Myths and heroes : what roles myths and heroes play in our societies ?

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Introduction :

Hello! My name is I’m a student high school and

now I’m going to present you the second notion if the English program which is titled “Myths

and heroes”. First of all, let me define this term: A myth can be defined as a story about gods

or heroes, it can be a popular belief or a tradition or a false notion. A hero can be a

mythological figure, a person who is admired for his or her achievements, a superhero or

maybe a role model or an icon. We may wonder : what roles myths and heroes play in our

societies ? Firstly, we will see the influence of heroes in history and in our life. Secondly, we

will see how myths forge our customs and mentalities.

Development :

I. The influence of heroes in history and our daily life

Some people have always been admired, respected and considered as heroes in people’s mind

because they have distinguished themselves from others and influenced their peers, thanks to

their actions, their ideologies, their struggles or their many qualities. There are different types

of heroes, each person can consider an individual as a hero according to subjective criteria,

specific to each. However, the heroic character of some is undeniable. For instance, in the

common consciousness, it is established that citizens whose vocation is to protect and save

others at the risk of their lives, are heroes and examples. It is immediately thought of the fire

soldiers , the gendarmes and the militaries considered as national heroes.

However, there are heroes who has change the History as a defender of common values. By

the way, we seen in class Nelson Mandela’s story and achievements. He was a South African

citizen who became the first black president in 1991 and the one who abolished the apartheid

in his country in 1993 . He was the first of his family to attend school, but he was suspended

from university because of his involvement against the gov. He fought all his life against

racial segregation, at first pacifically with his group the African national congress (strikes,

general civil disobedience, boycotts). But, when apartheid became legal in 1957 , the A.N.C

change their way to fighting and take weapons. Mandela was arrested, spent 27 years in jail,

became the symbol of anti-apartheid, and won a peace Nobel prize because he gave his life

and his freedom for his fight. Thank to determined and tough people such as Mandela or

Martin Luther King, the blacks achieved Civic Rights. They changed the course of History

and the condition of Blacks people.

There are also many people who are an object of admiration and devotion, they are icons. For

example, for a lot of person Oprah Winfrey is a symbol of hope and determination, she is

considered as an example and a modern heroin. In effect, O.Winfrey is an Afro-American

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