strong woman who will speak her mind when provoked. One of my favorite lines she says to Ravanna is, “As for you, you are a jackal in the presence of a lioness, to come here seeking me, whom you can never have. You could no more touch me than touch the radiance of the sun.” (Pg. 887) She tells him exactly what she thinks of him. She’s a valiant princess because stays true to Rama despite all that’s happened.

It was fun as I read the Ramayana, I was reminded of a movie I loved to watch as a little girl, called A Little Princess. In this movie (made in 1995) a little girl, Sara, lives with her father in India. He has to go away to war and so he takes her to a boarding school in London. While there Sara shares the story of Rama, Sita and Ravanna with her friends. There’s a lot more to the movie of course, but that part in particular is relevant to class and our readings.  It’s cool to think about how ancient world literature still greatly affects our world today. It’s retold in our books, movies, and plays. The plots and story lines are a tool that some writers use today as a starting point for their own stories… (Word Count: 679)  

(This is a link to a youtube video that shows the part where Sara is telling the story of Rama and Sita.)
Youtube Video: A Little Princess

Fear

Why do we fear death?
We often have fears or reservations about the unknown. I think fear of the unknown is natural and I don’t think anyone can say that they are not afraid of anything. Everyone has fears. It’s interesting to me to think about how our fears affect us. For example if we allow the fear to control our lives and keep us from experiencing new things or if we face that fear and have increased confidence in our self and open ourselves up to new opportunities and experiences. Both ways have a huge impact on our life.  
In the story of Gilgamesh there are quite a few sections where they talk about death. Death is one of those things people fear. People fear it for many reasons. We fear death because of our belief of what death will be like. Some people believe that once you die, that’s it. You no longer exist. Others believe death will put us in a place of darkness and misery. Such is the case in the story of Gilgamesh. There’s a long passage where Enkidu talks about what he thinks death will be like. He describes it as “the house where those who enter do not come out, along the road of no return, to the house where those who dwell do without light, where dirt is their drink, their food is of clay, where like a bird, they wear garments of feathers, and light cannot be seen, they dwell in the dark, and upon the door and bolt lies dust.” (Pg. 81) It’s no wonder he’s doesn’t want to die. He makes death sound like a horrible thing, a dark, aweful, miserable place for someone to be for all eternity. Going back to what people believe about death, some people believe in heaven and hell. Having an idea of heaven makes the thought of death a little less scary. For those who have a hope of peace and rest in heaven after they die, they fear death for other reasons. They fear that they won’t make it to heaven, or fear that they haven’t accomplished everything they were supposed to do in their life. So they fear being taken before it’s their time to go. Parents fear death for their children because they want them to have a long and happy life. It’s interesting to think about how greatly people’s beliefs and religious views affect the society that they are a part of and how those thoughts and beliefs are passed down from generation to generation.
People are generally good but when faced with something they fear people will often seek for their best interest and try to avoid the thing they fear instead helping others, including their family and friends.

The Heroic Journey

I really liked the thought shared in class last week about the Hero’s Journey. It fits well with our readings this week. It was the first time I left class with something that caught my interest and I actually thought about outside of class. You have a hero (Gilgamesh) who starts out in a safe place (inside the walls of Uruk) and journeys out to the wild (the trail to the forest of cedars and the forest itself), overcomes something hard (Humbaba), and returns a different and often better person. Such is the case with Gilgamesh. Before he left the people didn’t really like him. He had done some really bad things and abused his powers as their king. But Enkidu was sent to put Gilgamesh in his place, and when that was accomplished the two became good friends and went on the quest to overcome Humbaba. They fought with Humbaba and walked away victorious with Humbaba’s head and some cedar wood.

We like Heroic tales like this because they bring excitement, suspense, hope, and courage into our lives.

I think we like the heroic journey and often want to go on a journey of our own. I wonder if that’s why people take jobs that are seen as risky or dangerous. Jobs like law enforcement, firefighters, military, rescue divers, tornado chasers, underwater welders, correction officers, and the list could go on and on. Jobs like these offer that heroic journey on a daily basis. They leave the safety of their homes to go out into the world and overcome hard things, returning home safely and often better because of the good things they do.

One of my favorite childhood shows was the Disney version of Robin Hood. (I grew up with 5 brothers) Robin Hood was such a cool guy! He was loved by everyone except those he stole from. He was a Hero to those he helped because he did things for them they could not do for themselves. Robin’s motive and purpose was noble. He robbed the rich to feed the poor. He brought hope and justice back into a land where the leaders were abusing their power and authority. He overcame many challenges, some of them he barely escaped but he was better and more confident in his decision to do the right thing, as he found success.

We like the idea of a heroic journey, we like hearing stories about heroes and their adventures, and I think it’s safe to say that many of us have heroes in our lives. That’s who we are, who we have always been and who we always will be.

Power

Power can make men corrupt… Gilgamesh was strong, “awesome to perfection” as the book says. 2/3 god 1/3 human, he was handsome, mighty like a wild bull, no rival could raise a weapon against him. And all of those good things going for him gave him power. Power that is not constrained makes men corrupt; we see it all throughout history. I’m taking a history class this semester and we’ve been talking about the US Constitution and how it was created and how it works. Our country was formed because the people wanted freedom; freedom from oppression and corrupt laws. Gilgamesh is the perfect example of this for his time. He was the king and he used his power to do bad things. He slept with all the girls who were betrothed on their wedding night. The people were upset, and sought for a power mightier that Gilgamesh. They prayed to the Gods, and they created Enkidu. Enkidu was created to be Gilgamesh’s equal, to put him in his place. When Enkidu learned of the things Gilgamesh was doing he went and fixed the problem right away. He fought Gilgamesh and told him the things he was doing were wrong. Enkidu won, and so Gilgamesh stopped so in a way Enkidu was Gilgamesh’s constraint. He kept his power in check.

Sometimes people who don’t necessarily have power but they use their own devices to have an advantage over people of power. The example of this is Princess Ishtar. Princess Ishtar was offended by Gilgamesh and she went and cried to her mother and father and asked them if she could have the bull of heaven to kill Gilgamesh. Her Father at first said something to the effect of, “didn’t you start it”, but then gave into his daughter when she threatened to break down the Netherlands door and let the dead come up and kill the living. I couldn’t help but think of Ishtar as a spoiled little girl who runs to daddy every time something doesn’t go the way she wants because she has him wrapped around her finger and will get what she wants in the end.

Another completely random thought I wanted to share was that I found it interesting the other night a commercial came on for a car company and they used the Greek Gods and Mount Olympus in their sells pitch. It kind of surprised me because I haven’t ever noticed the Greek Gods in the media before. It makes me wonder how often the Greek Gods are part of commercials and other media in our society today… (Word Count 435)

Thoughts...

Ok, so I don’t really like blogging. I’ve never been good at keeping up with one and although I have good intentions life gets busy and it’s easy to forget. I don’t have a blog of my own for that reason. The second issue is having something good enough to write about. (Which I find to be the case with this blog most of the time.) You think it would be easy to have something profound and interesting to say about the books we’re reading but honestly I find some of them really hard to get into. The Illiad, for example is one of those books that I read, but had a hard time getting into it. I have thought about what I want to write, but keep drawing a blank. I don’t think that just simply writing down what we talk about in class is good enough. Just sharing what we talk about in class shows I was listening, but doesn’t show any proof of engaging in the text. Maybe I’m wrong, and if that’s the case, please let me know. Maybe I'm making it harder for myself than it needs to be. But I’m going to keep trying to find meaningful connections in the readings and do my best to keep up with the blogs.

One interesting thought I’ve had the past week is the definition of fairness. Fairness is not treating everyone the same, but giving everyone what they need. This thought kind of connects to the Illiad because Agamemnon and Achilles whole fight starts over fairness. Agamemnon thought it wasn’t fair that he had to give his lady back, but he did for the good of the people. Even though he did a good thing, he was still upset about it and felt that he had earned his prize and deserved something to replace Chryseis. “Find me then some prize that shall be my own, lest I only among the Argives go without…” (Pg. 204) To make it fair he took Briseis from Achilles to make up for his loss. Achilles then cried out that it was unfair, and was sorely offended. “Now the son of Atreus, powerful Agamemnon, has dishonoured me, since he has taken away my prize and keeps it.” (Pg. 209)   He felt he had earned his prize and not only that but that he did more work for it than Agamemnon did. “Always the greater part of the painful fighting is the work of my hands; but when the time comes to distribute the booty yours is far the greater reward, and I with some small thing yet dear to me go back to my ships when I am weary with fighting.” (Pg. 205) It’s just interesting to think about how people always think things have to be even to be fair, but true fairness is a world where everyone’s needs are met. (Word Count 482)

Does Truth Really Set You Free?

Have you ever been placed in a situation where you had to make the choice to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”, or tell a “little white lie” to keep you or someone you know from getting hurt? We’ve all heard the phrase, “what they don’t know won’t hurt them” but truth will often come to light one way or another and when it does it can be a devastating blow. Yet still there are times we wonder if it would be better to say nothing at all. What influences our decision to tell the truth or to lie? Fear is often a factor in our decision; fear of rejection, disappointment, and punishment… Why is it that sometimes not telling the truth seems like the right thing to do but we get upset when we find someone has been dishonest with us? Why is it so important to us that people are honest and truthful with us? In some cases, do we really want to know the truth? Throughout the story of Oedipus the King there seems to be conflicting desires when it comes to telling the truth.

Sometimes not telling the truth seems like the right thing to do because the truth would have a negative impact on someone’s life. An example of this is when Oedipus called for the prophet Teiresias to come tell them who killed King Laius. Teriesias said, “How terrible is wisdom when it brings no profit to the man that’s wise! This I knew well, but had forgotten it, else I would not have come here… Let me go home. It will be easiest for us both to bear our several destinies to the end if you will follow my advice.” (Pg.626) Teriesias was a prophet; with that title you would expect him to be an honest man. Yet he didn’t want to tell Oedipus the truth because it would cause problems for Oedipus and his family. I don’t feel fear was a real concern in his decision, more that he wanted to protect Oedipus from the truth.

It’s important that people are honest with us because it leads to trust and friendship. Oedipus was concerned about the things that Teriesias had said and went to Jocasta because he trusted her. He asked her questions about how her late husband died. She was concerned about him so she said, “I will. I’m frightened, --but if I can understand, I’ll tell you all you ask.” (Pg.638)

A messenger came from the land of Corinth, to bring news of King Polybus’ death and that the people of Corinth want Oedipus to be their King. The news of the King’s death made Oedipus and Jocasta happy because that meant Oedipus didn’t kill his father, and fate had been changed, so they thought. The messenger puzzled by their reaction ask questions and discovered Oedipus had never learned who he really was. The messenger didn’t hesitate to tell Oedipus the truth about where he came from and he shows no concern for how that truth will affect those involved. A herdsman is brought in to confirm the story but he doesn’t want to answer them for fear of what might happen to him if he did. Truth had to be pulled out from him. He said, “O please, Sir. Don’t hurt an old man, sir.”  Oedipus replied, “Here, one of you, twist his hands behind him.” When asked if he gave the baby he said, “I did. I wish I’d died the day I did.” Oedipus said, “You will unless you tell me truly.” He replied, “And I’ll die far worse if I should tell you.” (Pg.647)  Jocasta put the pieces together a lot quicker than Oedipus and she begged him not to pursue the matter further. Oedipus said, “I will not be persuaded to let be the chance of finding out the whole thing clearly.” Jocasta replied, “It is because I wish you well that I give you this counsel—and it’s the best counsel.” (Pg.645)  He doesn’t listen and her fears overcome her and she leaves before Oedipus can hear who his real parents are. We see again in these examples how fear is a huge factor in whether truth is spoken and also why it’s spoken.  (WORDS: 718)