Do heroes actually meet the requirements for being a hero?
Context: Some of the most successful movies in recent history have included heroes and their journeys (Star
Wars The Force Awakens, The Avengers, The Hunger Games, Mad Max, Hidden Figures, Black Panther, etc.).
I think that many of us instinctively know what a hero entails, but it’s not always easily definable. What sorts of
actions warrant the term “heroism”?
Writing Task: For this assignment, you will choose one hero or multiple heroes (as long as they are in the same
movie or TV show) to analyze in a SIX PARAGRAPH (four to five page) essay. Your essay must have a
minimum word count of 1,200 words. You can write over 2,000 words but only 2,000 words will count towards
for Final Grade in your Final Showcase Portfolio. Any essay under 1,200 words will be returned ungraded and
will need to be resubmitted with the minimum word count.
Ultimately, the essay should achieve two, main purposes:
1.) Using the Hero’s Journey as a lens, show how your hero/heroes fulfills, mostly fulfills, or does not fulfill, the
various stages of the Hero’s Journey, including a discussion of the specific stages and mythological
archetypes.
2.) Analyze the characteristics and actions that make these characters heroes.
To help you better understand these concepts, you should use “The Stages of the Hero’s Journey.” You will
also need to include this source material at least once in your essay.
Choosing a topic/hero:
–Your first instinct might be to write about an obvious hero such as James Bond or Indiana Jones or a super
hero such as Spiderman or Batman, but keep in mind that there are different types of heroes such as The
Incredibles or Moana.
–Although this essay cannot entirely focus on the villain or anti-hero, you should show how the hero deals with
adversity, whether it’s an evil dictator, monster, or a devious corporation, etc.
–Movies that are off limits: Star Wars A New Hope, The Lion King, Finding Nemo, Hercules, and Mulan.
Some questions to help you during the brainstorming and drafting stages:
-What are the main qualities/characteristics of a hero?
-Who is your biggest hero and why?
-Why is our culture so obsessed with superheroes?
-How does the media create or construct heroes?
-What are “unsung” heroes? Why is there a lack of female and diverse heroes in movies and TV shows? -How
has the definition of heroes changed over time?
Additional Steps to a Successful Analysis:
Choose a subject that interests you (it may be your favorite show, or it could be a hero from a movie that
you’ve only seen once but would like to see again). You will have to view the movie or TV show at least two or
three times, so make sure you have access to it! If you’re stuck and can’t decide please let me know.
Your paper must be driven by a thesis statement that offers a specific judgment about, or interpretation of the
character as a hero and how the hero follows the Hero’s Journey.
Include a brief summary of the movie/TV show, in the introductory paragraph of your paper. Assume your
readers have minimal or no knowledge of the subject you’re analyzing. You should also include general
information about your movie such as the year it was released, actors’ names, director, etc in the intro
paragraph as well.
Avoid summary. Summarize when describing a scene you intend on analyzing. Keep in mind, an analysis is not
a summary, but a deeper look into a subject. When analyzing, you should break down a subject into its smaller
parts and interpret them.
Always italicize titles of movies and TV shows
Choose an original title for your essay
Include a Works Cited page for your sources.
Requirements: The essay should:
• Address the assignment thoughtfully, analytically, and creatively
• Include an engaging introduction and satisfying conclusion
• Provide an in-depth analysis of a hero of your choosing (from a movie or TV show), revealing why this
character is a hero and how he or she follows the heroic journey
• Include a clear and concise thesis statement, laying out the foundation for your essay
• Maintain audience awareness
• Be organized in a logically progressive manner
• Be nearly free of punctuation, mechanical and spelling errors
• Meet the minimum required word count, typed, double-spaced, formatted in MLA style, and include a Works
Cited page.
Essay Structure Requirements:
INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH: introduction paragraph with a hook, title of the reading, the author of the
reading, publication the article appears in, explanation of what is the author’s main claim (what is their
argument), explanation of the reading, and a clear thesis.
BODY PARAGRAPHS: Detailed supporting paragraphs started by topic sentences, and an adequate
concluding paragraph. Each supporting paragraph must focus on only one aspect, trait, reason or point. Create
detailed illustrations so your reader can “see” what’s going on. YOUR BODY PARAGRAPHS MUST INCLUDE
SUPPORT FROM THE ASSIGNED READING. You must explain the Rhetorical Strategy the Author is using
after you have incorporated the quote and how that strategy works on the reader. You can use “I” statements
(this is a personal essay).
Your last body paragraph must be a counter argument to your argument and must include a rebuttal.
What is a counter argument that can be used against your position? Your counter argument must have a
rebuttal (Your counter argument – rebuttal should be together in one paragraph – there should be a quote
included. This paragraph should be the last paragraph before your conclusion.
CONCLUSION: Full conclusion that ties up your essay.
For this essay you should present at least three clear topics or opinions (each topic or opinion should be its
own paragraph – so this essay MUST BE a minimum of 6 paragraphs in total – (the counter argument is
included as one of these topics). Explain your answers and support with examples from any of the article/s I
have assigned. You must use the SOURCE MATERIAL/S in all your body paragraphs. You are only allowed
one quote per body paragraph (maximum of 3 to 4 lines) – NO block quotes are allowed. The quote you use
should support your position. You are not expected to conduct ANY research and you cannot add your own
materials. This essay should include personal opinions, previous experience and observations to support your
thesis.
Welcome to Legit Writing
