Pocahontas and Mulan

Pocahontas

Pocahontas was the hero at the time in the new world, saving a white man's life and her whole tribe. Pocahontas realized her adventure when she has her dream of the spinning arrow. She is very confused with her dream and asks Grandmother Willow what it means, at this time, she sees John Smith. Since Pocahontas has never seen someone with lighter skin and blonde hair before, she runs, stating her refusal of the call. Once she stops being afraid, she shows John Smith the way of her people while he tries to show her the way of his. Pocahontas now falling in love with John Smith, is not very careful, which leads to him being captured and Kokoum dying. When John Smith is captured, Pocahontas is torn between saving John Smith or joining her tribe in a war she doesn't want to be apart of. When she finally decides to stop this whole mess and to save John, little did she know that she was making peace between the two sides. When Pocahontas saves John by putting her body over his, her father, the chief, sees that she loves him. The other Indians see that if there is something the chief's daughter sees in the pale face, then they can't all be horrible. The pale faces, at the bottom of the cliff see the chief back away from killing John and they realize that going to war with them is a horrible idea. When John is saved, and the war is put off, the pale faces head back to England leaving a few people behind to start a colony, leaving Pocahontas for the next adventure.

Mulan

Mulan is a young woman when the Huns invade ancient China. The Emperor has instructed that a male from every family is to go off and fight against the Huns. Mulan is the only child in her family and her father has already gone to war before and was injured because of it. She is not a normal everyday day girl, she is a disgrace because she isn't bride material. When the draft is sent out, Mulan takes her father place without him knowing. She ends up in a training camp, faking to be a man, with a small dragon called Mushu as her mentor, and hundreds of men. The whole time shes in this camp she is pressured by, Shang, the army camp captain, to be the best warrior she can be. When Shang thinks they are ready enough, they are called to battle. Once they get there, the Huns attack. Mulan and her fellow warriors defeat the Huns, which Mulan gets injured in. When Mulan is getting medical attention, she is discovered and left behind the rest of the military. In doing so, she sees the Huns come back and go to kill the Emperor. She runs to the Emperors palace as they are celebrating the end of the war. The Hun's leader Shan Yu, tries to kill the Emperor, and Mulan saves him. Mulan goes back to her home a hero, with the crest of the Emperor for her father. Once she gets back to her house, she expects her father to be ashamed with her. But, he is so happy and proud of his daughter.

Motherhood: The Heroic Deed

Natalie Witherell

Adv. World Lit

9/9/13

            The author of numerous books, including "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," Joseph Cambell, was interviewed about his idea of heroism. Cambell was explaining how a mother became a hero when she gives birth. "Motherhood has lost it's novelty, you might say." (Joseph Cambell). What Cambell means by this, motherhood is a common thing, and now it can be found anywhere. Teenagers get pregnant just to become a star on a television show. But, for the maidens that are married and are ready to become mothers, the heroic deed seems to have dimmed down. In most interpretations, the hero must undergo a change before they actually become a hero. There are two changes, both mentally and physically. Physically, the mothers body changes for 9 months. Mentally, they change from a maiden, to a mother in child birth. It's a wonderful image, a mother as a hero. But since motherhood can be found anywhere, the importance and heroic deeds seem to have dimmed down a whole lot. Motherhood is an entity that has become invisible to the everyday eye. 

A Hero's Story

A Hero's Story

When most people hear the word hero, they think of either a super hero in movies and comic books, someone fighting off in war, or a personal hero in their lives who have fought for what they believe in. The definition for the word hero is, a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. My hero is my friends mother, Meredith Lander Cobb. Meredith passed away with breast cancer in January. She fought for two years, then she was in remission for five years, until she broke her back. When she in the hospital for her back, they noticed that the cancer had spread to her bones. She fought for another year in a half. At the time, before I moved from Glenwood Springs, both her daughter, Meghan, and son, Jourdan, were my best friends. I was over at their house many times and I helped them cook, clean the house, and keep their youngest brother entertained. On the morning of January 26, Jourdan called me telling me his mother was in the hospital and he wanted me to be there with him. Within a few hours, the nurse asked Jourdan if he would like to see if mom, little did he know that she had passed away. I had never seen Jourdan cry before, and i’ve never seen someone cry so much. Meghan, at the time, was taking a friend down stairs because she had to leave. She came in asking her aunt how her mom was doing, and her mom said shes gone. Meghan fell to the floor crying with her friend comforting her. Jourdan, is 16, Meghan is 13, and Zack is 10. All three will grow up without a mom. But they will always be in their hearts. Meredith Lander Cobb was like a second mom to me. She treated me like I was her daughter. Meredith is my hero because she fought so hard for her family. She tried, and tried until all her strength was out and her family was fine again. Meredith is the hero that told me that if you love something fight for it until its within your grasp.