Blog #2

 

   The people of America are responsible for electing a president, yet once the president has been inaugurated the search for their faults is in full blast. Abraham Lincoln was a president that was assassinated because of the faults people believed he had. Martin Luther King Jr. was the leader of the Civil Rights Movement and since he was the leader he was assassinated because of his "faults" of wanting equality and peace. 

  Abraham Lincoln became president during a time of need in America. The states were divided North and South and had no intentions of changing that and even went to war because of the divisions. Lincoln was responsible for the abolition of slavery and passing the 13th-15th amendments (abolishing slavery, allowing for education of African-Americans, and allowing them to vote). The mere thought of equality was absurd to them and the fact that Lincoln was doing everything he could to obtain equality was the "fault" that got him killed. The search for faults in President Lincoln hurt America because it happened right after he was elected for a second term where he could have done a lot more in obtaining equality between blacks and whites.

 

  Martin Luther King Jr. may not have been a president but he was an American leader. He lead the Civil Rights movement and gave the famous "I have a dream" speech. MLK wanted equality and peace just like Lincoln did and was assassinated for the same reason. Even before his assassination, he was beaten and jailed because of his actions of seeking equality. If the assassination hadn't happened then maybe there would be less issues today within the topic of race. All MLK wanted was equality and in a way he got it because there is no more segregation. If he did not die so early within the movement then maybe there would be less turmoil among the different races. The "fault" that killed MLK was his relentless search for equality. 

  Leaders are the face of whatever it is they are leading. Presidents are the face of America and MLK was the face of the Civil Rights Movement. It is precisely that reason that begins the search for the leader's faults. Not everybody agrees on everything and the difference in opinions is the fire for the "fault search" and the difference in opinions is what got Lincoln and MLK killed. People didn't agree with what they fought for (equality) and killed them because of the progress they had. As long as people disagree there will be a search for the leader's faults in order to stop what they are fighting for.    

Blog #1

Jack Sparrow was the Captain of the Black Pearl in Pirates of the Caribbean. Sparrow was an anti-hero because of the wit and negotiations he used in times of need rather than the super powers used by traditional heroes. He runs into a hot blonde during his quest to regain the Black Pearl, but unfortunately for him she is in love with someone else. Bad luck like this is something that Jack Sparrow and Ichabod Crane, the anti-hero from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving, have in common.

Ichabod Crane fell head over heels for Katrina Van Tassel, a woman who came from money. Similarly Jack Sparrow fell in love with Elizabeth Swann, the hot blonde as previously stated. Swann was the daughter of Governor Swann, who governs Port Royal. Being the daughter of a governor means that her family has money, which could be one reason why Sparrow was "in love" with her. Being a pirate it is not a shock that Jack Sparrow is only attracted to gold but his "love" is questionable because who wouldn't fall for her?

Jack Sparrow and Ichabod Crane were both gold diggers because they were only attracted to rich women. This quality of being two-faced is a similarity between the two characters and a quality that makes them anti-heroes. 

The pirate mentality that Jack Sparrow has is another similarity he shares with Ichabod Crane. Pirates only care about themselves and will cut ties off with anyone and everyone if it means keeping the treasure they desire. Jack Sparrow wanted the Deadman's Chest to escape from Davy Jones' Locker and did anything to get the chest, even if it meant leaving his friends Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner for 100 years. No matter what, losing friends and all, Jack Sparrow was going to get that chest away from Davy Jones. Similarly, Ichabod Crane imagines leaving all his friends behind if it means receiving his treasure, Katrina. If Katrina ever fell for Ichabod, he would immediately leave every last friend he has just to keep his "treasure".  

Being self-centered is a quality that both of these characters have in common and a quality that makes both of them anti-heroes. 

Jack Sparrow and Ichabod Crane are not traditional heroes because of the lack of being larger than life, having super powers or being extraordinary, or even living by a moral code. They are not role models so they cannot be traditional heroes. Even though they are not traditional heroes they have their positive attributes in that Jack Sparrow is dependable on getting his friends and himself out of sticky situations and Ichabod Crane is an honorable teacher.  These characters may not be conventional heroes but they are not villains either, they are somewhere in between, making them anti-heroes.