Hero Definition Essay Examples

When people define the word hero it usually varies by age, gender, and generation when they answer, and even though people's connotations of the word may vary, the denotation and the connotation always seen to cross paths with each other. According to Merriam-Webster.com the definition of hero is "a person who is admired for great or a brave act or fine qualities: a person who is greatly admired: the chief male character in a story, play, movie, ect." A person's connotation and the denotation both have to do with someone being admired or a person who has performed a great act of selflessness. The word "brave" means "Ready to face or endure danger or pain", and that’s exactly what people associate with a hero. People imagine a person who will put their life on the line to save someone elses, and they are admired greatly for it.
But if you ask a child what a hero is, their mind will automatically go to some fictional character, like superman, batman, spiderman, ect. There are also words like idol, god, or protector that often give off the same thoughts. Though when becoming a "protector" comes the fear of failing a person. Or even a model. That gives a lot of anxiety or uncertainty to that hero knowing so many people are looking up to them for advice. Being a hero can be a lot of pressure because there are so many people looking up to
Philip Zimbardo had said "But when we ask why people become heroic, research doesn’t yet have an answer."(Zimbardo) There is no research that can show what fully makes a person a hero as Lickerman has said. Some may say that there is a chemical that our body releases that gives us the feeling that we are able of doing anything. Zimbardo also says that there could be something in our genes that makes us feel that we are heroic. He argues that there are many different way a person can be heroic, but there is no way in knowing what makes them that