Antihero

Parody: an imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect. In his book A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court, Mark Twain parodies the bland narrative of classic medieval stories by allowing the protagonist Hank Morgan to get within breathing distance of literary tropes then turning them on their head resulting in an interesting tale of what would happen if the manager of a weapons factory got teleported to 7th Century Camelot.…

obsession with innocence leaves one predestined to be wedged between a world of childhood and that of adulthood. In JD Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye we are introduced to one of the most complex protagonists of literature, Holden Caulfield the antihero. Holden’s fixation with innocence leads him into a desperate search for connections to people who portray childlike and pure characteristics to which he feels he can identify with. Throughout the novel, Holden struggles to avoid conforming to…

Sir Kenneth Branagh is a well-renowned actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, with some of his better-known works being various adaptations of Shakespearean plays. He is also known for his role as Gilderoy Lockheart in the second installation of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and as the director of Thor, released in 2011. Movie adaptations are usually a hit or miss. Most often, they are a miss in some shape or form for the audience. That is the case for…

to escape the war, and in order to do so he does many improper things. In his novel, Joseph Heller is able to assemble a superficial statement about the demeanor of all U.S. bombardiers during WWII by presenting Yossarian, a rebellious, cunning antihero. Heller enlightens Yossarian through his narrative of Yossarian’s…

Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King are both critically acclaimed authors. Both authors are know for their legendary stories of mystery and horror. Their works have impacted the literary world in similar yet different ways. This essay will examine the similarities and differences between these legendary authors. Edgar Allan Poe was born in January 19, 1809 in Boston Massachusetts. When Poe was only one years old his father abandoned his family. One year later his mother died, leaving him orphaned…

All throughout the text, Richard acknowledges his behaviours that stems from his unconscious, repressed thoughts, and urges yet he takes no action to change his behaviours. Richard’s role in the text and nature is to be the villain or antihero to the protagonist, Richmond. Freud hypothesizes due to the nature of the theory, the id principle will rule oneself until we mature into our adolescent age and develop our superego. However, if one continues on the path of being ruled entirely by…

“Anarchy wears two faces, both creator and destroyer” (Moore & Lloyd 222). V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd depicts a dystopic society with a fascist government that condones discrimination against minorities. “V” for Vendetta has an antihero who is an anarchy and believes in non-chaotic self-governing and justice among a society. “V” needs change in the totalitarian government that needs full control of the civilians in England, therefore he molds a young teenage girl named Evey…

voice, let me have the rest” (Miller 385). Circe–by Madeline Miller–is a retelling of the Greek myth of Circe through the eyes of modern women and through the female lens. Circe had only been mentioned previously in The Odyssey, where she was an antihero and a foil to Odysseus on his journey home. Miller integrates two main arguments into her retelling of Circe’s story: how power leads to destruction and greed, and how patriarchy and misogyny affect the characters. In Greek society, wealth and…

Slaughterhouse-Five;The Disjointed Reality of War and Heroes Popular western culture glorifies , the image of a prestigious and courageous war hero into the minds of most citizens. This image of a war hero displays masculine and brave qualities and often puts their life on the line for their country. This glorification essentially leads to the popular belief and craving to become just like a ‘war hero’. However, this glamorization is highly inaccurate and distorts the truth of war. Through the…

Antigone tells the story of two characters, Antigone and Creon, who go against each other’s pride to defend their own. Creon, the King of Thebes, declares punishment upon Antigone for trying to illegally bury her deceased brother after he committed a crime. Antigone is trying to bury her brother so that he may pass over into the afterlife. Both characters believe that what they are doing is the right thing to do. Neither one of them want to put their pride aside and reason with the other.…