Pick a famous actress, music performer, politician, or athlete and, in a comment, please trace their hero quest according to the major stages of Joseph Campbell's model.
I'm choosing Martin Luther King Jr. So King was black and he hated segregation.. didn't a lot of people? He had to do something about it, and that was his calling. At first it took him a while to get back up onto his feet despite all the harsh comments, the negative energy, and the mean abuse he went through. But that did not stop him. He gave it his all and look what happened? No more segregation. All because of King and his peers. Even though he was killed and suffered a painful journey, he made it through his dream and he even overachieved it in so many different ways. There are many different individuals that have gone through this cycle, but Martin Luther King Jr just rang a bell in my mind. He went above and beyond in his goals and definately changed the world one step at a time.
am choosing the rap artist Eminem. Firstly, he grew up in a poor neighborhood of Detroit, and began rapping at 14 years old, his call to adventure. However, he was hesitant in continuing his career, due to the dominant black influence in hip-hop during that time. Later, he decides to continue his rap career and gets mentored by Dr. Dre, a pioneer in the genre. Over time, he got record deals and joined a rap group. However, Proof, one of the rappers in his group, was murdered in a club late at night. After the death of his friend, Eminem went into a downward spiral, taking a hiatus from music, divorcing his wife, and getting addicted to prescription medications. Finally, after going to rehab, he made his first album in four years. In his album, he vowed to quit taking drugs, and focus on his music career. Today, Eminem has inspired millions to never give up in the face of adversity, and be strong even when things get tough.
Abraham Lincoln was perhaps one of America's greatest presidents, and he still provides one of the key reasons America is a nation based off freedom and equality today. Abraham grew up in a small town with minimal education, but his lack of education was no obstacle in finding work. Abraham Lincoln used his brilliance to earn a modest work, but eventually made the decision to relinquish a safe and secure life to stand up for his beliefs- one of which was to abolish slavery. Though adversities, discouragement, and the threat of a permanently divided nation stood in Abraham Lincoln's path, he took on the challenge. Lincoln soon began debating throughout the nation, on the way transforming into a character that was able to hold nearly insurmountable weight upon his shoulders and deal with it appropriately. Lincoln preposed laws and proclamations that abolished slavery within the United States, and at the same time worked to provide the reason America is not divided today. Tragically, after many of Lincolns feats he was assassinated. Nonetheless, his legacy and beliefs pass on to this day, transforming into that of key American values. President Lincoln faced a tumultuous life of ups, downs, and everything in between; however, his legacy will forever rest in America's history.
As the president of South Africa many years ago, Nelson Mandela truly was the hero of his time similar to Martin Luther King who advocated for equal right. Firstly, Nelson was raised in a small village located in the district of Umtata in which he became part of the Thembu Dynasty. As he matured, he realized the hardships africans had to go through in order to live a happy life under the control of white superiority. He was asked to join a political party which ran for many elections but at first he quickly refused since many africans were killed for running against Europeans. However after another african was elected to office, he quickly jumped the threshold and joined the dirty game of politics. Throughout his journey, he was mainly mentored by his good ally Mahatma Gandhi who assisted Mandela on his approach toward the country. As time passed, he became heavily popular with his crowd but was soon arrested. This lead to his abyss during his life. He felt as if all his hard efforts were useless. With a quick turn of events, State President F. W. de Klerk allowed Mandela's release from prison and he began running again but this time for president. With one of the first multi-racial elections, he won and became president which allowed him to give africans the rights they dissevered which resembled a true hero. Finally, after his long journey, he returned to his home town and thanked all his family members for providing for him. Overall, Nelson Mandela was not only the hero of South Africa, but also a role model for leaders across the world.
The kid-friendly pop star Demi Lovato could be known as a hero to many young americans. She started off as a struggling child with weight problems and self confidence issues. This caused her to be hesitant in becoming part of the Hollywood eye. Then in 2006 she landed the main role of the Disney Channel tv show "Sonny with a Chance," and the star of "Camp Rock." She continued doing the show and her movie was a success. She had much help from her parents and her best friend, Selena Gomez. Even though her career kept growing, she encountered many struggles. Demi had low self confidence, and encountered issues with comparing herself to other people and being perfect. She reached an ultimate low when Demi quit her show, because of bulimia and self harm. Every fan of hers questioned what happened or why this occurred. We then discovered she was seeking treatment and going to rehab. Selena and her family continued to support her in order for her to reach the top again. Demi began to record music and act again. Now she is still recovering, but her story is an inspiration to all people struggling with these same issues. Demi is happy with herself, a judge on X Factor, and her heart breaking album topped the charts. Demi Lovato is a modern example of an incredible hero.
Tonight this hero will hopefully complete his journey. Adam Greenberg made his Major League debut July 9, 2005 with the Chicago Cubs. It was his first at bat ever in the major leagues, it was a wild pitch and a 92 mile per hour fastball meet with his head. He had a severe concussion. After the incident he was sent back to the Double-A and did not return until tonight. During his time in the in the minor leagues, his first year after the injury, he struggled suffering from vertigo of the incident. One game he was playing and when he got to the batter's box he saw it was the very pitcher that ended his Major League debut early. With nervousness building up he stepped in the batter's box and the pitcher threw a ball coming straight to his face. He stood their in shock but the ball dropped and fell into the strike zone. After that pitch he stepped out of the batter's box and decided he was going to get a hit off him and make it back the the MLB. He stepped back in and hit a line drive over the first base mens head. After this feat he kept gaining ground and eventually the Miami Marlins off erred him a one day contract for the MLB. Tonight he could rise up and finish his cycle or he could fall back down.
In the movie Finding Nemo, Marlin (Nemo's dad) is a hero. He is called to adventure, when his son was fish napped by the human snorkeling dentist. Marlin sets off on a journey to find his beloved son. After literally swimming into dory, Marlin passes the threshold of his quest. He is helped or mentored by several creatures through out his adventure. Including: Dory, the turtle, and the good shark. Marlin was faced with many challenges such as being swallowed by a whale. He experiences the abyss of his quest, when he is stung by the jellyfish. After allowing the shock of the sting fade, Marlin experiences a rebirth. This caused his attitude to rejuvenate which allowed him to look harder and more thoughtful. In the end he finds his son in the the aquarium of the dentist office and they return to their house.
I think Walt Disney is an "Everyday Hero." Although most people believe success comes easily but the truth is, it doesn't. Walt Disney ran away from home which shows his separation from his family and home. Later he experiences multiple cartoon failures as the test to whether he would give up or not. The abyss in his career was the depression he experience from many incidents in his life at that point. In the end his company was in big debt, his artists were at war, and had a series of unfortunate events occur at the same time (such the death of his mother). After taking a vacation Walt DIsney decided to get some serious work done and accomplished many classic cartoons still greatly appreciated today. He also built Disneyland, which helped keep the memory of this hero in our lives.
My hero, John Landy, was an Australian who grew up on his parent's farm. He used running as something to get away from his otherwise, sad life. He ran away from his hostile father at a reasonably young age, and his past experience with running led him to a lifelong passion. One of his first mentors, Cercutty, maintained his interest in the sport, and sparked a lifelong passion. After training for years, at the British empire games, he broke the 4 minute mile, despite being the second one to do it. Not only has he displayed amazing perseverance, but he took it one step further. He aslo served as Governor of Australia from 2001- 2006.
I would have to choose Taylor Swift. Taylor grew up as a little girl from Nashville who had a huge passion for singing and writing. She was picked on by many of the girls at her school and made her self conscious and left out. She finally decided to start getting her name out from a small city to the whole world. She would continuously sing at cafes for entertainment and hope to spread her music and name. One day a record producer heard her and thought of her as a great singer for his company. He had set up her adventure to becoming a famous country sing. She had to work hard to get enough songs for her first album. It took time to get her title out, but eventually after not giving up people were discovering this Nashville girl's voice. Suddenly she is performing in front of millions. She is able to show the girls back in Tennessee that she is great and a new performer.
One of the most famous athletes is Nancy Brinker. Although she may not be in any official league, she is the creator and a participant in the race for the cure. Her call to adventure was when her sister, Susan G. Komen, was diagnosed with fatal breast cancer. Susan's dying wish was for Nancy to help find the cure for breast cancer. Her abyss was when Susan died, because Susan and Nancy were so close. In 1982, Nancy created the foundation in memory of her beloved sister. Since then, they have raised over 2 billion dollars for helping to find the cure for breast cancer and for breast cancer research. Nancy's been completely changed as a person because of what she has accomplished. She is known nationwide, and supported by millions of people that participate in the race. The pink ribbon is a universal symbol for her story and the hope for finding a cure. Because of Susan, there have been many lives saved and we are making small steps towards finding the cure.
The New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey is a tremendous story. He goes up to the M.L.B. and starts off his professional career with some pretty good stats. Dickey throws an unbelievable fastball! Sadly, he then realizes that from all the pitching he has done, he tore ligiments in his throwing arm that will prevent him from throwing his legendary fast ball. He loses his starting job as a pitcher for the Mets and is forced to retire. A career only lasting a few years. Dickey starts to drink and slowly but surely becomes dependent of alcohol. His wife suggests that he shouldn't become so depressed but Dickey had a good reason to be. With no money flowing in, he begins to struggle with being able to keep his family afloat and dealing with his new found drinking problem. Then reality hits him. His wife, not being able to deal with his alcoholism, kicks him out of the house. He now realizes that he has to some how get back to baseball and get over his addiction. He slowly learns that he has the ability to deliver a mean knuckle ball. A pitch that doesn't require the ligements that Dickey tore. Working on his game, he becomes the starter for a double A team. Teams saw his amazing talent and wanted to pick him up for their roster. A few days before all of this started to commence, Dickey controlled his addiction and his wife took him back into their home. After a few huge games in double A, Dickey was picked up yet again by the Mets and he climbed his way back to the top becoming one of the best pitchers in the league today.
Casey Martin was born with a circulatory disorder in his right leg. This made it impossible for him to walk 18 holes. Casey made his first appearance in a major in 1998, but he couldn't walk. He tried to get the PGA to let him ride in a cart, but they didn't let him. So he took the PGA to court, and finally he won and they let him ride in a cart. Casey finished 23rd in the tournament, while at one point fighting for the lead. From there, Casey was always fighting to get on the PGA Tour. He only played one full season in the PGA, and that was in 2000. He went back and forth until 2006 when he quit professional golf as a whole, and coached at Oregon University. Casey coached for a while, but in 2012 he tried and qualified for the U.S. Open. Casey's career went through a full cycle and finally Casey Martin could play golf again at the professional level.
Robert E. Lee has been a hero to many who celebrate their southern heritage and culture. Lee began his military career when he enrolled at West Point. After he graduated and he was stationed in Fort Monroe, where he married Mary Anna Randolph Custis. He later went on to fight in the Mexican-American war as a staff officer who led a march to Mexico City and went on to become captain of engineering for the US. After the war, as we get into the 1850's, we see Lee's life start to decline. Lee was practically forced to teach at West Point, therefore abandoning his wife and kids. Few years after he left to teach, his father in law died, leaving Lee to execute the will for his wife could not in her ill condition, a task that would encompass his life for months. Lee was very tempted to take most of the wealth for himself but consciously decided not to. Lee was also publicly disgraced when a slave accused him of whipping a woman slave. After these many years of shame and pain, Lee went on to become the general of the Confederate army, winning many battles but not the war, as well as being considered one of the greatest martial leaders in all of the world.
The Avett Brothers are a folk-rock group from the small town of Concord, North Carolina. Seth and Scott Avett are brothers born four years apart, and they began singing and writing music together when they merged their two college bands. They are true small-town country boys, so it was difficult for them to cross the threshold into the bright lights of the music world, but eventually they could not refuse their call to adventure. They released several albums between 2000 and 2008, but their career had never really taken off. In 2008, they found their mentor: producer Rick Rubin. MTV calls him “the most important producer of the last twenty years.” They released I and Love and You in 2009, which peaked at #16 in the United States on the Billboard 200. However, their newfound success was not without its challenges. Their upright-bassist is Bob Crawford, and towards the end of 2011, his daughter Halle developed a brain tumor and he had to take a temporary leave from the band. His absence weighed on the group, and when I saw them live this summer, Bob was caring for Halle instead of playing with his musical brothers. After reaching the bottom of the abyss, the Avett Brothers emerged a stronger band. They were reborn through their most recent album, The Carpenter, which released last month on September 11 and peaked at #4 in the country. It sounds quite unlike anything they have ever produced before, and is a symbol of their maturation as a group. Their music truly inspires me, as they are talented lyricists who have written a song I can relate to no matter my mental state.
Miley Cyrus' push into the spotlight was started by her famous father, Billy Ray Cyrus, and because of his fame, she already had an advantage in the acting and singing business. Her career began on a popular Disney Channel show, "Hannah Montana." For years, she was beloved by kids and their parents as a great role model. However, towards the end of the show, she began to fall apart. It all began with an incredibly inappropriate dance at the Teen Choice Awards in 2010. She then spiraled out of control, releasing an album called "Can't Be Tamed," and videos of her were released of her doing drugs. However, after about a year in the abyss of her rebel phase, she is back on top. She has cleaned up her act, and she is engaged to her "The Last Song" costar, Liam Hemsworth. She is now back to being a very popular, loved and sought-after celebrity.
Kanye West is from the south side of Chicago. When Kanye was three his parents divorced. He was raised by a single mother during the school year and a single father during the summer. He went to Polaris high school and graduated at the top of his class. West then went to Chicago State University and did one year in art school. Soon after his first year of college he dropped out to follow his rapping career. Kanye moved to New York where he was discovered by rapper Jay-z picked him up to produce an album. While Jay-z and Kanye were working together Kanye was working on his own demo which he would soon publish in 2002 "The college dropout" which sold 2.6 copies. He continued being mentored by Jay-Z but was also creating a name for himself. He worked with Beyonce and many other widely known artists. Then one day West fell asleep at the wheel and was in a head on collision wich resulted in his mouth getting wired shut. He was crushed literally and emotionally, but he did not let that stop him. He soon released a song about the accident "through the wire" in which he rapped with his mouth wired shut. Although this was a low in West's life this was not his all time low, this was when his mother died in 2007 from complications with a cosmetic procedure. West now felt like he was defeated. He gave one performance and dedicated it to his mother. It took him a year to recover from this loss with the help of friends mentors and family. In 2008 he released the album heartbreak which won two grammies. Til this day Kanye West is still very present and the talk about and he is one of if not the best rappers out there.
*Line 5- Kanye moved to New York where he was discovered by rapper Jay-z. Jay-Z picked him up to produce an album. * Line 12- Although this was a low in West's life this was not his all time low. His all time low was when his mother died in 2007 from complications with a cosmetic procedure.
I chose Josh Hamilton because when he first got drafted in the minor leagues, he played very well in his rookie season. After the rookie season he started to hang out around with the wrong crowd and started to do drugs and had an alcohol problem. He did not play any baseball from 2004 to 2006 because no one wanted him because of his problems with drugs. In 2007 he got a shot to play for the Cincinnati Reds in Spring Training and hit a .400 batting average and then was put on the team. In 2008 he was traded to the Texas Rangers where he started to break out. He won the AL MVP award in 2010 and won the home run derby in 2009.
A famous bachata and R&B artist is Prince Royce. Prince Royce grew up in a low income family in The Bronx, New York. His interest for music began at such a young age. Other than music being a hobby of his, it was a way for him to avoid conflict and gangs on the street. When Royce was a teenager he was in a musical duo. He was rejected in the genre of reggaeton, which would then set him up for success with bachata music. Royce could of not gotten where he is now without the help of his manager(mentor). Nowadays, Royce also influences the love for music as well as getting involved in something one likes to stay out of a bad environment.
When Mia Hamm was only 6 years old, she and her family took a trip to Italy in which she discovered her true passion for the classic game of soccer, when she watched the Italian's true love for the sport. Mia Hamm moved to Texas and immediately picked up the sport. She soon realized that she was born with a partial clubfoot. If she wanted to ever play soccer, she would have to wear casts on her feet for a while. She did wear the casts, and thankfully she soon recovered. Her mind was now set on becoming the best soccer player she could be. Her only distraction was her brother who encouraged Mia 100%. In 1999 Garrett, her brother, died of a bone marrow disease. She was heartbroken. That same year she founded the Mia Hamm Foundation. A foundation that gives money for bone marrow research. She was devistated and wished she still had her brother. But, she picked her head up and realized that Garrett would support her in her soccer career and the rest of her life. She went on to win the gold at the 2004 Olympics. She got married and became a hero to many people. This is because Mia Hamm is such an inspiration due to her determination, ability to have care and strength in her heart, and for all of her hard work and focus that she out forth in her long, successful career.
I choose to Cady Heron from the movie mean girls. Cady was home schooled all her life in Africa till one day her parents tell her she is moving to the United States. She starts high school and is trying to fit in. She makes friends with two great friends. Soon she beacomes friends with the most popular girls in school. Everyone wanted to be them. Cady was so caught up in being popular she turned in to a terribly mean person. Everyone in school hated her. She soon realized how rude she was being to people and stopped being so bossy and help set the school straight the way it should be where everyone was friends.
While i do not support this athletes way of life, Joseph Campbell's model fits the career of NFL quarterback Michael Vick. He was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, which was already hard enough to accomplish, while he got mixed up in some illegal activity. Vick was hosting and gambling on dog fights. He was possibly at the peak of his career, maybe not even at his peak yet, when he was arrested for his actions. It seemed almost certain his career was over at that point. After his suspension with the NFL was over and he was released from prison, Vick was lucky enough to be signed by the Philadelphia Eagles. After he was signed by the Eagles he was able to go back to his career as an a quarterback. Once he was able to return to his life of being an NFL quarterback, it was obvious that even though he was back to his rich life, it was obvious that he would never be as much of an athlete as he used to be.
Elvis Presley was born in Mississippi in 1935. He started singing at the age on 19 and got his call to fame. He was great singer and quickly got many #1 hits. Throughout the years he quickly gained more and more fame. He was never really comfortable in Holly Wood though. But before this he was rejected many times from bands, being told that he couldn’t sing. Elvis’s mentor who helped him become famous was his recorder, Sam Phillips. Elvis was drafted into the military where he served as a normal soldier for 2 years. After Elvis came back he started to make a lot of movies. Most of them were comedies, and although the critics gave them bad reviews the movies all made a lot of money. After these movies Elvis became unhappy with singing and was less popular, but then he made a TV special called “Elvis” that but him back up top. In 1971 Priscilla and Elvis divorced after 6 years of marriage. Elvis, although he began with a strong stand against drugs, became addicted to them. His concerts were awful and short because of drugs. He became a wreck. Latter a book titled “Elvis: What Happened?” pinpoints his misuse of drugs. In 1977 he died, most probably from symptoms, or just the misuse of drugs. I think that once Elvis died he returned in a full circle because his legacy shows him as one of the greatest singers, not as a drugged up joke.
Mahatma Gandhi is a hero. After his education in India, He began to work as legal representative in South Africa, and saw that was really affecting Indians and other minorities there. He fought for their rights, got jailed, and eventually moved back to India. Gandhi lived during the end of the British rule in India. Toward the end, as the civilians began to revolt, the British began to tighten the grip by overtaxing and massacring people. Gandhi practiced Satyagraha, or nonviolence, which did not give the British a reason to punish him. He was booed, slandered, and humiliated for many years while he attempted to gain freedom for India. He was jailed for the fact that he was having too much of an influence on the people. In protest, he went on a hunger strike in jail. He got released because he was very ill. He set up an ashram and began to preach his nonviolent methods to others. One day as he was preaching, he was assassinated. This is the end of his hero quest; even though he died, his legacy will remain with our country forever.
The hero I choose is Johnny Tremain. He grew up as a normal kid, nothing special about him. He attended Kanakuk Summer Camps every year. One year, he heard a talk about selflessness at his camp, his call to action. Unlike most others, he took it to heart. He graduated to become a pilot in the air force, always helping others before considering his own needs. After serving in the air force for many years, he retired, but would host an airshow with some of his old friends from the air force. At one of these shows, Johnny's plane malfunctioned. The plane was stuck in a turn, headed toward a city. Thrice his friends told him to eject, and each time, he let out a puff of smoke to signal that he heard them. He continued to wrestle with the controls as he attempted to save the residents below from certain death. He crashed his plane in the garden behind a house. He died in the crash. The residents of the house later said that they had seen him coming straight for them, and thought that they were going to die. Johnny, however, sacrificed himself instead.
Louis Armstrong is a hero in every sence of the meaning. Even as a young boy He was interested in music, preforming in several other forms of music before learning to play the trumpet. Louis fell on hard times when he was thirteen and was sent to New Orleans home for colored chaifs where he meet Mr. Peter Davis, a music instructer that constantly visited the home. Mr.Davis was soon tutoring Armstrong in the form of jazz and scatt music. Despite racial profiling of the time period, Mr. Armstrongs music was loved by all. (It still is). By the time Mr. Armsrong retired in the 1960's, he had influenced and inspired millions of young musicians and people.
Hilary Clinton's call to adventure was marrying Bill Clinton and his decision to run for the governor of Arkansas. She gave up a successful law career to help her husband run. She crossed the threshold when Bill Clinton won the election, largely due to her efforts. She was tempted to run for public office, but never followed through with that. Also, when Bill Clinton became president she was tempted to play a much larger role in the government by pushing the health care law but failed. Then she decided to run for presidency and lost a bitter battle. This was the ending of her abyss. She accepted the role of Secretary of State and this action marked her transformation. She became an amazing statesman and a loved patriot of the country. When she runs for presidency, she will cross the threshold and attain a hero's status.
The every day "hero" i choose is Tiger Woods, although his actions have lead many to believe he is not in fact a hero. Tiger has gone through the majority of the typical hero quest cycle however he has not completed the emotional sector of the rebirth portion of the cycle. TIger Woods was is one of the best golfers in the world and was one of the most respected. However, Tiger was caught cheating on his wife and it was discovered he was having affairs with multiple women and Tiger lost all respect from the public. This time period was his abyss. After the media calmed down, TIger got back into golfing and won multiple world championships. Tiger Woods has been physically reborn but he has not yet been fully forgiven by the public for his dishonorable actions. However, despite his past mistakes, I believe Tiger is well on his way to atonement.
Im choosing Dwayne Wayne (Lil Wayne) because when he was young, just around the age of 12 or 13 he went on tour. The threshold he went through was going into the world of traveling and living on the road. When he was on tour he had a mentor who was Bryan Williams (The Birdman). Things were going well for a couple of years then Dwayne started drinking "syrup" which is promethazine and codeine. This to the south is known as "drank". The problem he had was that overtime of drinking this he became addicted to it. He developed a sickness and he was in a little depression. Thats when mentally he was down in his career. When he was down he had one of his best friends T tell him that he was basically messed up and he had to stop drinking syrup. When the word got out that Dwayne was drinking syrup all of his fans begged him to stop. Dwayne looked at himself and realized what he was doing. He got straight with the people he disrespected during the bad time period. Then he came out with The Carter III and he was back.
In the movie, Batman begins, Bruce Wayne's parent's die. He becomes depressed and keeps thinking of killing the man who killed his parents. Eventually, he feels the need to leave Gotham. He crosses the threshold when he leaves to Hong Kong. He is put in prison for helping people steal what was in reality his. He is tested there, again and again. Finally his mentor Ra's al Ghul, pulls him out of the prison and trains him. In the end, he has to fight Ra's al Ghul to achieve success. Once he does this he returns to Gotham, a changed man who is ready to fight evil.
I'm choosing Martin Luther King Jr. So King was black and he hated segregation.. didn't a lot of people? He had to do something about it, and that was his calling. At first it took him a while to get back up onto his feet despite all the harsh comments, the negative energy, and the mean abuse he went through. But that did not stop him. He gave it his all and look what happened? No more segregation. All because of King and his peers. Even though he was killed and suffered a painful journey, he made it through his dream and he even overachieved it in so many different ways. There are many different individuals that have gone through this cycle, but Martin Luther King Jr just rang a bell in my mind. He went above and beyond in his goals and definately changed the world one step at a time.
ReplyDeleteam choosing the rap artist Eminem. Firstly, he grew up in a poor neighborhood of Detroit, and began rapping at 14 years old, his call to adventure. However, he was hesitant in continuing his career, due to the dominant black influence in hip-hop during that time. Later, he decides to continue his rap career and gets mentored by Dr. Dre, a pioneer in the genre. Over time, he got record deals and joined a rap group. However, Proof, one of the rappers in his group, was murdered in a club late at night. After the death of his friend, Eminem went into a downward spiral, taking a hiatus from music, divorcing his wife, and getting addicted to prescription medications. Finally, after going to rehab, he made his first album in four years. In his album, he vowed to quit taking drugs, and focus on his music career. Today, Eminem has inspired millions to never give up in the face of adversity, and be strong even when things get tough.
ReplyDeleteOops I meant to put "I" in the beginning
DeleteAbraham Lincoln was perhaps one of America's greatest presidents, and he still provides one of the key reasons America is a nation based off freedom and equality today. Abraham grew up in a small town with minimal education, but his lack of education was no obstacle in finding work. Abraham Lincoln used his brilliance to earn a modest work, but eventually made the decision to relinquish a safe and secure life to stand up for his beliefs- one of which was to abolish slavery. Though adversities, discouragement, and the threat of a permanently divided nation stood in Abraham Lincoln's path, he took on the challenge. Lincoln soon began debating throughout the nation, on the way transforming into a character that was able to hold nearly insurmountable weight upon his shoulders and deal with it appropriately. Lincoln preposed laws and proclamations that abolished slavery within the United States, and at the same time worked to provide the reason America is not divided today. Tragically, after many of Lincolns feats he was assassinated. Nonetheless, his legacy and beliefs pass on to this day, transforming into that of key American values. President Lincoln faced a tumultuous life of ups, downs, and everything in between; however, his legacy will forever rest in America's history.
ReplyDeleteAs the president of South Africa many years ago, Nelson Mandela truly was the hero of his time similar to Martin Luther King who advocated for equal right. Firstly, Nelson was raised in a small village located in the district of Umtata in which he became part of the Thembu Dynasty. As he matured, he realized the hardships africans had to go through in order to live a happy life under the control of white superiority. He was asked to join a political party which ran for many elections but at first he quickly refused since many africans were killed for running against Europeans. However after another african was elected to office, he quickly jumped the threshold and joined the dirty game of politics. Throughout his journey, he was mainly mentored by his good ally Mahatma Gandhi who assisted Mandela on his approach toward the country. As time passed, he became heavily popular with his crowd but was soon arrested. This lead to his abyss during his life. He felt as if all his hard efforts were useless. With a quick turn of events, State President F. W. de Klerk allowed Mandela's release from prison and he began running again but this time for president. With one of the first multi-racial elections, he won and became president which allowed him to give africans the rights they dissevered which resembled a true hero. Finally, after his long journey, he returned to his home town and thanked all his family members for providing for him. Overall, Nelson Mandela was not only the hero of South Africa, but also a role model for leaders across the world.
ReplyDeleteThe kid-friendly pop star Demi Lovato could be known as a hero to many young americans. She started off as a struggling child with weight problems and self confidence issues. This caused her to be hesitant in becoming part of the Hollywood eye. Then in 2006 she landed the main role of the Disney Channel tv show "Sonny with a Chance," and the star of "Camp Rock." She continued doing the show and her movie was a success. She had much help from her parents and her best friend, Selena Gomez. Even though her career kept growing, she encountered many struggles. Demi had low self confidence, and encountered issues with comparing herself to other people and being perfect. She reached an ultimate low when Demi quit her show, because of bulimia and self harm. Every fan of hers questioned what happened or why this occurred. We then discovered she was seeking treatment and going to rehab. Selena and her family continued to support her in order for her to reach the top again. Demi began to record music and act again. Now she is still recovering, but her story is an inspiration to all people struggling with these same issues. Demi is happy with herself, a judge on X Factor, and her heart breaking album topped the charts. Demi Lovato is a modern example of an incredible hero.
ReplyDeleteTonight this hero will hopefully complete his journey. Adam Greenberg made his Major League debut July 9, 2005 with the Chicago Cubs. It was his first at bat ever in the major leagues, it was a wild pitch and a 92 mile per hour fastball meet with his head. He had a severe concussion. After the incident he was sent back to the Double-A and did not return until tonight. During his time in the in the minor leagues, his first year after the injury, he struggled suffering from vertigo of the incident. One game he was playing and when he got to the batter's box he saw it was the very pitcher that ended his Major League debut early. With nervousness building up he stepped in the batter's box and the pitcher threw a ball coming straight to his face. He stood their in shock but the ball dropped and fell into the strike zone. After that pitch he stepped out of the batter's box and decided he was going to get a hit off him and make it back the the MLB. He stepped back in and hit a line drive over the first base mens head. After this feat he kept gaining ground and eventually the Miami Marlins off erred him a one day contract for the MLB. Tonight he could rise up and finish his cycle or he could fall back down.
ReplyDeleteIn the movie Finding Nemo, Marlin (Nemo's dad) is a hero. He is called to adventure, when his son was fish napped by the human snorkeling dentist. Marlin sets off on a journey to find his beloved son. After literally swimming into dory, Marlin passes the threshold of his quest. He is helped or mentored by several creatures through out his adventure. Including: Dory, the turtle, and the good shark. Marlin was faced with many challenges such as being swallowed by a whale. He experiences the abyss of his quest, when he is stung by the jellyfish. After allowing the shock of the sting fade, Marlin experiences a rebirth. This caused his attitude to rejuvenate which allowed him to look harder and more thoughtful. In the end he finds his son in the the aquarium of the dentist office and they return to their house.
ReplyDeleteI think Walt Disney is an "Everyday Hero." Although most people believe success comes easily but the truth is, it doesn't. Walt Disney ran away from home which shows his separation from his family and home. Later he experiences multiple cartoon failures as the test to whether he would give up or not. The abyss in his career was the depression he experience from many incidents in his life at that point. In the end his company was in big debt, his artists were at war, and had a series of unfortunate events occur at the same time (such the death of his mother). After taking a vacation Walt DIsney decided to get some serious work done and accomplished many classic cartoons still greatly appreciated today. He also built Disneyland, which helped keep the memory of this hero in our lives.
ReplyDeleteMy hero, John Landy, was an Australian who grew up on his parent's farm. He used running as something to get away from his otherwise, sad life. He ran away from his hostile father at a reasonably young age, and his past experience with running led him to a lifelong passion. One of his first mentors, Cercutty, maintained his interest in the sport, and sparked a lifelong passion. After training for years, at the British empire games, he broke the 4 minute mile, despite being the second one to do it. Not only has he displayed amazing perseverance, but he took it one step further. He aslo served as Governor of Australia from 2001- 2006.
ReplyDeleteI would have to choose Taylor Swift. Taylor grew up as a little girl from Nashville who had a huge passion for singing and writing. She was picked on by many of the girls at her school and made her self conscious and left out. She finally decided to start getting her name out from a small city to the whole world. She would continuously sing at cafes for entertainment and hope to spread her music and name. One day a record producer heard her and thought of her as a great singer for his company. He had set up her adventure to becoming a famous country sing. She had to work hard to get enough songs for her first album. It took time to get her title out, but eventually after not giving up people were discovering this Nashville girl's voice. Suddenly she is performing in front of millions. She is able to show the girls back in Tennessee that she is great and a new performer.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most famous athletes is Nancy Brinker. Although she may not be in any official league, she is the creator and a participant in the race for the cure. Her call to adventure was when her sister, Susan G. Komen, was diagnosed with fatal breast cancer. Susan's dying wish was for Nancy to help find the cure for breast cancer. Her abyss was when Susan died, because Susan and Nancy were so close. In 1982, Nancy created the foundation in memory of her beloved sister. Since then, they have raised over 2 billion dollars for helping to find the cure for breast cancer and for breast cancer research. Nancy's been completely changed as a person because of what she has accomplished. She is known nationwide, and supported by millions of people that participate in the race. The pink ribbon is a universal symbol for her story and the hope for finding a cure. Because of Susan, there have been many lives saved and we are making small steps towards finding the cure.
ReplyDeleteThe New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey is a tremendous story. He goes up to the M.L.B. and starts off his professional career with some pretty good stats. Dickey throws an unbelievable fastball! Sadly, he then realizes that from all the pitching he has done, he tore ligiments in his throwing arm that will prevent him from throwing his legendary fast ball. He loses his starting job as a pitcher for the Mets and is forced to retire. A career only lasting a few years. Dickey starts to drink and slowly but surely becomes dependent of alcohol. His wife suggests that he shouldn't become so depressed but Dickey had a good reason to be. With no money flowing in, he begins to struggle with being able to keep his family afloat and dealing with his new found drinking problem. Then reality hits him. His wife, not being able to deal with his alcoholism, kicks him out of the house. He now realizes that he has to some how get back to baseball and get over his addiction. He slowly learns that he has the ability to deliver a mean knuckle ball. A pitch that doesn't require the ligements that Dickey tore. Working on his game, he becomes the starter for a double A team. Teams saw his amazing talent and wanted to pick him up for their roster. A few days before all of this started to commence, Dickey controlled his addiction and his wife took him back into their home. After a few huge games in double A, Dickey was picked up yet again by the Mets and he climbed his way back to the top becoming one of the best pitchers in the league today.
ReplyDeleteCasey Martin was born with a circulatory disorder in his right leg. This made it impossible for him to walk 18 holes. Casey made his first appearance in a major in 1998, but he couldn't walk. He tried to get the PGA to let him ride in a cart, but they didn't let him. So he took the PGA to court, and finally he won and they let him ride in a cart. Casey finished 23rd in the tournament, while at one point fighting for the lead. From there, Casey was always fighting to get on the PGA Tour. He only played one full season in the PGA, and that was in 2000. He went back and forth until 2006 when he quit professional golf as a whole, and coached at Oregon University. Casey coached for a while, but in 2012 he tried and qualified for the U.S. Open. Casey's career went through a full cycle and finally Casey Martin could play golf again at the professional level.
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ReplyDeleteRobert E. Lee has been a hero to many who celebrate their southern heritage and culture. Lee began his military career when he enrolled at West Point. After he graduated and he was stationed in Fort Monroe, where he married Mary Anna Randolph Custis. He later went on to fight in the Mexican-American war as a staff officer who led a march to Mexico City and went on to become captain of engineering for the US. After the war, as we get into the 1850's, we see Lee's life start to decline. Lee was practically forced to teach at West Point, therefore abandoning his wife and kids. Few years after he left to teach, his father in law died, leaving Lee to execute the will for his wife could not in her ill condition, a task that would encompass his life for months. Lee was very tempted to take most of the wealth for himself but consciously decided not to. Lee was also publicly disgraced when a slave accused him of whipping a woman slave. After these many years of shame and pain, Lee went on to become the general of the Confederate army, winning many battles but not the war, as well as being considered one of the greatest martial leaders in all of the world.
ReplyDeleteThe Avett Brothers are a folk-rock group from the small town of Concord, North Carolina. Seth and Scott Avett are brothers born four years apart, and they began singing and writing music together when they merged their two college bands. They are true small-town country boys, so it was difficult for them to cross the threshold into the bright lights of the music world, but eventually they could not refuse their call to adventure. They released several albums between 2000 and 2008, but their career had never really taken off. In 2008, they found their mentor: producer Rick Rubin. MTV calls him “the most important producer of the last twenty years.” They released I and Love and You in 2009, which peaked at #16 in the United States on the Billboard 200. However, their newfound success was not without its challenges. Their upright-bassist is Bob Crawford, and towards the end of 2011, his daughter Halle developed a brain tumor and he had to take a temporary leave from the band. His absence weighed on the group, and when I saw them live this summer, Bob was caring for Halle instead of playing with his musical brothers. After reaching the bottom of the abyss, the Avett Brothers emerged a stronger band. They were reborn through their most recent album, The Carpenter, which released last month on September 11 and peaked at #4 in the country. It sounds quite unlike anything they have ever produced before, and is a symbol of their maturation as a group. Their music truly inspires me, as they are talented lyricists who have written a song I can relate to no matter my mental state.
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ReplyDeleteMiley Cyrus' push into the spotlight was started by her famous father, Billy Ray Cyrus, and because of his fame, she already had an advantage in the acting and singing business. Her career began on a popular Disney Channel show, "Hannah Montana." For years, she was beloved by kids and their parents as a great role model. However, towards the end of the show, she began to fall apart. It all began with an incredibly inappropriate dance at the Teen Choice Awards in 2010. She then spiraled out of control, releasing an album called "Can't Be Tamed," and videos of her were released of her doing drugs. However, after about a year in the abyss of her rebel phase, she is back on top. She has cleaned up her act, and she is engaged to her "The Last Song" costar, Liam Hemsworth. She is now back to being a very popular, loved and sought-after celebrity.
ReplyDeleteKanye West is from the south side of Chicago. When Kanye was three his parents divorced. He was raised by a single mother during the school year and a single father during the summer. He went to Polaris high school and graduated at the top of his class. West then went to Chicago State University and did one year in art school. Soon after his first year of college he dropped out to follow his rapping career. Kanye moved to New York where he was discovered by rapper Jay-z picked him up to produce an album. While Jay-z and Kanye were working together Kanye was working on his own demo which he would soon publish in 2002 "The college dropout" which sold 2.6 copies. He continued being mentored by Jay-Z but was also creating a name for himself. He worked with Beyonce and many other widely known artists. Then one day West fell asleep at the wheel and was in a head on collision wich resulted in his mouth getting wired shut. He was crushed literally and emotionally, but he did not let that stop him. He soon released a song about the accident "through the wire" in which he rapped with his mouth wired shut. Although this was a low in West's life this was not his all time low, this was when his mother died in 2007 from complications with a cosmetic procedure. West now felt like he was defeated. He gave one performance and dedicated it to his mother. It took him a year to recover from this loss with the help of friends mentors and family. In 2008 he released the album heartbreak which won two grammies. Til this day Kanye West is still very present and the talk about and he is one of if not the best rappers out there.
ReplyDelete*Line 5- Kanye moved to New York where he was discovered by rapper Jay-z. Jay-Z picked him up to produce an album.
Delete* Line 12- Although this was a low in West's life this was not his all time low. His all time low was when his mother died in 2007 from complications with a cosmetic procedure.
I chose Josh Hamilton because when he first got drafted in the minor leagues, he played very well in his rookie season. After the rookie season he started to hang out around with the wrong crowd and started to do drugs and had an alcohol problem. He did not play any baseball from 2004 to 2006 because no one wanted him because of his problems with drugs. In 2007 he got a shot to play for the Cincinnati Reds in Spring Training and hit a .400 batting average and then was put on the team. In 2008 he was traded to the Texas Rangers where he started to break out. He won the AL MVP award in 2010 and won the home run derby in 2009.
ReplyDeleteA famous bachata and R&B artist is Prince Royce. Prince Royce grew up in a low income family in The Bronx, New York. His interest for music began at such a young age. Other than music being a hobby of his, it was a way for him to avoid conflict and gangs on the street. When Royce was a teenager he was in a musical duo. He was rejected in the genre of reggaeton, which would then set him up for success with bachata music. Royce could of not gotten where he is now without the help of his manager(mentor). Nowadays, Royce also influences the love for music as well as getting involved in something one likes to stay out of a bad environment.
ReplyDeleteWhen Mia Hamm was only 6 years old, she and her family took a trip to Italy in which she discovered her true passion for the classic game of soccer, when she watched the Italian's true love for the sport. Mia Hamm moved to Texas and immediately picked up the sport. She soon realized that she was born with a partial clubfoot. If she wanted to ever play soccer, she would have to wear casts on her feet for a while. She did wear the casts, and thankfully she soon recovered. Her mind was now set on becoming the best soccer player she could be. Her only distraction was her brother who encouraged Mia 100%. In 1999 Garrett, her brother, died of a bone marrow disease. She was heartbroken. That same year she founded the Mia Hamm Foundation. A foundation that gives money for bone marrow research. She was devistated and wished she still had her brother. But, she picked her head up and realized that Garrett would support her in her soccer career and the rest of her life. She went on to win the gold at the 2004 Olympics. She got married and became a hero to many people. This is because Mia Hamm is such an inspiration due to her determination, ability to have care and strength in her heart, and for all of her hard work and focus that she out forth in her long, successful career.
ReplyDeleteI choose to Cady Heron from the movie mean girls. Cady was home schooled all her life in Africa till one day her parents tell her she is moving to the United States. She starts high school and is trying to fit in. She makes friends with two great friends. Soon she beacomes friends with the most popular girls in school. Everyone wanted to be them. Cady was so caught up in being popular she turned in to a terribly mean person. Everyone in school hated her. She soon realized how rude she was being to people and stopped being so bossy and help set the school straight the way it should be where everyone was friends.
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DeleteWhile i do not support this athletes way of life, Joseph Campbell's model fits the career of NFL quarterback Michael Vick. He was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, which was already hard enough to accomplish, while he got mixed up in some illegal activity. Vick was hosting and gambling on dog fights. He was possibly at the peak of his career, maybe not even at his peak yet, when he was arrested for his actions. It seemed almost certain his career was over at that point. After his suspension with the NFL was over and he was released from prison, Vick was lucky enough to be signed by the Philadelphia Eagles. After he was signed by the Eagles he was able to go back to his career as an a quarterback. Once he was able to return to his life of being an NFL quarterback, it was obvious that even though he was back to his rich life, it was obvious that he would never be as much of an athlete as he used to be.
ReplyDeleteElvis Presley was born in Mississippi in 1935. He started singing at the age on 19 and got his call to fame. He was great singer and quickly got many #1 hits. Throughout the years he quickly gained more and more fame. He was never really comfortable in Holly Wood though. But before this he was rejected many times from bands, being told that he couldn’t sing. Elvis’s mentor who helped him become famous was his recorder, Sam Phillips. Elvis was drafted into the military where he served as a normal soldier for 2 years. After Elvis came back he started to make a lot of movies. Most of them were comedies, and although the critics gave them bad reviews the movies all made a lot of money. After these movies Elvis became unhappy with singing and was less popular, but then he made a TV special called “Elvis” that but him back up top. In 1971 Priscilla and Elvis divorced after 6 years of marriage. Elvis, although he began with a strong stand against drugs, became addicted to them. His concerts were awful and short because of drugs. He became a wreck. Latter a book titled “Elvis: What Happened?” pinpoints his misuse of drugs. In 1977 he died, most probably from symptoms, or just the misuse of drugs. I think that once Elvis died he returned in a full circle because his legacy shows him as one of the greatest singers, not as a drugged up joke.
ReplyDeleteMahatma Gandhi is a hero. After his education in India, He began to work as legal representative in South Africa, and saw that was really affecting Indians and other minorities there. He fought for their rights, got jailed, and eventually moved back to India. Gandhi lived during the end of the British rule in India. Toward the end, as the civilians began to revolt, the British began to tighten the grip by overtaxing and massacring people. Gandhi practiced Satyagraha, or nonviolence, which did not give the British a reason to punish him. He was booed, slandered, and humiliated for many years while he attempted to gain freedom for India. He was jailed for the fact that he was having too much of an influence on the people. In protest, he went on a hunger strike in jail. He got released because he was very ill. He set up an ashram and began to preach his nonviolent methods to others. One day as he was preaching, he was assassinated. This is the end of his hero quest; even though he died, his legacy will remain with our country forever.
ReplyDeleteThe hero I choose is Johnny Tremain. He grew up as a normal kid, nothing special about him. He attended Kanakuk Summer Camps every year. One year, he heard a talk about selflessness at his camp, his call to action. Unlike most others, he took it to heart. He graduated to become a pilot in the air force, always helping others before considering his own needs. After serving in the air force for many years, he retired, but would host an airshow with some of his old friends from the air force. At one of these shows, Johnny's plane malfunctioned. The plane was stuck in a turn, headed toward a city. Thrice his friends told him to eject, and each time, he let out a puff of smoke to signal that he heard them. He continued to wrestle with the controls as he attempted to save the residents below from certain death. He crashed his plane in the garden behind a house. He died in the crash. The residents of the house later said that they had seen him coming straight for them, and thought that they were going to die. Johnny, however, sacrificed himself instead.
ReplyDeleteLouis Armstrong is a hero in every sence of the meaning. Even as a young boy He was interested in music, preforming in several other forms of music before learning to play the trumpet. Louis fell on hard times when he was thirteen and was sent to New Orleans home for colored chaifs where he meet Mr. Peter Davis, a music instructer that constantly visited the home. Mr.Davis was soon tutoring Armstrong in the form of jazz and scatt music. Despite racial profiling of the time period, Mr. Armstrongs music was loved by all. (It still is). By the time Mr. Armsrong retired in the 1960's, he had influenced and inspired millions of young musicians and people.
ReplyDeleteHilary Clinton's call to adventure was marrying Bill Clinton and his decision to run for the governor of Arkansas. She gave up a successful law career to help her husband run. She crossed the threshold when Bill Clinton won the election, largely due to her efforts. She was tempted to run for public office, but never followed through with that. Also, when Bill Clinton became president she was tempted to play a much larger role in the government by pushing the health care law but failed. Then she decided to run for presidency and lost a bitter battle. This was the ending of her abyss. She accepted the role of Secretary of State and this action marked her transformation. She became an amazing statesman and a loved patriot of the country. When she runs for presidency, she will cross the threshold and attain a hero's status.
ReplyDeleteThe every day "hero" i choose is Tiger Woods, although his actions have lead many to believe he is not in fact a hero. Tiger has gone through the majority of the typical hero quest cycle however he has not completed the emotional sector of the rebirth portion of the cycle. TIger Woods was is one of the best golfers in the world and was one of the most respected. However, Tiger was caught cheating on his wife and it was discovered he was having affairs with multiple women and Tiger lost all respect from the public. This time period was his abyss. After the media calmed down, TIger got back into golfing and won multiple world championships. Tiger Woods has been physically reborn but he has not yet been fully forgiven by the public for his dishonorable actions. However, despite his past mistakes, I believe Tiger is well on his way to atonement.
ReplyDeleteIm choosing Dwayne Wayne (Lil Wayne) because when he was young, just around the age of 12 or 13 he went on tour. The threshold he went through was going into the world of traveling and living on the road. When he was on tour he had a mentor who was Bryan Williams (The Birdman). Things were going well for a couple of years then Dwayne started drinking "syrup" which is promethazine and codeine. This to the south is known as "drank". The problem he had was that overtime of drinking this he became addicted to it. He developed a sickness and he was in a little depression. Thats when mentally he was down in his career. When he was down he had one of his best friends T tell him that he was basically messed up and he had to stop drinking syrup. When the word got out that Dwayne was drinking syrup all of his fans begged him to stop. Dwayne looked at himself and realized what he was doing. He got straight with the people he disrespected during the bad time period. Then he came out with The Carter III and he was back.
ReplyDeleteIn the movie, Batman begins, Bruce Wayne's parent's die. He becomes depressed and keeps thinking of killing the man who killed his parents. Eventually, he feels the need to leave Gotham. He crosses the threshold when he leaves to Hong Kong. He is put in prison for helping people steal what was in reality his. He is tested there, again and again. Finally his mentor Ra's al Ghul, pulls him out of the prison and trains him. In the end, he has to fight Ra's al Ghul to achieve success. Once he does this he returns to Gotham, a changed man who is ready to fight evil.
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