A Modern Hero's Legacy

In 1949, a playwright named Arthur Miller wrote an essay called "Tragedy and the Common Man." It was an essay that defended a character in one of Miller's plays called Willy Loman. In this essay Miller stated that a hero cannot only be defined by Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero, but that a hero can also be found in the common man. Instead of the traditional hero who comes from wealthy families and whose destruction comes about through a character flaw, Miller's hero is a nobody who keeps fighting against the universe. This hero has a chosen image of themselves that they want to fulfill in their lifetime. The tragedy in Miller's Modern hero occurs when the hero's environment denies the fulfillment of this dream. And so the modern hero continues to fight the society they live in in an attempt to achieve their desired image. No matter how lost the battle may be, the modern hero keeps on fighting.

This image that the modern hero wants to achieve is not unlike a legacy. The modern hero wants their society to recognize them as such and they want to imprint their image onto the younger generation so that their dream could live on. They want to have some sort of dignity to their name and person. A legacy is built upon this image that society has of the given person. In Lorraine Hansberry's play "A Raisin in the Sun", Walter Younger follows Miller's definition of the modern hero to the letter. Walter is a black man living in 1960's America who lives in a two bedroom apartment with his mother, sister, wife and child. Near the beginning of the play, the reader learns that Walter wants to start a reputable business so that he can fell like he is worth something in his society. With this dream, Walter has begun his fight with the universe and the society around him begins to attack him. Walters conflicts really begin from his birth. Because he is a black male, Walter is often seen telling his family that the only stories he can tell his children are those of white people. As a black male in 1960 America, Walter has felt oppressed all his life and has wanted to have his own dignity. Walter also encounters conflict between him and his family. Despite the good intentions behind his families suppression of his dream, Walter finds that everything he knows is now trying to destroy his dream. No matter what punches come his way, Walter continuously tries to preserve and build upon his image, and through that, his legacy.

Just like Walter, we all should try and achieve our chosen image. We all have a chosen image of ourselves that we would like society to perceive us as. And when we die, we want that image and legacy to carry on to our children and grandchildren. Walter knew that he had no legacy, he knew that when he died, his children might remember him for their life time but after sometime he would fade and be forgotten. He decided that he didn't want to fade away. Walter wanted to have stories told of what he achieved and of who he was. Through Walter's struggle, we can all learn that we need to achieve this chosen image we have of ourselves. If we continue to chase that image we have of ourselves, we will not only continue to improve ourselves as a person, but also ensure that we become who we truly want to be. Therefore we will be remembered by those around us exactly how we want to be remembered. Matthew McConaughey once said:

You see every day, every week, every year of my life my hero is always 10 years away. I'm never gonna be my hero, I'll never attain that. I know I'm not and that's just fine with me because that keeps me with somebody to keep on chasing," he said. "So, to any of us, whatever those things are, whatever it is we look up to, whatever it is we look forward to, and whoever it is we're chasing, to that I say 'Amen.'

Matthew McConaughey believes that his hero is himself in ten years. He continuously chases his own future image. If we all strive to constantly become the best person we can be, then we will have an unlimited supply of motivation that will carry us all the way throughout our life.

Walter chased his dream, every modern hero chases their own dreams, now it is time for us to chase ours too. A legacies is built upon the image that society has of a given person. The legacy of the modern hero becomes that of who never gives up in their battle, who fights continuously to the end and believes in their dream. One cannot be limited by the society one lives in. Walter aspired to reach beyond what society had given him and we all must do the same. We must continuously chase our future selves, and create the best possible image of ourselves. No matter how hard the universe may fight back, we can stand up, keep throwing punches and build our legacies.

Sources

Raisin in the Sun

Walter and Ruth

Breaking Free from Chains

Matthew McConaughey Quote