Download Justin Hammer Mr. Carlton Honors english 10 12-18

Justin Hammer
Mr. Carlton
Honors english 10
12-18-21
Superman vs. Achilles
Contemporary heroes are often compared to heroes of classic literature and
mythology. An example of these comparisons is that of Superman and Achilles. They
share many commonalities with each other. Both of these characters were not born with
their super powers but rather gained them from and outside source, they both have their
own specific weakness, and they each of them have tremendous pride and
determination.
First off, both of these classic heroes have amazing strength and abilities that
surpass that of a normal man. However, their powers didn't come from birth into life.
They, in fact, came from a source outside their own doing. Achilles was dipped in the
river Styx by his mother when he was born. This gave him his so called "invincibility".
This is also what allows him to dominate the battlefield during the Trojan War. As for
Superman, his gift of super strength and other abilities was given to him by the sheer
fact that the planet he was born on had such a dense atmospheric structure that he was
much stronger than typical humans. Another influence that his planet, Krypton, had on
his powers was fact that his planet's people were significantly more evolved than that of
"Earth-dwellers". Though these two prototypical heroes of literature and media had
extraordinary powers, they also had one vital and key flaw, their one weakness.
These two heroes had a specific weakness caused by the very source from
which their powers were derived. Because of the fact that Achilles was dipped in the
river by his mother for his strength, she forgot to put his entire body into the river. He
was fully submerged aside from his heel, his only vulnerable spot on his body. This was
the cause of his eventual demise in battle, he was shot by a poisoned arrow in the very
heel, resulting in the death of a great hero. Superman's weakness, on the other hand,
was a cause of the very planet he was born on. A mineral that came from his planet
called Kryptonite was turned radioactive after his home planet was destroyed. This
made Superman fatally vulnerable to it. All the strength they could ever muster up
couldn't protect them from their one fatal weakness. Both of these signature flaws have
been adapted to modern times. Kryptonite is often referred to as a task or flaw that
someone has or had difficulty overcoming, and the tendon above the heel is called the
Achilles Tendon in reference to Achilles's "kryptonite".
Lastly, Achilles and Superman show an incredible amount of pride and
determination. These two marvels of power and strength fight valiantly for their country
in great battles. Achilles battling fighting with the Greeks against the Trojans during the
Trojan War, and Superman fighting for the United States, in a sense, against the
criminals of metropolis. Superman truly represents the beliefs and ideals of the
"American way". Achilles fights proudly for Greece against those that oppressed his
country and against the man that had slain his very cousin. They are both very
determined to prevail against their foes, Achilles against the Trojans and Superman
against crime and evil doers.
In conclusion, the heroes of both modern and classic literature are very similar.
The modern heroes represent an "updated" version of the morals and values of the
classic Greek heroes. They represent the very values of their country and people. They
tell a story that captivates a reader and gives people a representation of what a true
hero is. These two specific examples give an idea of pride, truth, and justice both on the
battlefield and in the streets of the city.