Myths and heroes - But how ordinary people became heroes, and why?

Myths and heroes

I’m going to talk about the notion names « myths and heroes » but in class we talked more about the heroes, and not the myths. My work is only about the heroes so a hero is a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. It can be the main characters in a book, a film or even a person with superrumanhs power or not. In class, we studied about the Vietnam war and more precisely, the men who did this sadly famous war. But how ordinary people became heroes, and why? There are any consequences? First, we are going to talk about the way this men became soldiers for protect their country. Then, we will see how the the war changed them for good.

No one’s goes to the war on his own will. The citizens Americans received a draft who called them to do the Vietnam War. Most of them goes to the war, without asking questions like the characters Rambo, from the movie we studied in class, « First blood ». In this extract, we can see Rambo who is yelling to this superior that he only did what he was asked to do, and nothing more. But some men disagree with the orders, and have think about run away from their responsibilities, like Tim from « the things are carried » written by Tim O’Briey. They are normal citizens and suddenly, the society asked them to go far away from their lovely home, and they have to be ready to injure or even kill others men who, like them, didn’t ask to fight. Anyway, they are patriotic and have the will to protect their country.

Sadly, the war has horrible consequences on this courageous and innocents men. There is a quote on the poster of the movie « Platoon » who said that « the first casualty of war is innocence ». A man is not the same after the war, he did and saw things horrible who had scared their minds. Let’s go back to Rambo and Tim, who are, basically, victims of the society. Rambo completely broken and cried like a child in the arms on his superior. He has lost all his friends on this war, and he can’t go back to a normal life, with a normal job. He’s suffering of post traumatic stress in this extract. Also, the society is unfair tower Rambo (but also all the soldiers who fought at the Vietnam war) and some citizens have treated him of « baby killer ». Tim who was afraid of what the society might think about him if he had deserted, he did this war and came back broken, and unhappy from this war.

In conclusion, the society is the one who decide if a man can be considered like a hero or not. I agree with the fact that the men who fought for their country are true heroes, because they are ready to do anything for other. But I have also respect for the ones who decided to don’t take part in a conflict they don’t und