Think about how Americans would define a hero. Is it more important to our culture that heroes do amazing things and act in super-human ways or is it more important to uphold cultural values and morals? Can a hero do both? Does the American ideal of a hero set them up for failure?
Share your ideas. You can relate this to Roy or not. To a real life athletic figure or someone else.
When Americans think of a hero, they think of a renaissance man persona. Someone who is initially recognized for talent in a particular area, but is also kind to all. This title can be applied to actors, sports players, and activists. At first it is more important that the hero continues to do well in their respective field, but as the hero becomes more recognized then having morals values is the main focus of the public. This can be clearly seen in the case of actors/actresses. Miley Cyrus originally rose to fame through her show Hannah Montana and continued to be praised for her singing. In 2008 she appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair only covered by a sheet. Although she did not appear to be wearing clothes underneath everything was sufficiently covered and the pose was not sexual. However, this story blew up in the media and many criticized her. Since she was supposed to be a role model for little girls this shoot did not seem appropriate. Her designated audience causes the public to hold her to unreasonable standards where they expect her to be innocent all the time when in truth she was becoming a teenager when kids normally are not innocent. A hero can only be perfect for so long before they make a mistake. The only reason the public becomes riled is because heroes remind us "how far we can go." (Malamud). When they reveal their true human sides, humanity loses faith and begins to believe that everyone is actually plain.
ReplyDelete- Lexy Thompson
August:
ReplyDeleteAlthough it can be argued that heros are righteous beings that could never possibly make a mistake, Americans love a certain type of hero: one who seems larger than life only to come crashing down. The people of America worship their heros when they are at their peaks, but feel a much more intimate relationship with their super-humans after they are know longer super. Also, to pity somebody who one previously deemed higher, more sublime, than oneself, gives that individual a sense of superiority and pride. For example, when Barry Bonds was crushing three homers a game and approaching Hank’s record, countless fans cheered him on. After the steroid scandal, many of those fans turned against him, and gained a certain contempt for their hero*. Walking through the city a few years ago, I overheard two workmen talking about the scandal, saying, “At least I don’t need steroids to do my job.” This particular comment has always stuck with me, particularly because of the tone found in the workman’s voice. It was as if he thought he was better than Barry Bonds, a belief that he almost certainly would not have held before the truth was revealed. The scandal brought Bonds down to a human level, a level where people could push him down even further to push themselves up. A hero’s plummet makes American’s feel better about their own simple, steadier lives, and is why people tend to remember heros for their faults rather than their accomplishments.
* Not really their hero anymore
Malamud's depiction of the fickle Knights fans in The Natural accurately reflects the role of the hero in America. While Roy is hitting well, the fans show their allegiance, but when he struggles, only a small few remain. Though this question begs comparisons to celebrities and the like, I disagree that they would truly be considered heroes in the way Roy is. Tiger Woods, for example, is(/was) a golf legend, but the public never deluded itself into thinking he was an endangered-species-saving role model. Roy, for all his faults, did something good for the team and its fans by pouring himself fully into the game. His idea of helping Pop achieve his dream (though sometimes corrupted by his own selfishness) was something fans could look up to him for. His failures, like those of a real hero, led some to leave the bandwagon, but he was always to some degree respected for his contributions. Compare this to Tiger, who upon his recent fall lost nearly everything. A real hero earns goodwill through highs and lows, whereas celebrities' importance flares out.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that Americans love their heroes. This is consistently evident from the box office revenues of superhero films, to the screaming crowds chanting "U-S-A, U-S-A" as our Olympians rack up medals. Sadly, the only thing America loves more than a hero is a fallen hero. Our culture thrives on competitive drive (we are extraordinarily proud of being a capitalist society and love initiatives that increase competition) and if our heroes can fall that means a newer, stronger hero can take their place. Because of this, America not only loves the gossip fodder from when a hero falls, but creates a system where the hero is expected to fall because it is more entertaining. Why else would gossip magazines constantly print false stories and take the libel suits? They can make more money off sensationalizing scandals involving our heroes than by telling the truth. This is also a constant in politics. The vast majority of Americans (according to polls) are apathetic to politics until something upsets them and then they want to protest. The truth is, Americans get bored when things are going well (who remembers Nixon before Watergate?), and most heroes are remembered due to the notoriety as they fall.
ReplyDeleteIt is more important for heroes to uphold cultural values. Heroes are symbols of what we all aspire to be. Therefore, if the hero cannot accomplish greatness without doing wrong, then that means everyone else will need to do wrong to accomplish their own tasks. Without someone to be that beacon of righteousness, society will tear itself apart on the way to greatness.
ReplyDelete-compost
Americans believe that a hero must be almost super-human and also be completely upstanding. While most Americans would not be able to say they are either of these things, they criticize those public figures, or heroes, that are not. When someone is first recognized as a hero, their morals do not concern Americans as much. However, as recognition grows, the importance placed on a hero's morals does as well. Being extremely talented and getting ahead in one field while simultaneously upholding a strict set of morals and values can be almost impossible, but that is what expected of a hero in America. Anything less, and Americans have trouble believing that that person should really be considered a hero at all. Take, for example, Tiger Woods. Before cheating on his wife, he was a hero for many people. He was very talented at what he did and was a household name. However, once his morals were put into question, his status as a hero was almost entirely erased. This quick digression from a role model to a scandal was easy for the American public to orchestrate, as Tiger Woods didn't uphold one end of the hero persona. His mistake brought him down to a relatable level, and from there it was very easy for Americans to see past the idealized version of him to the human side. When a heroes become relatable, or less than super-human, in either morals or ability, they are no longer heroes in the public eye, and Americans dismiss them.
ReplyDeleteOur society asks heros to both display superhuman abilities and to uphold our most idealistic values. Yet this consistently proves to be too much for our heros, and despite their physical prowess they struggle to live the perfect life that is expected of them. Generally it seems that a hero like Roy has superhuman physical abilities but struggles when it comes to his interactions with fans or women. He does not love his fans or feel grateful to them, and he consistently falls for women who take advantage of him and do not have his best interests in mind. Most heros also seem to have trouble controlling themselves while being in possession of great skills, and sometimes they give in to selfishness (as does Roy). They may be punished or resented for this but their powers still seem to define them as heros in our culture and they are easily forgiven.
ReplyDelete-adam
*Adam Sterry
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