From the opening pages, McCarthy depicts the love and protection the father has for his son as they continue their impossible journey. McCarthy successfully depicts this relationship’s growth, while writing the same high standards for despair that he is most known for. Through the “dark and the cold of the night he’d reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him” (3). In just the first sentence, McCarthy manages to outline the entire story. In a world that God has abandoned, where the sun no longer shines through the ashes, the hope that the father and his son will survive ultimately gives the reader something to look forward to.
The community around him has welcomed him and it is not his duty to protect them, Beowulf and the civilization he was protecting knew he was capable of being king, but Beowulf seemed to be searching for validation of his morality, validity that he was doing right. I feel the main part of the text is his failure with the sword, “, the shining blade refused to bite. It spared her and the man in his need.” (105, line 1523), he now is in some sense cornered as to what to do. Being the warrior and the man that he is “he never lost heart.” (107, line 1530), and something bigger than himself came to help the warrior, Beowulf then knew something above him was on his side. It was as if then at this point he was secure in what he was doing and comfortable to move forward, not only in the battle but in his soon ruling the land.
He is so influenced by the culture around him that he is willing to “risk his life for no reason but the danger” just so his reputation will get better (Raffel 39). Though he loses this race, he loses with honor, which might be even better than winning. Beowulf constantly feels the need to one-up himself and do something even more honorable so that he is still viewed as a
Creon wants the people to obey him and respect him, but he has not given them a reason to. The decisions that he makes are bad ones that hurt his people as well as his own reputation and family. It is only when he can’t take the suffering anymore that he is driven by grief, but still he will not give up his power. Another strong reason why Creon should not continue to be king is because he is too stubborn and proud to be a ruler. A good leader should know when to kneel down instead of trying to put everyone and everything under him.
These two young man realize that whatever thrown in their life they will have the ability to survive it. Although, Rawlins cannot handle his duty being Cole’s best friend and the cruelty of the human nature and the people around so he returns home. John Grady all by himself learned that violence is accepted, whatever challenge will come, he will overcome it and learn from it. McCarthy is stating that once you have lost your innocence you will never get it back. So Cole started his journey again, by himself with nothing but his pride.
Dubose take on an unwinnable challenge and they are aware of their own limitations. But still they proceed to fight the battle that they will lose in the end. Atticus takes a case that is impossible to win but hopes to win the appeal, Mrs. Dubose gets rid of the addiction, but she knows that she going to die. Atticus, like Mrs. Dubose, also knows just winning Tom’s appeal will not win the war of racism. Atticus’ courage shows to be more moral in the book because he is doing this for everyone and not just himself.
Ruthie Eldridge 04.27.2012 English- Period 8 Essay: C A man’s precious treasure is his pride and dignity. Born upon this cold world, full of rejection and disappointment, it is all that he has to hold on to. There was once a saying that, it doesn’t matter if you lose the fight, as long as you didn’t back down to the battle. Many people are judgmental on whether you lose, but they don’t analyze the road you took to earn your respect, and your determination to stand strong, even when others expect you to fall. Therefore, standing up for what you believe in will always be more acceptable than selling out.
However, that doesn’t represent a hero so Beowulf knowing he might not make it back, knows he must fight and he “feels no shame, with shield and sword” (101, 2517-2520). This shows he isn’t even fighting for glory; he is fighting because he knows he must end this dragon’s life before his is ended. He fights for his people, for what is right, and nothing else. Beowulf is an epic hero because he represents himself with the characteristics of supernatural strength, courage and the will to fight for what’s right. There is no possible way Beowulf will be forgotten and his legacy will carry on throughout time and his tale will live on
It was not an easy task trying to redeem his name, and home for his entire race. It took asking for the assistance of many different walks of life, and learning to appreciate their servitude for Thorin to finally gain back his home of the Lonely Mountain. No amount of gold or silver was worth Thorin’s life, but he risked it all, and in return gave a safe home back to the exiled dwarves. Thorin can be viewed as a brave, hard spirit that always stood not only for him, but for other’s as well. He fought until the end, and in the end went with peace and pride.
When Beowulf is discussing his battle with Breca and says "Often, for undaunted courage, / fate spares the man it has not already marked" (572-573). Even though Beowulf thinks that everything is decided by fate, he still feels as though he has input in it when it has not already been decided. Before Beowulf fights Grendel he declares "And may the Divine Lord / in His wisdom grant the glory of victory / to whichever side He sees fit" (685-687). Beowulf is going into this fight completely fearless, because he does not know who will win and can not change the course, so he goes into the fight accepting his possible death. Everyone in this epic has the state of mind that if they die, they die, if they live, great.